This Best Vegan Baked Beans recipe is so full of flavour you’ll never go back to meaty beans again.
Baked beans are my jam, they are my comfort food. The traditional (and my husband is a Québécois so their traditional) baked bean has salted pork in it, often bacon. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate on meat but I do enjoy eating dishes and meals that don’t need to contain meat.
In the absence of the pork, the main concern than becomes but how could you make baked beans still taste delicious without it?! Smoked paprika for the win my friends.
Why it works
You remove low quality meat out of your meals without compromising on the flavour. These Best Vegan Baked Beans check all the boxes smoky, salty, sweet, with a bit of heat. They will quickly come your go to comfort food too!
And the best part about the Best Vegan Baked Beans is their versatility.
- You need a blood sugar balancing breakfast full of fiber? Boom baked beans.
- Ready to kick up a weekday meal? Baked beans.
- You need a potluck dish that is sure to please? You got it, Best Vegan Baked Beans for the win.
Best Vegan Baked Beans Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- yellow onion
- garlic
- navy beans
- adzuki beans
- maple syrup
- molasses
- tomato paste
- apple cider vinegar
- tamari
- lemon juice
- sriracha
- dijon mustard
- smoked paprika
- turmeric
- black pepper
Adzuki beans: aren’t necessary, you could simply double up the navy beans if you wish. However, I do suggest you add them for a couple reasons. Firstly, if it’s a bean you never/rarely eat it’s a fantastic way to get some new foods in you! Introduce new phytonutrients into your meals to up your antioxidant intake.
Secondly, in Traditional Chinese Medicine adzuki beans are said to expel dampness, consider the benefit in this for those that suffer from internal damp conditions. Examples of damp conditions are candida, being phlegmy, feeling heavy and sluggish, have edema and swelling – painful joints and cystic acne.
Lastly, adzuki beans are high in magnesium, a mineral that is commonly deficient in women. A deficiency in magnesium can be correlated with higher rates of cramps, PMS and sleep disturbances/insomnia.
Tamari: is an alternative to soy sauce. Tamari isn’t fermented with wheat during the production process (always double check the label before consuming). It also has a less salty taste too.
Turmeric: the addition of turmeric isn’t essential in the flavour of the dish, rather it is an opportunity to add an anti-inflammatory super herb. Turmeric not only supports the reduction inflammation, it also supports both phase I and phase II liver detoxification pathways. In other words it helps to support your liver to get your hormones back on track.
How to make the Best Vegan Baked Beans
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Coat the bottom of a dutch oven or a frying pan in olive oil. Caramelize the onions on medium – low heat for at least 20 minutes but half an hour is ideal. The longer they simmer the sweeter they will become.
Next you’ll add garlic, simmering for about 3 – 4 minutes until it is beautifully fragrant and soft. Remove from heat.
Drain and rinse the beans, set aside until the sauce is made.
Make that sauce
Meanwhile as the onions are caramelizing you can prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl mix together maple syrup, molasses, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, tamari, sriracha, dijon mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, turmeric, ground pepper and fresh thyme.
If you didn’t use an oven safe dish to caramelize the onions transfer them into one now. An 8 x 8 inch baking dish will work well. Add in the sauce and beans. Mix well to ensure all the beans are evenly coated with the sauce.
If you have a dutch oven put a lid on it or cover the baking dish with tin foil. Bake for 45 mins them remove lid and bake for 10 more minutes until the beans are bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let the beans sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- You must use smoked paprika to achieve that smoky flavour in the absence of pork
- Although these Best Vegan Baked Beans make an outstanding side dish at a BBQ bash they also create one stellar breakfast too. Hello baked beans and toast!
- These are an excellent make ahead dish, they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days. Reheat them on the stovetop before serving.
Best Vegan Baked Beans
Ingredients
Beans
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 large yellow onion chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 (14 fl oz) can navy beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 fl oz) can adzuki beans drained and rinsed
Sauce
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp molasses organic
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup tamari or coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice fresh
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric ground
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Optional
- 2 twigs thyme fresh
Instructions
Beans
- Preheat the oven to 350°.Coat the dutch oven (or oven safe skillet) with olive oil and add the chopped onion. Keep the heat on medium – low for half an hour to slowly caramelize the onions. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
- Add in the crushed garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the garlic gets fragrant. Remove from the heat.
- Drain and rinse the beans
Sauce
- While the onions are caramelizing make the sauce. In a medium bowl combine the maple syrup, molasses, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, tamari, sriracha, dijon mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, turmeric, ground pepper and optional fresh thyme. Mix well.
- If you didn't use an oven safe skillet to caramelize the onions transfer them now into a baking dish (8 x 8). Add the sauce, navy and adzuki beans to the caramelized onions. Stir well to make sure all the beans are covered in sauce. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Best served warm.
Notes
- You must use smoked paprika to achieve that smoky flavour in the absence of pork
- Although these Best Vegan Baked Beans make an outstanding side dish at a BBQ bash they also can create one stellar breakfast too. Hello baked beans and toast!
- These are an excellent make ahead dish, they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days. Reheat them on the stovetop before serving.
