Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef
Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef is a hearty side dish made with ground beef, beans, bacon, onions, brown sugar and mustard. This recipe is so tasty and just perfect for a potluck, BBQ or anytime!
This southern baked beans and ground beef recipe is just perfect for BBQ season, a potluck or anytime you need a delicious side dish.
Baked beans are one of my favorite BBQ side dishes and these do not disappoint! It has plenty of smoky bacon and gets its sweetness from the brown sugar. This recipe pairs well with my Instant Pot Pulled Pork Recipe and my Oklahoma Smash Burgers.
Ingredients
- baked beans (I use Bush’s Original.), slightly drained
- ground beef
- bacon
- yellow onions
- yellow mustard
- brown sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook your bacon and set aside to cool. Feel free to cook it in a pan or you can microwave it like I have done here.
You will need a microwave bacon tray. Place bacon on your tray side by side.
Step 2. Place paper towels over the bacon. Microwave for about 3 minutes. Then check bacon and microwave for another 1-2 minutes until crispy.
Step 3: Remove bacon from tray with a fork and place on paper towels. Drain grease and repeat until all the bacon is cooked. Let all of the bacon cool on paper towels.
Step 4: Chop onions on a cutting board.
Step 5. Add ground beef and onions to a large skillet and cook on medium-high heat until browned.
Step 6. Once the meat is browned, remove from heat and drain the fat.
Step 7. Crumble cooled bacon.
Step 8. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Drain some of the liquid from the beans. (If you like your beans and ground beef to have more of a soupy consistency, you can omit draining.)
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Step 9. Mix ingredients together until combined.
Step 10. Add beans and beef to a 2-quart baking dish. (I use an 8 x 8-inch square Pyrex dish to make mine.)
Step 10. Spread beans and beef evenly in bowl or dish. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 11. Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
Hint: I usually bake my beans and ground beef for 45 minutes or else they could get too dry. If you’re not draining your beans, you can bake up to 1 hour.
Variations
- Consistency – as I mentioned above, I like to drain my beans a little bit before mixing. If you like your beans to have a more soupy consistency, feel free to omit draining any of the liquid.
- Spicy – if you prefer your beans spicy, you can add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Equipment
- large skillet
- 2-quart baking dish or bowl
- microwave bacon tray, optional
- cutting board
- large mixing bowl
- paper towels
- measuring cups and spoons
Storage
Store beans and ground beef covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Baked beans and ground beef can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Top tip
Drain some of the liquid from the beans before mixing all of the ingredients together. I don’t prefer my beans to have a soupy consistency so draining some of the liquid, but not all of it, helps with this.
Related
Looking for other recipes you could bring to a BBQ or a potluck? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with baked beans and ground beef:
Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef
- large skillet
- 2-quart baking dish or bowl
- microwave bacon tray, optional
- large mixing bowl
- paper towels
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board
- 2 28-ounce cans (1588g) baked beans I use Bush's Original, slightly drained
- 1 lb (453g) ground beef
- 1/2 lb (227g) bacon
- 1 cup (52g) yellow onions, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Cook your bacon and set aside to cool. (Feel free to cook it in a pan or you can microwave it like I have done here.) You will need a microwave bacon tray.
- Place bacon on your tray side by side. Place paper towels over the bacon.
- Microwave bacon for about 3 minutes. Then check bacon and microwave for another 1-2 minutes until crispy.
- Remove bacon from tray with a fork and place on paper towels. Drain grease and repeat until all the bacon is cooked. Let all of the bacon cool on paper towels.
- Chop onions on a cutting board.
- Add ground beef and onions to a large skillet and cook on medium-high heat until browned.
- Once the meat is browned, remove from heat and drain the fat.
- Crumble cooled bacon.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Drain some of the liquid from the beans. (If you like your beans and ground beef to have more of a soupy consistency, you can omit draining.)
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix ingredients together until combined.
- Add beans and beef to a 2-quart baking dish. (I use an 8 x 8-inch square Pyrex dish to make mine.)
- Spread beans and beef evenly in bowl or dish. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
Baked beans and ground beef are a delicious choice for a summer side dish. Whether you’re having hamburgers, hotdogs or something else from the grill, these beans will be perfect!
If you have tried my recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please leave me a comment below.
Sweet regards,
Michele
