Slow Cooker Baked Beans
This is my whole foods version of baked beans that can be eaten as a main dish; a little bit tangy and a little bit sweet. Serve this with a side of greens, homemade cole slaw or a crispy salad. I like it over brown rice, but a warm loaf of baked bread or dinner rolls, and chunks of cheese would also suffice.
Ingredients
- 6 bacon slices, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2cup honey or agave syrup
- 1/2cup apple cider vinegar
- 1teaspoon sea salt
- 1teaspoon ground mustard
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (15 ½ ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ½ ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen lima beans
- 1 (15 ½ ounce) can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Reserve 1-2 tablespoons drippings and sauté onions over medium high heat until tender. Add honey and the next 4 ingredients to the skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Combine bacon, beans, and peas in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix in the onion mixture.
- Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on HIGH.
Recipe Notes
This is easy to convert to vegetarian by eliminating the bacon.
While I recommend this as a main meal, it is a great pot luck dish to bring to a picnic or large function.
This makes a lot of baked beans so you will have leftovers for the next day.
A bit unconventional, but I love to put a splash of peppery vinegar sauce on top to up the flavor factor.
