Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Not only are baked beans comforting, but that are a fantastic vegetarian protein source and super cheap to make. If you are looking for something healthy and filling on a budget, then give these Slow Cooker Baked Beans a try! Forget the tins of beans - make this lower in sugar and salt version that the whole family will love.

You really can't beat homemade baked beans. We have taken a classic British breakfast and cooked it in a slow cooker (crockpot), so you can wake up on a cold morning with this comforting breakfast ready to eat. Eat then by themselves on toast, with eggs and bacon or have them for lunch on a baked potato.

Jump to:

• Why should you try it?
• What you will need
• Step by step
• Why use the slow cooker?
• What beans to use?
• How to use them
• Different baked beans flavours
• FAQs
• Extra tips
• More slow cooker recipes
• Recipe

Why should you try it?

What you will need

Step by step

One: Put all of the ingredients in to a large slow cooker and mix well.
Two: Cook on low for 6-8 hours, so most of the liquid is absorbed. The beans should be creamy and tender.

Why use the slow cooker?

Why use the slow cooker when you could cook them on the hob? Well, apart from not having to stand over the hob, the slow cooker makes much creamier baked beans, and it's an easy way to cook dried beans as they are done low and slow.

Baked beans are best when cooked over a longer time as it really softens the beans and allows the flavours to really come together. You end up with a really rich and delicious sauce.

They won't taste exactly like the beans you get out of a tin, but that's not a bad thing. Making them yourself means you get to control exactly what goes in them, so these have a hint of smokiness from the paprika in them. These beans have so much more flavour than canned beans.

What beans to use?

We used cannellini beans to make this recipe, but you could use a mixture of cannellini, haricot and chickpeas. To keep this recipe budget friendly, we used dried beans, but you could use canned (rinse them first) and just reduce the cooking time.

How to use them

Beans on toast is such a classic, but there is so much more that you can do with baked beans. Add them to stews, pies and bolognese or put them on top of a baked potato with some cheese.

Different baked beans flavours

The great thing about homemade baked beans is you can change the flavours around. Want BBQ beans? Add some BBQ spices or homemade BBQ sauce. Want curry beans? Add some curry powder. Play around with the recipe and see what you like. Make them spicy by adding a splash of buffalo sauce, or your favourite chilli sauce.

Oh, and a little grated mature cheddar cheese goes a long way on these, but if you leave it out then these are vegan. 

Want to make them more indulgent? Just fry up some chopped bacon and add it to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients. You could use turkey bacon to make it lighter.

FAQs

Extra tips

• Use a mixture of dried beans like cannellini, haricot and chickpeas.
• Make flavoured crockpot baked beans by adding BBQ sauce or curry powder.
• Use these baked beans to fill out bolognese or shepherd's pie or on top of toast or baked potatoes.
• Make these baked beans more indulgent by adding some cooked chopped bacon with all the rest of the ingredients.
• If you are using dried beans, make sure they are soaked overnight.

More slow cooker recipes

Do you want to be kept up to date on more delicious posts like this? Please subscribe to the blog mailing list (it takes 30 seconds).
Click here to sign up.

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

DON’T FORGET TO RATE THE RECIPE ↓

Recipe