Caramelized onions, molasses and a touch of bourbon make these the best vegan baked beans on earth!
I know. Believe me, I know. I usually roll my eyes when I see a recipe title claiming to be the best ever anything. So as a rule, I usually don't do it. But today, you guys, because these vegan baked beans are so incredibly good, I'll make an exception.
Growing up, my family usually took pity on me at barbecues and left out the bacon (or whatever meat usually goes in baked beans). I appreciate that, but the result was many-a-picnics with no options for me but baked beans. So up until now it's been a little challenging for me to get super enthused about them.
But since barbecue season is right around the corner I thought I'd take to the kitchen and see what could happen with some whiskey and caramelized onions. Could I come up with a vegan baked beans recipe worth getting excited about?
OH YES! These beans did the trick.
They're sweet, smokey, and packed with savory flavor. They really are the best!
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Canola oil. Any high heat oil can be substituted, such as olive, coconut or vegetable oil.
- Onion. The recipe calls for yellow onions, but sweet onions could also be used.
- Bourbon whiskey. This ingredient adds so much flavor! However, if you prefer to cook without alcohol I totally get it. Leave it out and skip step 3 of the recipe. You could experiment with adding some bourbon extract, but I haven't tested this myself.
- Garlic.
- Tomato paste.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce. Annie's, Edward & Sons, and Whole Foods brands are all vegan.
- Molasses. The recipe calls for unsulfured molasses. If you're more of a blackstrap molasses kind of person I'd recommend using a 50/50 blend of blackstrap molasses and maple syrup.
- Brown sugar. Make sure this is organic in order to keep the recipe vegan.
- Apple cider vinegar. White or red wine vinegar can be substituted if needed.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
- Prepared mustard. Nothing fancy — just plain old yellow mustard.
- Smoked paprika.
- Liquid smoke. Look for this near where the barbecue sauce is sold at the grocery store. It will add so much smoky flavor to your beans!
- Beans. We're using canned beans for this recipe. Great northern beans are my preference, but navy beans will also work.
- Salt & pepper.
How They're Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Caramelize the onions first. Coat the bottom of a skillet with some oil and add thinly sliced onions. Stir them up!
- Cook the onions over low heat, stirring every so often, until they brown and break down. Be patient — onions need to cook slowly to caramelize properly.
Tip: Caramelizing the onions takes time, but it's so worth it! You can skip this step and sauté your onion briefly instead if you're short on time. Cut the amount of onion down to 4 ounces (about 1 smallish onion) if you do this.
- Keeping the heat low, slowly and carefully add the whiskey. Once it's all in you can raise the heat and let it simmer.
- Once the whisky has reduced, add minced garlic and cook it with everything for about a minute before taking the skillet off of heat.
- Mix your vegan baked bean sauce ingredients in a small container: tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, paprika, and liquid smoke.
- Drain and rinse your beans, then add them along with the sauce and caramelized onion mixture to a baking dish. Stir it up!
Tip: If you cooked your onions in an appropriately-sized oven-safe skillet, feel free to add the beans and sauce to the skillet and use it for baking the beans, rather than putting everything in a separate baking dish.
- Cover your baking dish and bake the beans until the sauce is bubbly, then uncover them and bake them for a few minutes more.
- Be sure to let the baked beans sit inside the dish for a few minutes before serving them!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover vegan baked beans will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 montths.
Reheat your beans in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. If they've been frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator first.
Frequently Asked Questions
They can be! Just use gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos in place of soy sauce, and make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free (Edward & Sons is).
Vegan baked beans are generally served as a side dish. They're perfect for cookouts and potlucks! Pair them up with a vegan burger, carrot dogs, or main dish like vegan mac & cheese or grilled tofu.
You can, but you'll need to soak and precook them. Try this method.
More Summer Side Dishes
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Best Ever Vegan Baked Beans
Caramelized onions, molasses and a touch of bourbon make these the best vegan baked beans on earth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (or high-heat oil of choice)
- 1 large onion (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced into half rings
- ¼ cup bourbon whiskey (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 (15 ounce or 400 gram) cans navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of a skillet medium skillet with the oil and place it over low heat. (Note 2). Add the onions and toss them a few times to coat them with oil.
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Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, 30-40 minutes.
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The whiskey goes in next, but before adding it, check to make sure the heat is still set at low. If there is any sizzling in the pan, lower the heat until it subsides. Alcohol vapors are flammable, and adding whiskey to a pan that's too hot could result in ignition. Keep a lid handy and use it to put out any flames. Now slowly begin adding the whiskey.
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Stir the whiskey in and raise the heat to medium to bring it to a simmer. Allow it to cook until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 4 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and cook it with the onions and whisky for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove the skillet from heat.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Stir the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, paprika and liquid smoke together in a small bowl or container.
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Add the beans, caramelized onion mixture, and tomato paste mixture to a medium (about 2 quart) baking dish. Stir everything to combine.
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Taste-test the mixture and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
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Cover and bake the beans for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
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Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- If you prefer to make this recipe without whisky, simply leave it out and skip steps 3 and 4.
- If you have a medium-sized oven-safe skillet, you can use it to caramelize the onions. Then in step 8, simply transfer the beans and sauce to the skillet and use it to bake everything.
- Recipe makes about 4 cups.
How much liquid smoke. It says 1 liquid smoke. Teaspoon? Thanks
Oops! One teaspoon! Thanks for catching that. I've updated the post!
2 quickie questions! I usually have some caramelized onions in my freezer that I have made in the slow cooker. Can I use those? And for the non-drinkers, should I substitute some extra liquid for the whiskey?
You could definitely use the caramelized onions from your freezer. I would't worry about replacing the whiskey unless it seems too thick - most of it cooks off anyway. Enjoy!
My daughter would adore this but she is sober and doesn't use anything alcoholic in even her cooking though we know there is no actual alcohol. There are other reasons not to add it too but I don't want a long post.
Can you think of anything that might give a similar tang to the beans? A vinegar or ????
Hi Nora! I'd just leave it out. It adds a nice flavor, but they'll still be tasty without it. Maybe add a bit of water if the sauce seems too thick and play around with the other seasonings if needed.
Vanilla extract
I bet these would be super yummy in tacos with some spicy slaw!
Definitely! I made a huge batch and we ate some of them on top of Field Roast franks. That was very nice too. :)
Hi, Alissa! I just made these AMAZING beans, and I agree...They are the BEST EVER! I just wonder, should I have drained the canned beans, or just add the whole can, including the juice? I have seen recipes that say if you use canned beans, you should drain and rinse them first. I added the whole can, didn't drain...and the beans came out great. I just want to know for next time...Did I make them correctly? Thanks!
P.S. Love this site, and your clever site name!
Hi Frani! Thank you so much, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the baked beans! I forgot to specify that I drained them when I made them, but I guess that wasn't crucial if they still turned out good for you! Thanks for catching that though - I usually try to specify, so I went and updated the recipe to to that. :)
New to your blog---found it looking for vegan baked beans. OMG! You are right---they are the best ever! Utterly fantastic. I don't think I have ever enjoyed baked beans as much as this (making it to go on the side with carrot "dogs."
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed them! I have to give carrot dogs a try. My husband and I actually pied these beans right on top of some Field Roast dogs - so good!
These flavors look really good. I have to admit I've never used liquid smoke before! I'm still not really sure about it but I see it is optional so I might just try making them without it.
Thanks Eddie! I hope you enjoy them!
Hi, Can you have this on toast or in a jack potato? Also can you freeze it and make up batches for lawyer on in the week etc? Thanks. Emily
I think these would be great on toast or in a potato, and I'm sure they'd freeze just fine if you seal them up tightly. Enjoy!
My daughter sent me this recipe, she made it for the first tIme today and said they were great. I made a batch of baked beans using a different recipe, starting with dry navy beans they came out too sweet for my liking. I'd like to try these, has anyone tried starting with dry beans, soak overnight then slow cooking in a crock pot for 8-10 hr? Do you think if I followed all the rest of the tecipe and just put the sauce and beans in a slow cooker,it would work? Thanks. JG, Hollis, NHR
Should be; Hollis, NH
I'm glad to hear she enjoyed them! I haven't tried making these in a slow cooker. Caramelizing the onions would be something you'd need to work around - maybe check out this recipe if you want to do that step in the slow cooker too. I'd say also just keep an eye on them - the timing might vary or you may need to add some liquid during cooking.
I just made a batch of these and they're delicious and my house smells amazing! I can't wait to get my workout done and have some for lunch so off I go!
I hope you enjoy them!!
Absolutely the best baked beans! I knew I'd be pressed for time, so I made the caramelized onions (included the garlic and bourbon steps) the night before and covered and refrigerated them. Saved a lot of time the next day and the flavors were amazing!
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much Judy!!
We just made these beans twice in one week. My husband made them (now he owns the recipe, ha ha). Two comments: I know a serving is usually a standard measure, but this is so good, you're going to want to double it! Next, when the onion was sliced and caramelized, then added to beans, I felt it was a little too much like a glob, was having trouble spreading them around. Suggest after you slice the large onion, cut it across just once and it will mix in better without being chopped. No apologies to non-vegans for this recipe. Bacon not missed! Thanks.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this, and thanks for the tips! That's definitly a good idea to half the onion slices. :)
Anyone use soy bacon in baked beans?
I'm not sure about the alcohol in the beans, but "Happy Baked Beans on Toast Day" (25th Dec).
A simple peaceful tradition started a few years ago here in the UK by one of my adult children, as an alternative to the avarice, stress and waste created by mainstream traditions (kept going by films and the media, for retail). Enjoying simple pleasures, for to live a simple life helps others to simply live.
I love that idea! Thanks Bexy!!
This is truly the "best ever" baked beans! Just found this less than 1 week ago and have already made it twice. Entire family love it. Followed recipe as directed with no changes. Amazing!!!
Awesome!! I'm so glad it's a hit! Thanks Karen!
These are in the oven as I type, so I can’t give a full report yet, but I know from tasting the sauce they will be amazing!!
I wanted to offer a tip for the people who are concerned about using liquid smoke. I don’t use it either. If you go to the bulk section of a store like Whole Foods, you can buy an ounce of “Yakima” applewood smoked sea salt. You can use it any recipe that calls for liquid smoke!
Thanks for this recipe!!
Thanks for the tip! I hope you enjoyed them!
I loved these!! Just made them today and they are super good. Thank you! I could see this working really nicely
with a jackfruit "pulled pork" style dish too! Yum!
Yes! These would be great with pulled jackfruit! I'm so glad you enjoyed the beans! Thanks Sheila!
Hey! This recipe looks GREAT & I'm excited to try them. 2 questions before i start: If I was going to carmelize the onions in a Dutch oven, could I just use the same Dutch oven to build the remainder of the recipe & bake them as well? Also, any differences with cook time etc if I were to double the recipe?
You could absolutely do that! And I don't think there would be any difference in cook time. Enjoy!
Is there a substitute I can use for the molasses?
You could leave it out if you like, though the flavor won't be as intense. :)
I made this for a potluck today (everyone LOVED them), but I think there may be a calculation error: when I changed it to 18 servings (3x as written), the beans increased to 6 - 42oz cans. Shouldn't it have just tripled to 6-14 oz cans??
Oh, thanks for catching that! Looks like a glitch where my recipe template didn't like the way I wrote out my numbers. I fixed it so it shouldn't do that anymore. And I'm glad to hear the beans were a hit! :)
Do you know if it would be okay to substitute regular molasses for the blackstrap molasses?
I'd recommend subbing regular molasses for the blackstrap molasses and some of the maple syrup - otherwise the beans would probably be too sweet! So maybe use 1/4 cup of regular molasses and cut down on the amount of maple syrup you use by 2 tablespoons or so.
can I substitute maple syrup for the molasses
You can, but they won't have as deep a flavor and might come out a bit sweeter.
I doubled the recipe and took to a potluck, I got so many compliments. Thanks.
Glad they were a hit!! Thanks Rita!
I made these yesterday using navy beans. They were delicious and received rave reviews. I followed the recipe measurements as written (I didn't have quite enough bourbon). One-half cup of maple syrup was not too sweet for us. I was fortunate to have paprika that was smoked using wood from bourbon barrels (purchased in KY) and maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels from Trader Joe's. Also, I mixed them up the day before and put in fridge. I let them sit out about an hour before baking and added a little extra bake time. Once again, DELICIOUS!!!
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for your wonderful review!
So i poured in the whiskey and had flames 2 feet high!! Did this happen to anyone else??
Oh my! That's never happened to me! It sounds like the heat might have been too high. Make sure it's at medium and keep a lid handy.
Yes!!!!! It happened to me! I almost lost an eyebrow!
OH my God, these are SO good, made them last night and now making another batch for Thanksgiving. I used a pound of Northern beans that I cooked for 25 min in the pressure cooker and it was the perfect amount of beans and also a little firmer than canned which I like. Thanks for the great recipe!
Awesome! I'm so glad you like them!
Do you think cannelleni beans would work okay? Cannot find navy bean around here. Thanks
They might work, although I usually find cannellini to be a bit soft for dishes like this. Great northern beans work great if you can find them.
The best baked bean recipe I have ever tried. I find that, when using dry beans (that I have soaked and cooked first), it is best to double the sauce recipe and the cook time.
Amazing and easy to make. We will probably never eat canned baked beans again. The bourbon definitely takes it to another level with the flavor. Worth the time to make this. In the future, I will double the recipe because it went so fast! Thanks so much!
I cooked these with a few substitutions based on what I had on hand, since under "stay at home" pandemic orders I'm only grocery shopping twice a month. I had everything except bourbon and molasses -- but my vegan worchestershire had some molasses, and I also added some Woody's Cook-In BBQ sauce which also hasome molasses. (This is the BBQ sauce of my childhood - it used to have anchovies, but it is now vegan, and stils l tastes amazing!) I used maple syrup as the sweetener, and totally forgot I have some that was aged in bourbon barrels- I'll try that next time. And I used Jacob's Cattle beans that I cooked from dry with sauteed onions, carrots and celery. This is a terrific recipe - thanks so much!
Hi there! Did you use regular yellow mustard, dijon mustard?
Plain old yellow mustard. :)
My daughter found this recipe and told me the onions were smoking and black and asked if that's what it's supposed to look like. She said she's supposed to cook the onions for 30-40 minutes. Is this a typo?
It's not a typo - you just might need to lower the heat so they cook slowly. If they start to burn or sizzle, turn it down.
Is it really 350 Celsius? Or is it in Fahrenheit?
I just think it sounds like a lot in Celsius? 😅
It's fahrenheit. I just updated the recipe to reflect that. :)
The flavour of these bake beans was great but my family said they seemed overcooked and a bit dry.. I wondered if extra liquid would help or is my cooking time off ?
Hmmm...it could really be either of those things. If you make it again, try checking the beans around 30 minutes to see if they seem done. You can also stir in a splash of water if they don't seem done but the liquid is drying up too quick. Another think you could do is try a different brand of canned beans (or cook them yourself from scratch), as some brands are a bit softer starting out than others.
Thank you for such an awesome quick and easy baked bean recipe! My husband is vegetarian and enjoys these beans better than the dried bean, soaked and long baking time beans. I have to agree with him. Absolutely delicious without having to plan a day ahead. Have been making them regularly 💕
Fabulous recipe. Thank you. I cooked my beans from scratch, left some of the cooking liquid in and they were fantastic. I used Jack Daniel's which took the beans to a whole other level.
I jumped in with both feet and made this for the first time for a large gathering today (tripled it). These are the best meatless baked beans I have ever had...everyone agreed! Delicious! I will make them again soon, thank you!
Will definitely use this recipe again!
I just made this and my husband said "those beans are much tastier than beans have the right to be tasty". Thank you for this amazing recipe!
It's so cold and miserable where I live. We needed some cheering up. These beans are heavenly. I used red wine in lieu of the whisky. The caramalized onions are the magic ingredient! Added a bit of Siracha for spiciness. Wow!