A classic brown sugar, vinegar and mustard syrup makes these From Scratch Cola Baked Beans a hit every time! The perfect pick for your next potluck or picnic!
Folks, there is nothing like a great big pan of bubbling baked beans made from scratch. That distinctive slow-cooked, vinegar and brown sugar laced taste brings back the nostalgia of growing up and sharing dinner each night with my family. Even though From Scratch Cola Baked Beans has more labor involved and a lot more time is required, the effort is worth it.
Reasons to love From Scratch Cola Baked Beans:
- Economical – for large batch sizes, from scratch costs about 1/2 the cost of canned.
- Versatile – use other types of beans and your favorite meat and veggie add-ins.
- Family tested – even the kids ate these beans!
- No remembering to soak the beans the night before – but the same great taste.
Hungry for more baked bean style recipes? You might enjoy:
- Grandma’s Southern Baked Beans – A reader all-time favorite!
- Italian Sausage Bean and Tomato Bake – so much more than a can of beans
Tips for making the best From Scratch Cola Baked Beans:
- You can also taste and adjust the sugar in this recipe, I like my baked beans less sweet, but you can use more.
- Test and taste your beans before using in the recipe. If the beans are not soft enough for you, cook them additional 10 minutes until they are to your taste. Repeat as needed.
- This recipe was prepared and written with great northern beans. The cooking times and consistency may vary if using another type of dry bean.
- Use all-natural or organic ingredients where possible for the best flavor.
First, start by getting the beans started. Add the dry beans to a large dutch oven, cover with water by about 1 1/2 inches and add a tablespoon of salt.
Bring to a boil on the stove, then transfer the pot to the over for 110 minutes to cook and soften. I used Great Northern Beans.
After the cooking time is up, test the beans for tender by squeezing between your fingers.
While the beans are cooking, fry the bacon to crisp, drain and crumble. Leave about 2 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan to saute the green peppers and onions. If you prefer, wipe all of the bacon drippings from the pan and saute the peppers and onions in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil instead.
Saute the peppers and onons until tender. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Adding the garlic last will keep it from burning.
In a large bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients. Add the beans, bacon and the vegetables with garlic to the bowl and stir. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until bubbling around the edges.
Serve beans warm. They are delicious as a side dish with any cooked meat, or on their own as the main attraction!
Helpful Tools and Ingredients:
- Dutch Oven or a heavy, deep covered pot – I love my Dutch oven. There are several styles to choose from but I prefer ceramic coated cast-iron. It can safely go from the stove top to the oven, and is perfect for braising meats, cooking soup, baking bread and slow-cooking roasts.
- Extra large Ceramic Baking Dish – this is my go to dish when I am making large batch recipes! Super high quality and retains heat so food stays hot on the table!
From Scratch Cola Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dry great northern beans
- 12 tablespoon kosher salt
- 5 cups water – more if needed to cover beans
- 6 slices thick cut bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 green pepper diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 jalapeno pepper stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup dark molasses
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon oil optional
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup Coca-Cola
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Make the beans by placing dry beans into a large dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Add enough water to the pot to cover the beans by 1 1/2 inches of water. Add the salt and stir. Place the pot on the stove top of medium high heat and bring to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat and place the dutch oven in the preheated 250 oven for 110 minutes.
- Check the beans at 55 minutes, If dry, pour enough boiling water over the beans to cover. Replace the lid and continue to cook for another 55 minutes. Test the beans by pinching between your figures to feel for soft.
- Remove the pot from the oven and drain. While draining, retain 1 cup of the cooking liquid for later.
- Increase the oven heat to 350 degrees.
- As the beans are cooking in the oven, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.
- Allow the bacon to cool and then crumble or cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Drain the skillet, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the bottom.
- To the skillet, over medium-high heat, add the onions, green pepper and jalapeno. Saute for 3 – 4 minutes until tender. Add in the minced garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute more. Set the skillet aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Add in the crumbled bacon and vegetables and stir.
- Into a large baking pan, pour the cooked beans. Pour the sauce over the beans and stir to combine.
- Place the pan into a 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the sauce is bubbling on the sides of the pan.
- If baked beans are too dry, add a little of the cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir.
Chef Tips
Nutrition Facts
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