Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans Recipe

Sweet and Spicy baked beans are on my short list of go-to recipes when I need a pot luck dish for entertaining. Get the recipe below for a crowd-pleasing side dish.

I’ve partnered with Scotch-Brite Brand to bring you recipes, and tips for entertaining & clean up over the next few months, and what could be messier to clean up than a crock full of baked-on residue?

This sweet and spicy baked beans recipe is more sweet than spicy, so don’t let the name scare you off if you’re afraid of a little heat. I first made this dish for a cookout we hosted, probably 10 years ago. It got rave reviews from our guests and it’s become one of my favorites for potluck meals. Take this to backyard cookouts, church socials, or game day parties, and watch it disappear! For more tips on entertaining, here’s everything you need to know to host a potluck party.

I adapted this sweet and spicy baked beans recipe from an old cookbook, tweaking it to our liking. The addition of hot sausage makes it more interesting than most baked beans, but only adds a hint of spiciness. Black beans add more texture and flavor, while other classic ingredients add sweetness.

These baked beans are the perfect side dish or potluck dish for summer parties.

Serve this baked bean recipe alongside the best juicy burgers, kabobs, or with a hot dog roast.

Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans

• 1/2 pound hot sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 – 15 oz cans pork and beans, undrained
• 1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup hickory smoked barbecue sauce
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup coarse grain mustard
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4-6 slices center cut bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crumble and cook sausage and chopped onion in a skillet until cooked through. Drain and dab with paper towel if desired.

Place all ingredients, except bacon, in a 2 1/2 or 3 quart baking dish. Stir to combine well.

Lay bacon across the top. For a single layer use 4 strips, for a basket weave pattern {like a pie crust} use 6 strips placing 3 on bottom layer, and 3 on top layer.

Bake uncovered for 2 hours or until desired thickness.

About 8 servings

Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo before popping this in the oven, but I layered the bacon on top in a criss-cross basket weave pattern. It’s hard to see clearly in the finished product but it still adds a special touch to the presentation.

TIP: Use a slotted spoon to serve baked beans so you don’t have a lot of sauce dripping onto your other food; OR serve in small ramekins to keep it all contained.

Clean up your baked beans crock with ease with these hostess tips.

You’re probably aware how baked beans can leave a baked-on mess in your dish, right? I’ve been using Scotch-Brite brand scrub sponges for years in my kitchen, and their Extreme Scrub sponge cleaned it up in a flash. It’s treated to resist bacterial odors, and has 4x the scrubbing power than the next leading brand at removing tough baked-on messes allowing us to clean easier and avoid smelly sponges. I love that I can run it through the dishwasher time and time again to clean it, too.

To make overall cleanup easy, I line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on it to bake. This way the bacon drippings or any bubbling over that might occur will be caught on the foil. It also makes it easier to transfer the baking dish to and from the oven.

Once it’s time to clean the baking crock, I wet the dish with hot sudsy water and use the scrub side of the sponge to remove the stubborn, stuck-on areas. Clean-up made easy!