Roots and Radishes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Eat More Plants (Free Guide!)
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Eat More Plants (Free Guide!)
×
Home » Recipes » Healthy Sides

Simple Homemade Maple Baked Beans

Modified: Feb 21, 2024 · Published: Nov 3, 2021 by Tera Gigot · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

These simple homemade maple baked beans come together quickly on the stovetop and are a delicious side dish or topping for hot dogs or toast! Vegan, sweet 'n savory, and made from whole foods... a classic case of healthy comfort food.

Homemade maple baked beans in beige serving bowl with gold spoon, next to golden-yellow linen, and sourdough dipped into the beans. this recipe

Okay look, we're not about to tell you you're NEVER going to want canned baked beans again, because there's always a time and a place for nostalgia and convenience. And honestly, canned baked beans are pretty darn good. But friends, allow me to introduce you to simple stovetop baked beans recipe that's a smoky, savory, and sweet in all the right places.

We LOVE these baked beans on toasted sourdough, and to be frank, they make quite the hot dog topper, too ;). All around, this baked beans recipe is an ultra-comforting and healthy way to round out any meal whether or you eat meat or not. Let's get these simmering on your stovetop, stat!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients You'll Need
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • How to Make These Maple Baked Beans
  • Serving Ideas
  • Baked Beans FAQs
  • Related
  • 📖 Recipe

Ingredients You'll Need

Baked beans ingredients including navy beans, black pepper, salt, tomato paste, garlic, onions, smoked paprika, and maple syrup. The ingredients sit on a blue and white surface.
Molasses and Dijon mustard on blue and white surface.
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh cloves of garlic
  • Sweet onion
  • Tomato paste
  • Navy beans
  • Water
  • Dijon mustard
  • Smoked paprika
  • Maple syrup
  • Molasses
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Substitutions & Variations

As is, this homemade baked beans recipe is plant-based. However, some of the variations and serving ideas below will suit folks who eat meat, while other suggestions will keep it plant-based. All are delicious!

  • Spicier - use hot smoked paprika instead of sweet! I use this hot pimentón (aka hot smoked paprika) (affiliate link) and love it.
  • Bacon - If you're not vegan or vegetarian, simply cut a strip or two of bacon into 1-inch pieces, and sauté with the onions and garlic. You can drain the fat if you'd like, but I highly recommend leaving at least a little bit of bacon fat in there for cooking the remaining ingredients. It's so good!
  • More or less molasses - If you want a deeper molasses flavor, you can reduce the amount of maple syrup and swap it for more molasses. Alternatively, you can omit the molasses if you prefer baked beans without molasses.

How to Make These Maple Baked Beans

Navy beans, drained and rinsed, in clear glass bowl on light blue and white surface.

Step 1: Peel and mince the garlic (I love using a microplane!), dice the onions small, and drain & rinse the navy beans.

Sautéed onions and garlic in tomato paste in small pot with blue handle.

Step 2: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized pot. Once hot, add the garlic and onions and sauté for a few minutes, until soft. Add a pinch of salt and the tomato paste and stir it into the onions and garlic. Sauté for another minute to combine all the flavors.

Navy beans, smoked paprika, tomato paste, onions, and garlic in small pot with bamboo stirring spoon.

Step 3: Next, add in the navy beans, mustard, maple syrup, molasses, water, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low-medium heat.

Homemade maple baked beans in small blue pot, done cooking, with bamboo spoon. The pot is resting on a yellow and white windowpane print towel.

Step 4: Allow the baked beans to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes during which they will thicken and all the flavors will meld. After the 15 minutes are up, remove the lid and remove the pot of beans from heat. Stir the beans, and once slightly cooled, taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve immediately as a side dish, or top toast or hot dogs (plant-based franks to keep it vegan, of course). Delicious!!

Homemade maple baked beans in beige serving bowl with gold spoon, next to golden-yellow linen, and sourdough slices on the side.

Serving Ideas

  • Hot dogs: Baked beans on hot dogs is a classic comfort food, and with these homemade maple baked beans, it's a comfort food made healthier. We don't eat hot dogs a lot, but when we do, we enjoy the kind by Fork In the Road or Field Roast plant-based sausages.
  • Toast: Beans on toast -- another comfort food classic! When it comes to toast, we are obsessed with our local sourdough bakery, (Madison Sourdough - we love you!).
  • Baked sweet potato: Bake a sweet potato, cut it in half, add a little butter, olive oil, or coconut oil, and plop these baked beans right on top. This is one of our favorite dinners when we need to get by with pantry staples, and it is super filling and delicious!
  • Side dish: Throw a pot of these homemade baked beans on the stove to simmer while you cook a meal of roasted veggies such as sweet roasted delicata squash (complements the maple perfectly), healthy mashed potatoes, and your main dish of choice. I love them with this homemade whole roasted chicken or with these baked turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs.
Homemade maple baked beans in beige serving bowl with gold spoon, next to golden-yellow linen, and sourdough dipped in the beans.

Baked Beans FAQs

What kind of beans are best for homemade baked beans?

I use navy beans in this recipe, but cannellini beans (slightly larger white beans) would also be good.

Are homemade baked beans healthy?

Yes! When you make homemade foods, you use fewer processed ingredients, just like in this baked beans recipe. Plus, since we use all natural sweeteners (molasses, maple syrup), all of the sugar in this recipe comes from the naturally occurring sugars in the ingredients themselves. This recipe also contains garlic and onion, which are natural detoxifiers, plus tomato paste, which contains the antioxidant lycopene.

How do I store leftover maple baked beans?

To store: Store the beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can easily reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave.
To freeze: To freeze these baked beans, place them in an airtight container (filling it full, with very little air space), and store in the freezer for up to three months. When you're ready to eat, let them thaw in the fridge, and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Related

You might also love some of our other favorite side dishes!

  • Healthy pressure cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter and chives on top.
    Easy Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes
  • Simple herb roasted beets on sheet pan
    Simple Herb Roasted Beets
  • Air fryer parsnips on small wooden plate with fork topped with chili crunch and flaky salt, and other air fryer parsnips in beige serving bowl on the side
    Air Fryer Parsnips
  • Maple walnut roasted Brussels sprouts in black cast iron skillet, on cooling rack with teal linen and light blue and white background
    Maple Walnut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Did you make these homemade maple baked beans? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!

Print

📖 Recipe

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Homemade maple baked beans in beige serving bowl with gold spoon, next to golden-yellow linen, and sourdough on the side

Simple Homemade Maple Baked Beans


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Tera
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

These homemade maple baked beans come together so easily on the stovetop! They're healthy, cozy, smoky, savory 'n sweet in all the right places. Top toast or hot dogs or serve on as a healthy side dish -- delicious!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ medium sweet onion, diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ of a 6-oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 15-oz. cans navy beans
  • ½ cup water
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tbsp molasses
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper


Instructions

  1. Sauté aromatics. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium and add garlic and onions. Sauté for a few minutes until softened, and add a pinch of salt.
  2. Add tomato paste. Add the tomato paste and stir into the onions and garlic. Sauté for another minute or so, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add remaining ingredients, and simmer. Add the navy beans, water, maple syrup, molasses, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together in the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (low heat). Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat, stir, & serve. After the 15 minutes is up, remove the beans from the heat. Uncover the pot, stir, taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve & enjoy!

Notes

  1. Storage & Freezing: Store the baked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Freeze baked beans in an airtight container (with as little empty space as possible) for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!
  2. Recipe: This recipe was adapted from a baked beans recipe in It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow.
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ½ cup
  • Calories: 230
  • Sugar: 10.1 g
  • Sodium: 704.2 mg
  • Fat: 3.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41.2 g
  • Fiber: 8.1 g
  • Protein: 11.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Did you make this recipe?

If you loved this recipe, make sure to let me know and give it a star rating (below)! Star ratings help Roots and Radishes recipes reach more people, which helps support the continued production of our content. Also, we'd LOVE to see what you make! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @rootsnradishes  🙂

More Healthy Side Dishes

  • Italian Brussels sprouts chopped salad in large white serving bowl.
    Back-for-Seconds Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad (Vegetarian!)
  • Moroccan-spiced roasted carrots with tahini sauce drizzled over the top.
    Incredible Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
  • Greens salad with beets and carrots in large white serving bowl with serving spoons.
    Simple Citrusy Greens Salad with Beets and Carrots
  • Honey roasted parsnips with a sprinkle of finely chopped cilantro.
    Easy + Savory-Sweet Honey Roasted Parsnips

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tera Gigot, the author, photographer, and recipe developer of Roots and Radishes.

Hey, I'm Tera! And I'm so glad to meet you. I've been using seasonal produce to create recipes in my Wisconsin kitchen for 12 years. Here you'll find nourishing whole foods recipes that are approachable and delicious.

More about me →

FREE 5 Day Guide: Eat More Plants! Get the guide →

Memorial Day Recipes

  • Pesto pasta salad with chicken on a white plate.
    Simple Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken

  • Pesto potato salad scooped into large copper spoon resting on small white ceramic plate, next to bowl of potato salad and small white bowl of pesto
    Easy Pesto Potato Salad

  • Healthy scotcheroos topped with flaky sea salt and cut into squares on blue and white background
    No Corn Syrup Scotcheroos (With Date Syrup Instead!)

  • Shrimp mango and avocado salad in copper serving spoon on white and light blue background
    Zesty Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Mango

  • Favorite healthy coleslaw in clear glass bowl with wooden spoon, on light gray surface
    Bright, Crunchy Vinegar Slaw (Meal Prep Friendly!)

  • Strawberry avocado basil salsa in white bowl.
    Strawberry Avocado Basil Salsa

Recipes to Make In May

  • Healthy strawberry crisp in cream-colored pie dish with copper serving spoon and two small white bowls with more crisp, with almonds and fresh strawberries on the side
    Wholesome Strawberry Crisp (SO Jammy!)

  • Pickled strawberries in a jar with black peppercorns.
    Quick Pickled Strawberries (Naturally Sweetened!)

  • Jammy egg on avocado toast with matcha tea.
    Seriously Delicious Jammy Eggs on Avocado Toast

  • Lemon dill hummus in beige serving dish with olive oil drizzled on top, with golden spoon
    Easy Lemon Dill Hummus

  • Marinated white beans in beige stoneware serving dish with golden spoon on beige and white surface, next to golden-yellow matte linen
    Easy Marinated White Beans

  • Stack of whole wheat Greek yogurt pancakes with strawberry compote on top, on white plate with fork.
    Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Strawberry Compote

Footer

↑ back to top

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for recipes and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Roots and Radishes on the Foodie Pro Theme

Homemade maple baked beans in beige serving bowl with gold spoon, next to golden-yellow linen, and sourdough dipped in