Easy Baked Beans Recipe (Plant-Based, Slow Cooker Option)

Do you need a naturally dairy-free and plant-based side dish that’s easy to throw together with ingredients from your cupboard? These easy baked beans don’t require any dairy alternatives, and the recipe literally takes 5 minutes to throw together. Just let them simmer while you handle other chores, or set-it-and-forget-it in the slow cooker.

Easy Baked Beans from the Pantry with Slow Cooker Option

Unlike your average baked bean recipe, this one has a secret ingredient: apple butter. It’s naturally allergy-friendly, but adds richness and a sweet flavor that melds very well with the other ingredients. The recipe also includes cayenne, which you can adjust up or down, for a little contrasting heat to the taste.

These easy baked beans are perfect for picnics, potlucks, and barbecues, but can also pair well with a weeknight meal, or add protein and flavor to lunch bowls. They are made with three types of beans for a pretty tricolor effect, or whatever beans you have in your cupboard!

This easy baked beans recipe was shared with us by Musselman’s.

Special Diet Notes: Easy Baked Beans

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

Easy Baked Beans with Slow Cooker Option

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Using three different types of beans gives a nice tri-color effect and a little range in nutrition. But you can use just one or two types of beans for all of the beans, if preferred.

Author: Musselman

Recipe type: Side

Cuisine: American

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 cup apple butter (store-bought or homemade)
½ cup ketchup
½ cup water
⅓ cup honey or agave nectar (for vegan)
2 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 (15.5-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the apple butter, ketchup, water, sweetener, onion, cumin, salt, and cayenne until well-combined.
Stir in all three types of beans until evenly coated.
Pour the beans with sauce into a 2-quart baking dish.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

Slow Cooker Option: Pour the beans with sauce into your crockpot, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/10 recipe Calories: 200 Fat: .9g Saturated fat: 0g Carbohydrates: 41.9g Sugar: 22.1g Sodium: 371mg Fiber: 6.5g Protein: 7.2g