5 Different Ways To Use Baked Beans

Baked Beans: An under-appreciated classic.
A hardworking side dish that should take center stage.

Beans, Beans they’re good for your heart…we all know the song, or at least those of us over 40. And while it is a catchy tune, it is also true. They are good for your heart and high in protein and fiber. Once you incorporate them into your diet on a regular basis, even the well documented downside of beans subsides. Your stomach adjusts and will ultimately thank you. 

I am a new fan of baked beans. They were never one of my go-tos until I started working on Pure Grit. Since they are a BBQ mainstay, I cooked them all the time but still did not pile them on my plate. Now I make them as part of my meal prep and they work hard all week. They are so easy to make and they are extremely versatile. I am sure you already have all the ingredients on hand. 

Baked Beans:  Make our recipe and enjoy it with anything from BBQ to salad and rice. To prepare, you can start with dry beans which you can soak and boil, toss in the Instapot or simply open a can of white beans. You can use any white bean really, navy, great northern or cannellini. If you don’t have an onion, use onion powder. If you don’t have BBQ sauce, add more ketchup. No vinegar? No problem. Feel free to make them your own. They are almost impossible to mess up.

And they’re even better the next day and good for up to 3 or 4 if refrigerated.

1. Baked Bean Burgers: I love to make these as they are so easy. I take some of the leftover baked beans, eyeball it depending on how many burgers I want to make, and add chopped leafy greens and bread crumbs. I smash the beans prior to mixing. To make it really easy I use a frozen kale and spinach that I use for my smoothies. I make the patties and then put them in the fridge for a couple of hours. Pop them in my air fryer for 10 minutes, flipping them at the 5 minute mark. You can easily bake or pan fry. I find that the air fryer makes them crispy, and they stay together without any fuss or much to clean up. I top them with cheese or avocado and eat them on a bun tortilla or on a salad

2. Baked Bean Tacos/Burrito: I love tacos. I smash up the baked beans and spread them in either an almond flour or corn tortilla. Depending on my mood or time of day and what I have on hand, I might add smoked sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower, lettuce or avocado, and I always top with salsa.

3. TIK TOK Gluten Free Vegan Style: We can’t avoid the trends, but we can make them our own! Baked bean quesadilla hack = baked beans, Violife cheese, lettuce, and avocado. Fold and roast on a pan until golden brown and cheese is melted.

4. Huevos rancheros: My go to breakfast, besides waffles, is huevos rancheros. I load up corn tortillas with baked beans and violife cheese and pop them in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts. Then I add scrambled eggs, and I top with salsa.

5. Baked Bean Pizza: I always have Udi’s pizza shells in my freezer. Who doesn’t love melted cheese and pizza crust? This recipe is easy, and I love emptying out the leftovers in my fridge. I smash the baked beans onto an Udi’s crust, add some cheese and bake for 10 minutes. I drizzle with our BBQ sauce and an easy cashew cream sauce (2:1 cashews to water).

Baked beans, they aren’t just for backyard barbecues.

Try them out and let us know how you like to eat them.