This post was sponsored by Alpha Foods!
Growing up baked beans were part of most every holiday or family celebration. It’s like my dad always had the ingredients on hand and if he didn’t, he didn’t mind zipping over to the grocery store to go pick them up. After switching over to the plant-based world, there was NO WAY I was giving up my baked beans. They’re practically in my DNA! These homemade baked beans from scratch hit the spot. The Beefy Alpha Crumble made for the perfect meat alternative!
How to Make Homemade Baked Beans from Scratch
Making homemade baked beans from scratch is a lot easier than you might think. I always recommend starting by prepping all of your ingredients first. This always makes the cooking process easier for me, so I’m sure you’ll find it helpful too. Make sure all of your ingredients are measured out, beans are drained and vegetables are diced and ready to go! Oh, and don’t forget to preheat your oven. I always forget, so don’t be like me in that regard!
You’ll start by heating a large pan on the stove to medium heat with a bit of oil. Once the pan is warm, you’ll add in the minced garlic, bell peppers, onion and Beefy Crumble. Sauté these items until the garlic is fragrant and the crumble is broken up and just warmed through. Since we’re baking everything shortly after we want to make sure we don’t overcook them. No one wants to eat chewy, tough baked beans!
Once you’re finished sautéing everything on the stove, you can remove it from the heat and set it aside. Grab a roomy oven-safe dish and add in your drained and rinsed beans, the sautéd mixture and the remaining ingredients. I mentioned that the dish you choose should be a little roomy so that you have space enough to stir all of the ingredients together without components spilling out. Once this is done, you’re ready to bake!
What Kind of Beans are Best for Baked Beans?
If you’re wondering what type of beans make for great baked beans, my favorites are navy beans! They’re the perfect size, texture and you can find them in most grocery stores.
For these homemade baked beans from scratch, I used cannellini beans which worked well also. I purchased these because I couldn’t find navy beans and according to my quick Google search they were in the same family, so I went with it. Well, I’m happy to report back that they worked! The texture was very similar to navy beans, however, they are noticeably larger beans (you can’t tell by just looking at the can)! I later learned that they’re also called “white kidney beans” which makes sense because they’re about the same size as red kidney beans!
Overall, as long as you stay in the white bean family you should be okay, but if you spot some navy beans, go with those!
What to Pair with Homemade Baked Beans:
- Sweet and Spicy Teriyaki Grilled Tofu
- Spicy Chicken Fried Cauliflower
- Spicy Mayo Grilled Corn
- Easy Grilled Vegetable Skewers
- Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple
I know you’ll love these homemade baked beans from scratch! They’re so easy to make and delicious! Your omni family and friends would never know they’re vegan! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!
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Easy Vegan Beefy Homemade Baked Beans from Scratch
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp neutral oil for sautéing (I used olive oil)
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ large white onion diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ red bell pepper diced (about ½ cup)
- ½ green bell pepper diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 bag Beefy Alpha Crumble
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 15.5 oz. cans canellini or navy beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup vegan Worcester sauce
- ¾ cup your favorite bbq sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup organic ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Heat a large pan with oil over medium heat. Once warm, add in the minced garlic, onion, red and green bell peppers and Beefy Alpha Crumble. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1-2 tbsp neutral oil for sautéing, 2 tsp minced garlic, ½ large white onion, ½ red bell pepper, ½ green bell pepper, 1 bag Beefy Alpha Crumble, salt and pepper to taste
- Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the crumble is just cooked through.
- In an oven-safe baking dish, add in the drained and rinsed beans, the sautéd mixture and the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.2 15.5 oz. cans canellini or navy beans, ¼ cup vegan Worcester sauce, ¾ cup your favorite bbq sauce, 1 tbsp liquid smoke, 1 tbsp organic brown sugar, ¼ cup organic ketchup
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Once finished baking, remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve alongside your favorite meal and enjoy!
