Baked Bean Casserole (aka Calico Beans or Cowboy Beans) is a crowd-pleaser for any potluck, gathering or for a hearty, comfort food supper. It’s naturally gluten and dairy free, so it can be enjoyed by everyone.
This casserole has lots of different names. You may have heard it called Baked Bean Casserole or Cowboy Beans or even Calico Beans depending on where you live.
You and your family will love the smoky flavor of bacon and barbecue sauce blending beautifully with the tang of stone ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Caramelly dark brown sugar adds that undertone of sweetness that rounds everything out to a beautiful blend of scrumptious flavors.
My Baked Bean Casserole (Calico Beans) recipe is so easy to put together. 15 to 20 minutes of your time and then you’ll leave the rest to the oven. I love simple to make suppers like this one.
Serve it up with Bell Pepper Salad, Creamy Coleslaw, Shirazi Salad or Kale, Apple and Butternut salad for a simple delicious and memorable meal.
Possible Variations
Baked Bean Casserole (Cowboy Beans) is a very versatile and hearty dish.
I mix and match the beans to whatever is in the pantry at the time. My favorites are black beans, red beans and cannellini or great northern beans.
I’ve also used garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or pork and beans. Kidney beans, butter beans and even pinto beans would also be good options. Calico Beans are stupendously delicious no matter which beans you choose.
How to Make Baked Beans Vegan
You could also make this yummy baked beans casserole without the ground beef and serve it as a tasty side dish or a vegan main.
To make the Baked Bean Casserole vegan, use your favorite vegan ground beef and bacon substitutes or omit the bacon and ground beef altogether. Also be sure to sub extra soy sauce (or even a small amount of miso paste) to replace the Worcestershire. This Calico Beans (Cowboy Beans) recipe will be a scrumptious vegan main, too.
Whatever creative spin you decide to put on it, Baked Bean Casserole will become one of your favorite easy to make suppers! Enjoy!
The Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use an 85/15 blend. Lean is good, but you need a little fat for the best flavor.
- The Aromatics: Begin building layers of savory flavor with standard aromatic vegetables and herbs — onion, bell peppers and garlic.
- Beans: I have used many varieties successfully in Baked Bean Casserole (Cowboy Beans). I typically mix and match from what’s in my pantry. You can use black beans, red beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern, chickpeas, pinto beans or even pork & beans.
- Sauces and Flavorings: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, stone ground mustard and soy sauce.
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Bacon: The smoky, savory finish to this comfort food supper. I use thick cut bacon, but your usual brand should work beautifully.
How to Make Baked Bean Casserole (Calico Beans)
- Cook the bacon. I bake mine in the oven, but use your preferred method. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mince the onions, garlic and bell peppers.
- Brown the ground beef, onions, peppers and garlic in a very large pan or a stock pot while the bacon cooks.
Continue cooking until the beef is cooked through (no pink remains).
Drain the beef mixture and add it back to the pan.
Add the beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar to the mixture. Simmer it all together for 5 minutes. Pour it into your prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle the cooked and drained bacon pieces over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake the Calico Beans for 40–45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let dish sit for 10 minutes before serving
The Recipe
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Best Baked Bean Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Best Baked Bean Casserole, aka Cowboy Beans or Calico Beans, takes the ultimate baked beans and makes them a full meal by adding ground beef and bacon! Comfort food heaven! Such an easy and satisfying recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef (I use 85/15)
- 1 lg. red onion, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 (15-oz cans) beans, rinsed and drained (Mix and match what you have. Black beans, red beans, cannellini, Great Northern, chickpeas, or pork & beans all work well.)
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 slices bacon, cooked, drained and broken into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. I bake mine in the oven, but use your preferred method. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mince the onions, garlic and bell peppers.
- Brown the ground beef, onions, peppers and garlic in a very large pan or a stock pot while the bacon cooks.
- Continue cooking until the beef is cooked through (no pink remains). Drain the beef mixture and add it back to the pan.
- Add the beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar to the mixture. Simmer it all together for 5 minutes. Pour it into your prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the cooked and drained bacon pieces over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let dish sit for 10 minutes before serving your Calico Beans (Baked Bean Casserole).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Casserole
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
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About Glenda
My philosophy of cooking, and of eating, is balance. I cook what tastes good and brings joy to those who eat it, even if it’s “healthy”. There is a time and a place for all kinds of dishes. I hope you find that reflected in the recipes you discover, here. Read more...
