Here’s a hearty, flavorful Cowboy Baked Beans recipe—sweet, smoky, and perfect as a side for BBQs or weeknight dinners 🥫🔥
Cowboy Baked Beans
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
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2 cans (15 oz each) baked beans
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4–6 slices bacon, chopped
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1 small onion, diced
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1/2 cup barbecue sauce
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2 tbsp brown sugar (optional for extra sweetness)
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1 tsp mustard (Dijon or yellow)
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1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
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Optional: 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper or jalapeño for extra flavor
Instructions
1️⃣ Cook Bacon & Onions
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In a large skillet or saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy.
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Remove bacon and set aside, leaving some bacon fat.
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Sauté onions (and optional peppers) in the bacon fat until soft and translucent.
2️⃣ Combine Ingredients
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Add baked beans to the skillet.
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Stir in barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cooked bacon.
3️⃣ Simmer
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Reduce heat to low and simmer 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly.
4️⃣ Serve
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Serve warm as a side dish for grilled meats, burgers, or cornbread.
Tips
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Make Ahead: Cowboy beans taste even better the next day after flavors meld.
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Smoky Kick: Add a dash of smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke.
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Vegetarian Version: Skip bacon and add smoked paprika or chopped mushrooms for umami.
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Extra Sweetness: Maple syrup or molasses can replace brown sugar for depth.
If you want, I can also give a slow-cooker cowboy baked beans recipe that you can throw together in the morning and have ready by dinner—super easy and hands-off.