Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon

This Sweet and Spicy baked beans recipe with bacon is on my short list of go-to side dishes for potlucks, cookouts, and backyard barbecues. This is a crowd pleasing party recipe that combines sweet and savory flavors with two kinds of beans and spicy sausage. Get the summer side dish recipe here. 

Baked Beans with Spicy Sausage

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 large group gatherings, 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 entertaining and parties.

Party Side Dish

Serve this baked beans recipe alongside almost any meat entree. 

• It’s great with the best juicy burgers recipe.
• Serve them with chicken or beef kabobs.
• Add them to a hot dog roast.

How to make sweet and spicy baked beans

Here’s what you’ll need:

• hot sausage
• 1 onion
• 2 cans pork and beans
• 1 can black beans
• hickory smoked barbecue sauce
• dark brown sugar
• ketchup
• coarse grain mustard
• molasses
• chili powder
• bacon

Crumble and cook a half pound of hot sausage along with chopped onion, in a skillet until cooked through. Drain the excess fat and dab with a paper towel if desired.

Place all ingredients except the bacon, in a 2 1/2 or 3 quart baking dish and stir to combine everything together 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.

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

PARTY 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 individual ramekins to keep it all contained.

Easy Cleanup Tips

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

To make overall cleanup easy, I line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the baking dish on it while it cooks. 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!

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