5-Ingredient Barbecue Bacon Baked Beans at Home

Do you have any idea how hard it is to make something in a home kitchen using only FIVE ingredients?

Truly hard. Maybe I should elaborate to say that it’s difficult to make a barbecue-friendly dish and only using 5 ingredients. The struggle was real. But when friends presented me with the challenge to create a 5-ingredient labor-less dish, I of course accepted.

I’m not one to turn down a challenge, like the time when our friend Dave dared me to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon – not my finest moment. Although, that was a somewhat scary disaster, 5-ingredient recipe developing doesn’t have to be. And I may only have a few tricks up my sleeve.

1: use BACON! 2: involve barbecue sauce 3. be OKAY with taking necessary shortcuts. Have I mentioned that this was a judgment free zone?

Now who doesn’t love the sound of 5 ingredient barbecue bacon baked beans??? Exactly.

To Make These Barbecue Bacon Baked Beans Set out:

• yellow onion – The base for most recipes, adds texture and sweet and subtle onion flavor to the beans.
• thick-cut bacon – I like to go to the butcher shop or use Wright brand (not sponsored) or any other high-quality brand.
• baked beans – A great shortcut. I usually buy organic to avoid any unnecessary additives. 
• barbecue sauce – I like use this method, but use your regular.
• un-sulphured molasses – For sweetness, depth of flavor and will also deepen the color of the beans.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 180°C).

In a cool pan, add 10-inch deep sided skillet, add a medium diced yellow onion and 4 chopped slices of applewood bacon.

Heat to medium, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and translucent and bacon is caramelized in spots.

Then add in 1 (28 ounce) can of baked beans, 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and 2 tablespoons un-sulphured molasses.

If I was to make true “from the pantry” beans I’d flip to page 183 in my cookbook *wink* but I would need quite a few more ingredients. Using organic baked beans is a-okay in my book, especially when on a 5-ingredient budget.

Stir well to combine.

Lastly, cover and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway.

Once 40 minutes are up, uncover and stir one last time before sliding the pan (uncovered) back into the oven for 20 minutes. This will help thicken it up the barbecue bacon baked beans a smidgen more.

That’s all folks!

These barbecue bacon baked beans go great with brats, burgers or hot dogs – truly anything grilled.

Enjoy! And if you give this Barbecue Bacon Baked Beans recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!