Baked Beans Tomato Sauce (Printable)

Slow-cooked beans in a sweet-savory tomato sauce, perfect for hearty sides and gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans

01 - 2½ cups dried navy beans or 3 cans (14 oz each) navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Sauce

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
05 - ¼ cup molasses or dark treacle
06 - 3 tablespoons brown sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 cup water
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How To:

01 - If using dried navy beans, soak them overnight in ample cold water. Drain the beans, then place in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour until tender but intact. Drain and set aside.
02 - Set the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
03 - In a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to release flavors.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, molasses, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and water. Stir thoroughly until combined.
06 - Add the cooked or canned beans to the sauce, gently stirring to coat them evenly. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
07 - Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and beans are tender.
08 - Remove from oven, taste, and adjust salt or spices as desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce becomes so silky and rich that you'll find yourself eating spoonfuls straight from the pot.
  • It's a set-it-and-forget-it dish that fills your whole house with warmth while you do other things.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it perfect for meal planning.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking dried beans overnight—it shortens cooking time and prevents the hard-cooked center some people get.
  • If your sauce looks thin after an hour in the oven, uncover it for the last 15 minutes so it can reduce properly; thickness makes all the difference in how the beans taste.
  • Canned beans cook much faster than dried ones, so if you switch, reduce oven time significantly or your beans will fall apart.
03 -
  • Taste your beans about halfway through baking and adjust seasoning early—it's easier than trying to fix it at the end.
  • If you're using canned beans and pressed for time, the whole recipe takes about 45 minutes in the oven instead of two hours.
  • Make sure your Dutch oven has a tight-fitting lid so the sauce reduces properly; a loose lid means watery beans at the end.
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