Healthy Baked Beans
These healthy baked beans are a better-for-you spin on a beloved classic recipe! Gluten free & delicious with 3 cooking methods & smoked baked beans option.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Recipe Great
Baked beans are a summer bbq staple! They make the perfect side dish for burgers, bbq chicken, steak, hot dogs, you name it! Traditional recipes are full of added sugar and unwanted ingredients so I set out to make a healthier version that you can feel great about eating all summer long!
Best part? Bring the grill inside by adding a couple of drops of liquid smoke to transform this recipe into smoked baked beans! Gluten-free, healthy, and full of flavor, you will love this easy side!
Recipe Highlights
- Healthier, Gluten-Free Recipe
- Three cooking methods (Stovetop, Oven, Slow Cooker)
- Only 10 minutes to prep
- Add liquid smoke to make smoked baked beans
- Delicious & flavorful!
Ingredient Notes
(complete list of ingredients in the printable recipe below)
Sugar-Free Bacon: There are a lot of brands that make bacon with no added sugar, nitrates, or nitrites. I get mine from Butcher Box, but you can also find it at your local grocery store, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and more!
Navy Beans: Canned navy beans work perfectly for this recipe. Be sure to drain and rinse them.
Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce: I like The New Primal or Tessemae’s brands.
Coconut Aminos: You can find this soy sauce replacement at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and many other grocery stores. It adds great flavor and is completely gluten-free!
Liquid Smoke: Optional! A little goes a long way with this! It adds a delicious smoky flavor transforming these into smoked baked beans (as if you cooked them on the smoker!). You can find it on Amazon and in other grocery stores.
Recipe Step by Step
Stovetop
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and saute for 6-7 minutes until cooked.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove them and set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Using the same pot (with bacon grease), add the onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and stir for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the remaining ingredients (including cooked bacon pieces), and stir well.
- Simmer on low heat for 45-60 minutes. Enjoy!
Oven Method
- To bake in the oven, follow steps 1-4 then transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and bake at 325 for 45 minutes.
Slow Cooker Method
- Follow steps 1-4, transfer the mixed ingredients to the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
Serving: Serve these healthy baked beans alongside these air fryer turkey burgers, amazing gluten-free cheeseburgers, grilled keto chicken thighs, this air fryer filet mignon, and more!
Storage: Store leftover gluten free baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or over the stove.
Double Batch: If you need a big batch of these healthy, gluten free baked beans for a bbq or gathering, click on the printable recipe below and increase the number of servings. The ingredient amounts will automatically adjust!
Smoked Baked Beans: Add 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke to your healthy baked beans and taste. Continuing adding 1/4 teaspoon at a time until you’ve reached your desired smokiness. Be sure to stir well and taste before adding more!
Recipe FAQs
One trick is to drain and rinse the canned beans, then soak them in cool water for about 10 minutes and drain them. This removes about 30% of the sodium to make them a little healthier. You can also buy no-salt-added if you prefer!
Yes! If you’d prefer your gluten free baked beans to be meatless, remove the bacon. The vegan baked beans will still turn out so delicious and flavorful!
Baked beans typically have a sweetened sauce that makes this classic side so loved, however, if you prefer to omit the maple syrup and coconut sugar you can always use monk fruit sweetener which is an all natural sweetener with 0 carbs and 0 calories. This will sweeten the beans without adding extra carbs.
If you find that your version is a little runnier than you prefer, add 1 tsp of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder and stir for one minute. Add 1 tsp at a time and stir for one minute each time until your desired consistency is reached.
Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and stir, adding more as needed!
More Delicious Sides
Healthy Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 8 pieces sugar free bacon, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 15 oz cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- ½ cup sugar free BBQ sauce, I like The New Primal or Tessemae's brands
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp chili powder
- salt & pepper, to taste
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or large pot
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon pieces and saute for 6-7 minutes until cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove them and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Using the same pot (with bacon grease), add the onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and stir for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add in the remaining ingredients (including cooked bacon pieces), and stir well.
- Simmer on low heat for 45-60 minutes. Enjoy!
Oven Method
- To bake in the oven, follow steps 1-4 then transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and bake at 325 for 45 minutes.
Slow Cooker Method
- Follow steps 1-4 then transfer the mixed ingredients to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
6 Comments on “Healthy Baked Beans”
Made these for the 4th of July and they were wonderful! Love the simple ingredients most of us already have. The premade stuff might be convenient but these were still easy & much better for us!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed them!
Made these *again* per my husband’s request after he watched a “how it’s made” on baked beans. LOL. He even made me get a can of store bought baked beans to test the authenticity. Obviously these homemade ones scored significantly higher! We added sliced hot dogs for a beanie weenie twist!
LOVE IT!
I’m sorry – but f*ck Bush’s baked beans. These were top shelf. No one knew they were “healthy” and came back for seconds. I haven’t had baked beans in years but no doubt they are absolutely more tasty than than any premade canned baked beans! Will make again and again!
haha best comment! Thanks Jessica – so glad you enjoyed them!!