Crock Pot Beans
Crock Pot Beans combine crispy bacon, tangy BBQ sauce, and tender white beans into the ultimate crowd-pleasing side dish that cooks itself while you focus on the main event.
You’ll need just 8 ingredients and about 20 minutes of prep before your slow cooker takes over, transforming canned beans into something that tastes like it came from your favorite BBQ joint.
Everyone will assume you’ve been slaving over these beans all day, when really you’ve been sitting in the shade with a cold drink.
Crock Pot Beans Recipe Highlights
- Bacon in every bite
- 8 simple ingredients
- No bean soaking required
- Sweet and smoky perfection
- Feeds 12 hungry people
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
BACON – Use regular cut bacon for the best texture and even cooking. Thick cut takes longer to crisp and can leave chewy pieces in your beans. Starting with a cold pan renders the fat more evenly, giving you perfectly crispy bacon bits throughout.
ONION – Yellow onions bring the right balance of sweetness and savory depth. Dice them small so they melt into the sauce. Sweet onions work too but may make your beans slightly sweeter.
WHITE BEANS – Great Northern beans or any white beans work perfectly here. The 15-ounce can size is standard in most grocery stores. Drain and rinse them well to remove excess sodium and that canning liquid that can make beans taste tinny.
BBQ SAUCE – Choose a regular BBQ sauce rather than honey or brown sugar varieties since we’re adding brown sugar separately. This gives you better control over the sweetness level.
BROWN SUGAR – Pack it lightly when measuring. Dark brown sugar adds deeper molasses flavor, while light brown keeps things milder.
MUSTARD – Yellow mustard adds the perfect tangy bite. Dijon works too but changes the flavor profile slightly.
SPICES – Garlic powder distributes more evenly than fresh garlic in slow cooking. Smoked paprika is the secret weapon here, adding that outdoor BBQ flavor even when you’re cooking inside.
How To Make Crock Pot Beans
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Cook bacon in cold skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Cook onions in bacon fat. Add to slow cooker.
- Whisk BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Add beans to slow cooker. Pour sauce over and stir.
- Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours.
Leftovers and Storage
You’re absolutely right. That’s basic, generic advice, not expert-level guidance. Here’s what it should be:
STORE – Keep your Crock Pot Beans in an airtight container with the least amount of air exposure possible. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface before adding the lid to prevent that unappetizing dried-out layer from forming. They’ll stay perfect for 4 days, and honestly taste better on day 2 when the bacon fat has fully integrated into the sauce.
FREEZE – Portion beans into freezer-safe bags, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Lay bags flat on a sheet pan to freeze, then stack them like files once solid. This saves space and they thaw faster. The beans will separate slightly when frozen but come back together beautifully when reheated. Good for 3 months.
REHEAT – For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons water per cup of beans, stirring gently to avoid breaking them up. The sauce will look separated at first but emulsifies back together as it warms. For microwave, use 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring between, to heat evenly without creating hot spots that turn beans mushy.
MAKE AHEAD – Complete steps 1 through 4 the night before, but keep the ceramic insert out of the slow cooker base overnight (the cold insert can crack if placed in a preheated base). Set on your counter 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off, then proceed as normal. This method gives you deeper flavor development than same-day cooking.
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
Serving Suggestions
CLASSIC BBQ PLATE – Position these beans at 4 o’clock on the plate next to your protein. The sauce mingles perfectly with meat drippings. Serve in a small cast iron skillet to keep them warm longer and add that restaurant-style presentation.
LOADED BAKED POTATO – Split your potato lengthwise and crosswise, squeeze the ends to fluff the interior, then load with beans while both are piping hot. The starch absorbs the sauce creating a completely different eating experience. Top with sharp cheddar (not mild) and fresh chives (not green onions) for proper flavor contrast.
BREAKFAST BEANS ON TOAST – Toast thick-cut sourdough until golden, butter it while hot, then top with a generous ladle of beans and a perfectly fried egg with a runny yolk. The yolk becomes a secondary sauce when broken. This is how British contractors eat beans, and they know their beans.
SOUTHERN BEAN BOWLS – Layer beans over creamy stone-ground grits (not instant), top with pulled pork and pickled jalapeños. The grits soak up the bean liquid creating an incredible texture contrast that’ll make you rethink everything you know about beans.
Recipe Success Tips
BACON RENDERING SCIENCE – Cold pan starting activates the fat rendering at 145° Fahrenheit before the proteins seize up at 155° Fahrenheit, giving you maximum flavor extraction. Chop bacon with kitchen shears directly over the pan for uniform pieces and less cleanup. Reserve 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in a jar for your next batch of cornbread.
SAUCE “CHEMISTRY” – The pectin in beans acts as a natural thickener when heated slowly. Your sauce reduces by roughly 25% during cooking. If you lift your spoon and the sauce coats it but still drips, you’ve nailed it. Opening the lid repeatedly breaks this process, so trust the timing.
BEAN INTEGRITY – Canned beans are cooked to 240° Fahrenheit during processing. Your slow cooker holds them at 200° Fahrenheit on low, which allows flavor penetration without breaking down the cell walls. Stirring more than once during cooking will give you mushy beans. The gentle convection current in your slow cooker does the work for you.
Expert Tip – Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the last 30 minutes of cooking. The acid brightens all the flavors without adding detectable sourness, the same way a squeeze of lemon finishes a dish. This is what separates good beans from memorable beans.
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I Have To Cook The Bacon First Or Can I Just Throw Everything In Raw?
You really need to cook it first. Raw bacon in a slow cooker turns into flabby, gray strips that’ll make you sad. The rendering step isn’t just about texture, it’s about developing flavor compounds that only happen at higher heat than your slow cooker reaches.
Can I Make Crockpot Beans Vegetarian?
Skip the bacon and sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of butter instead. Add a tablespoon of soy sauce and an extra teaspoon of smoked paprika to replace the umami and smokiness. They won’t be the same, but they’ll still be good.
What Size Slow Cooker Do I Need For This Recipe?
A 4-quart works perfectly, 6-quart gives you room to stir without spilling. In a 3-quart, you’ll need to reduce the recipe by a third. Don’t try this in an 8-quart unless you’re doubling it because the beans won’t cook properly when they’re too spread out.
Why White Beans Instead Of Navy Beans Like Traditional Baked Beans?
hite beans (Great Northern) are bigger and creamier than navy beans, so they hold up better to long cooking without turning to mush. Their mild flavor also lets the BBQ sauce and bacon shine instead of competing with that earthy bean taste.
These Seem Really Sweet – Is That Normal?
These are American-style BBQ beans, so yes, they’re sweeter than British beans on toast. If you prefer less sweet, cut the brown sugar to ⅓ cup and use a vinegar-based BBQ sauce instead of Kansas City style.
More Easy and Delicious Recipes
Crockpot Mac and Cheese takes comfort food to the next level with three cheeses melting together while you go about your day.
Crockpot Pork Chops turn out tender every single time with a savory gravy that makes itself.
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Crockpot Meatloaf frees up your oven and stays incredibly moist thanks to the slow cooker’s gentle heat.
Crock Pot Beans
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon diced
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 4 15-ounce cans white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Add the diced bacon to a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy.
- Transfer the cooked bacon to the slow cooker, leaving the grease behind in the skillet.
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
- Drain off any excess grease, then add the onions to the slow cooker with the bacon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Equipment
Notes
Slow Cooker Times
ON LOW – 7 to 8 hoursON HIGH – 3 to 4 hours
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.