Every weekend barbecue should include a good pot of baked beans. This recipe for Homemade Baked Beans with Ham and Peppers will be your favorite side dish this summer!
Traditionally baked beans are made with beans, meat, something saucy (ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard), something sweet, something tangy, a bit of spice and an onion or two. My newest creation- Homemade Baked Beans with Ham and Peppers includes all of the traditional ingredients, with a little twist…
Homemade Baked Beans with Ham and Peppers take the traditional and step it up a notch. I love bell peppers for both color and flavor. This recipe includes a tri-color blend of peppers. We are talking bell peppers, not spicy peppers, for this dish. After cooking, the bell peppers have a mildly sweet taste that adds great flavor to the baked beans. My all time favorite pans to use while making baked beans are Le Creuset. I love the ultra heavy weight of this enamel cast iron pan. My favorite size are the 7 1/4 quart round, which I have in blue and also in white. Perfect for cooking stovetop, in the oven and beautiful enough to go from oven to table!
Whenever I bake a ham there are usually lots of leftovers. I like to use ham in overnight breakfast casseroles, Our Favorite Fried Rice and Dad’s Favorite Navy Bean Soup. I’ve never really thought about using ham in baked beans until the last time I baked a ham. I’m kind of partial to using bacon in my baked beans, but thought I’d mix it up this time and try ham. To my surprise, I loved it. My kids loved it. Our dinner guests loved it. There was something about the salty chunks of ham, soft onion and diced peppers that turned this often predictable side dish into a whole new experience. The hint of cinnamon along with the tangy and sweet sauce made this pot of beans one we absolutely loved!
Homemade Baked Beans with Ham and Peppers can be made three different ways. Although baked beans are traditionally baked, this dish can also be made stove top or in the slow cooker. I’ve included instructions for the other methods on the recipe notes. What’s your favorite way to enjoy baked beans?
Homemade Baked Beans with Ham and Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped, about 2 cups
- 1-2 cups chopped ham
- 3 bell peppers, 1 each, red, yellow, orange, seeded and chopped
- salt and pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon each
- 5-15 oz cans Pork and Beans, undrained*
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- few drops hot pepper sauce, Tabasco
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or other large heavy pan with oven safe lid, pour two tablespoons olive oil into pan.
- Sauté onions, ham, peppers, over medium high heat until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add un-drained cans of Pork and Beans, ketchup, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, hot pepper sauce, dry mustard and cinnamon to vegetables in pan.
- Stir well.
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook over medium heat heat on stove top for about 5-10 minutes until oven is preheated.
- Cover dish with lid. Place beans in oven on center rack for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove lid for last 45 minutes of baking.
- Replace lid and keep beans warm in oven at 275 until ready to serve.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Sharon
Hi Si. This is very similar to the way I have been making beans for years. I’m going to try it with ham and peppers. I always receive many compliments, and people are always surprised that it starts with regular pork and beans. It’s so much better than the Bush’s beans. You are one of my trusted sources for recipes. Thanks for all your hard work.
Si Foster
I agree, Sharon, it is so much better than Bush’s beans, thank you for being a loyal reader and for sharing your comment!
xo
Si
Roland Tetreault
Not homemade. Canned pork and beans… really!?
abountifulkitchen
Hi Roland,
Yes, really! I use canned pork and beans and add other ingredients frequently when making any type of baked bean dish.
Thanks for reading ABK,
Si