Growing up, baked beans in our house always meant pasulj iz rerne, my family’s version of oven baked beans made in a clay dish called tavce. The traditional recipe uses dried beans, bacon and lard, and takes most of the day to cook. My mom came up with a faster version using canned beans when she needed dinner on the table fast, and it turned out just as good.
This vegan baked beans recipe is my take on her method, swapping the bacon and lard for olive oil so it stays fully plant based. It’s proof that turning canned beans into a proper meal doesn’t take much time or effort.
Key Features
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 53 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 3 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dietary Labels: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Baked Beans Recipe
If you love homemade baked beans but don’t want to soak dried beans overnight, this recipe is for you. A few pantry spices turn simple canned beans into an amazing baked beans dish, and the whole thing comes together in about an hour. This vegan baked beans version proves you don’t need bacon for a big flavor.
- Ready in about an hour, mostly hands off in the oven
- Made with canned beans and pantry spices, nothing hard to find
- Naturally gluten free and fully vegan
- Big, smoky flavor from paprika, smoked paprika and Vegeta
- A hearty vegetarian beans main that even meat eaters ask for seconds of
- Leftovers keep well for lunch the next day
This is one hearty dinner recipe that you’ll love all year long.
Baked Beans Ingredients
These baked beans ingredients are things most people already have at home.
- 550 g (19 oz) canned red kidney beans, about 2 cans
- 3 small onions
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Vegeta*
- 3 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) water
*Vegeta is a popular dried vegetable seasoning blend from the Balkans. Any similar dried vegetable seasoning works as a substitute.
How to Make Vegan Baked Beans in the Oven
Making baked beans in oven really just takes two stages, a quick pan-fry on the stove, then bake in the oven until the top turns golden.
Prep the Vegetables
Peel and chop the onions and carrot into small pieces.
Pan-Fry the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel pan and pan-fry the onion and carrot for about 5 minutes, until soft.
Add the Beans and Spices
Add the beans, ground paprika, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper and Vegeta to the pan. Stir well and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pro tip: the smoked paprika is what gives this dish a hint of the smokiness bacon would normally bring, so don’t skip it.
Transfer to the Baking Dish
Move the mixture to a greased baking dish and pour in the water. It should not fully cover the beans.
Bake in the Oven
Cover and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.
Pair it with a honey mustard cabbage salad or a lemony cucumber salad without vinegar for full flavor.
Vegan Baked Beans
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Peel and chop the onions and carrot.
- Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel pan and pan-fry the onion and carrot for about 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add the beans, ground paprika, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and Vegeta*. Stir well.
- Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Move the mixture to a greased baking dish.
- Pour in the water. It should not fully cover the beans.
- Cover and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.
Video
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
No kidney beans on hand? Cannellini or navy beans work too, though the color and texture will be slightly different.
Don’t have Vegeta? Any dried vegetable seasoning blend works as a substitute.
Want the traditional version? Add chopped bacon or pancetta when you pan-fry the onion and carrot, and swap the olive oil for lard.
For the best baked bean texture, let the dish rest for a few minutes after baking before serving.
Storage
This vegan baked beans dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. It also freezes well for up to 3 months, so it’s worth making a double batch of this amazing baked beans recipe. To reheat, warm it on the stove or in the microwave with a small splash of water so it doesn’t dry out.
FAQ
Yes, though the whole point of turning baked beans from canned beans into dinner is saving time. If you use dried beans, cook and drain them first, then follow the same steps.
No, any dried vegetable seasoning blend works in its place.
Yes, any neutral cooking oil works for the pan-fry step.
