These Kielbasa Baked Beans make for a hearty and flavorful summer side dish or spoon them over rice for an easy, satisfying meal.
I’m sitting down to write this post just minutes after serving these Kielbasa Baked Beans to my family for dinner. I made them earlier today so I could snap the photos while the the light was good and get this recipe out to you all before the long weekend, and, truth be told, I was just too tired to pull anything else together.
I’m so glad I didn’t go to the trouble!
You might think of baked beans as something you serve on the side, but, I’m here to tell you that this dish is so much more. It is absolutely delicious spooned over rice with a piece of Rustic Sweet Cornbread nestled up next to it like we had it tonight. The addition of kielbasa makes it plenty hearty enough to call it dinner. Toss a salad or boil some sweet corn and you’ve got yourself one incredible meal on your hands.
I love to include a hearty dish like these beans when entertaining a group. If you’re grilling, including a substantial side dish like these beans will ensure you have enough, even if a few unexpected guests arrive.
Plus, leftovers will reheat or freeze beautifully.
How to Make Kielbasa Baked Beans
This one-pot recipe is super easy to make. After you brown some chopped bacon you will sauté some onion, garlic, and kielbasa in the same pot. Then just add in all the remaining ingredients, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to finish cooking.
After 45 minutes in the oven and resting for about 5 minutes, the beans are ready to serve.
Kitchen Tip
To freeze any leftovers, transfer the completely cooled Kielbasa Baked Beans into freezer safe gallon-sized zippered plastic storage bags. Push out the excess air and close the bags. Lay them flat in your freezer until frozen solid and then the bags can be stacked to save space. Be sure to label the bags with the contents and date.
Ingredient Tips
- Sausage – You can substitute regular smoked sausage or even andouille if you want to spice things up. Kielbasa, also known as Polish sausage, is a delicious flavor component in this recipe so I recommend giving it a try.
- Beans – Don’t be tempted to swap the Pork and Beans for another variety of canned baked beans that might be more heavily seasoned or sweetened. This recipe will add all the flavor needed and Pork and Beans work perfectly since they are very simply seasoned.
- Hot Sauce – A little heat is a really nice flavor component to this recipe so don’t be shy with the Tabasco. Keep the bottle next to the pot so people can add a few more shakes when they serve up.
- Molasses – My favorite way to sweeten baked beans is with molasses. It adds a distinctive home baked flavor and a gloss to the sauce that you don’t get with other sweeteners. I’ve also added just a touch of brown sugar, far less than you see in most baked bean recipes, and the result is not at all overwhelming – just a light sweetness.
Kielbasa Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 cup diced onion
- ½ pound kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 (28 ounce) cans Pork and Beans (like Van Camp's), undrained
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce (or more), like Tabasco, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place chopped bacon in a Dutch oven. Cook over MEDIUM-HIGH heat until evenly brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Drain bacon grease from pot leaving just a scant amount. Add the onion, kielbasa, and garlic and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and kielbasa is lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and return the cooked bacon to the pot. Stir to combine well and allow the mixture to come to a low boil. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sauce will thicken a bit after resting.
- Serve with hot sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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So , if I use beans that I soaked overnight, how long would you suggest in the slow cooker on low?
This recipe was developed using canned beans, which are already fully cooked. I haven’t tested it with dried beans, even if they’ve been soaked, so I can’t recommend a specific slow-cooker time. Dried beans behave very differently and would require much longer cooking and more liquid. For best results, I’d recommend using canned beans as written, or using a recipe specifically developed for dried beans in the slow cooker.