These Baked Beans are a hearty dish made with pinto beans folded into a date-sweetened sauce and baked until plump and tender. This is a gluten- and dairy-free recipe that is great for any day of the week.
My friends at Natural Delights Medjool Dates sponsor this post. Last year, I was invited to participate in Natural Delights® date harvest in Yuma, AZ, and I learned a ton about Medjool dates! Be sure to support Natural Delights as they make posts on Sense and Edibility® possible.
What Are Baked Beans?
Baked beans are a North American side dish of common legumes simmered in a slightly sweetened savory sauce. Boston baked beans, which use molasses to sweeten the sauce, are the most popular version of this recipe. European colonists incorporated Native American bean crops into their traditional cassoulet – a similar baked casserole – recipe.
The beans I use here are pinto beans, which are a great source of folate, contain copper, and help lower cholesterol. You can replace the pinto beans in this recipe with navy beans, Cannellini beans, or black beans.
Baked beans are now a common recipe throughout the United States. BBQs, cookouts, and tailgating party menus often feature the recipe because it holds well and tastes better with time.
What Do I Need To Make These Baked Beans?
To make baked beans sweetened with dates, you need pinto beans, bacon, green bell pepper, yellow onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, creole seasoning, black pepper, yellow mustard, and Medjool dates.
Start this recipe on the stove and finish it in a baking dish, or you can make these baked beans a one-pot recipe by preparing them in an oven-safe Dutch oven.
Why Would I Add Dates To A Savory Recipe?
Most baked beans recipes are sweetened with molasses or maple syrup. I prefer to use dates in my baked beans recipe because they have a caramel flavor and develop a syrup texture when simmered down. Dates are a fantastic, all-natural way to add sweetness to your favorite savory recipes. Adding them to boldly spiced dishes provides a delectable juxtaposition of flavors.
Use a chef’s knife to dice the dates. I usually dice them 1/4 inch, but you can dice them larger. Chilled dates slice easier than at room temperature, so I usually pop them in the freezer or fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before prepping them.
Can I Replace Or Omit The Bacon?
Add the chopped bacon to a cold sauté pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and render the bacon grease for 8-10 minutes. Par-cook the bacon just until the edges turn golden brown. I like to cook the bacon slightly and finish crisping it up while baking the beans. You can cook yours a little longer if you prefer really crisp bacon.
You can replace the bacon in this recipe with turkey or beef bacon if you abstain from pork products. If you follow a meatless diet, omit the bacon and replace it with a tablespoon (15 milliliters) of vegetable oil instead.
Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel-lined dish.
How Do I Finish The Date BBQ Sauce?
Drain all but 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the bacon grease from the pan.
Add the green bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic to the grease in the pan. Sauté the aromatics for 3 minutes over medium heat until they begin to take on a golden color.
Make a hole in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for 30 seconds to develop its flavor.
Add the dates, apple cider vinegar, creole seasoning, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and 1 1/2 to 2 cups (360-480 milliliters) of water to the pan. Add a higher quantity of water if you prefer really saucy beans.
Bring the liquid in the pan to a gentle simmer and cook it for 5 minutes.
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead?
Fold the pinto beans into the sauce after 5 minutes or when the sauce is thick and syrupy. Next, fold 3/4s of the par-cooked bacon into the beans. Save the rest of the bacon for topping the baked beans.
You can proceed with the recipe or refrigerate the beans for 24 hours until you’re ready to bake them. You can also freeze them at this point. Transfer the beans to a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2 months. Thaw them overnight before you bake the beans.
How Long Do I Need To Cook Baked Beans?
After folding the bacon in the sauce, scrape the contents of the pan into an 8×8-inch baking dish. You can also bake the beans in the Dutch oven if it’s oven-safe.
Scatter the remaining bacon on top of the beans, then cover the dish with aluminum foil (or its lid) and bake the beans for 15 minutes in a 350° (180°C) oven.
Remove the foil after 15 minutes and bake the uncovered beans for 15-20 minutes longer.
How Do I Serve Baked Beans?
After baking, remove the beans from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before serving them.
Baked beans are delicious as a side dish, but this recipe is also hearty enough to serve on its own or with a slice of Sweet Buttery Cornbread.
What Entrees Go Well With Them?
My favorite entrees to serve with this recipe are Grilled Thick-Cut Pork Chops, Chuletas Fritas (Puerto Rican Pan-Fried Pork Chops), Braised Baby Back Ribs, or my Air-Fried Southern Catfish.
I recommend serving baked beans with BBQ or smoked meats. Their smoky flavors pair excellently with the flavor of baked beans.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can reheat baked beans in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes with a little water. Stir them halfway through the warming time.
Can I Freeze Baked Beans After Cooking Them?
You can also freeze baked beans after baking them. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze the baked beans for up to 3 months.
You can thaw the beans in the refrigerator a day before reheating and serving.
Baked Beans sweetened with dates are a unique side dish you and your family will love. The dates add all-natural sweetness and caramel flavor that complements the savory spices and aromatics of the sauce. Give this recipe a go, and let me know what you think in the comments. Don’t forget to check out Natural Delights® for other savory recipes to add dates to, as well!
Baked Beans Sweetened with Dates
at Sense & EdibilityIngredients
- 6 slices (6 ounces or 155 grams bacon sliced 1-inch wide
- 1/2 large yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups or 175 grams)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (about 1 cup or 120 grams)
- 2 large cloves garlic (1 tablespoon or 15 grams)
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) tomato paste
- 12 large (250 grams) Medjool dates pitted and diced 1/4 inch (6mm)
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons (9 grams) Creole seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon (10 grams) prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) black pepper
- 1 1/2-2 cups ( water or as needed
- 2 27-ounce cans (1.5 kilograms) pinto beans rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Heat an oven to 350°F (180°C).Lightly grease an 8x8-inch (160x160cm) baking dish with vegetable or canola oil. Skip this step if you're preparing the beans in a dutch oven.
Render the Bacon Grease
- Add the chopped bacon to a cold sauté pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and render the bacon grease for 8-10 minutes. Par-cook the bacon just until the edges turn golden brown.
- Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel-lined dish. Carefully drain all but 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the bacon grease from the pan.
Prepare the Sauce
- Add the yellow onion, green bell pepper, and garlic to the grease in the pan. Sauté the aromatics for 3 minutes over medium heat until they begin to take on a golden color.
- Make a hole in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for 30 seconds to develop its flavor.
- Add the dates, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, creole seasoning, yellow mustard, black pepper, and 1 1/2 to 2 cups (360-480 milliliters) of water to the pan. Add the greater quantity of water if you like saucy baked beans.Bring the liquid in the pan to a gentle simmer and cook it for 5 minutes.
Bake the Beans
- Fold the pinto beans into the sauce after 5 minutes or when the sauce is thick and syrupy. Next, fold 3/4s of the par-cooked bacon into the beans. Save the rest of the bacon for topping the baked beans.After folding the bacon in the sauce, scrape the contents of the pan into an 8x8-inch baking dish.
- Scatter the remaining bacon on top of the beans, then cover the dish with aluminum foil (or its lid) and bake the beans for 15 minutes. Remove the foil after 15 minutes and bake the uncovered beans for 15-20 minutes longer.
- After baking, remove the beans from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before serving them. Serve baked beans as a side dish to BBQ or smoked meats or own their own with cornbread.
Notes
- Replace the pinto beans in this recipe with navy beans, Cannellini beans, or black beans.
- You can replace the bacon in this recipe with turkey or beef bacon if you abstain from pork products.
- For vegetarian beans, omit the bacon and replace it with a tablespoon (15 milliliters) of vegetable oil instead. Replace the Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce.
- Swap the water out for beef, chicken, or vegetable broth for more flavor.
- Cook the bacon a little longer if you prefer really crisp bacon.
- Add the higher quantity of water if you prefer really saucy beans.
- You can make this a one-pot recipe by preparing it in an oven-safe Dutch oven.
- You can proceed with the recipe after folding the beans into the sauce or refrigerate the covered beans for 24 hours until you're ready to bake them.
- Store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat baked beans in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water, stirring halfway through the warming time.
- To freeze the beans before baking:
- Transfer the beans to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze them for 2 months.
- Thaw them overnight before baking the beans.
-
To freeze baked beans after baking them:
- Cool the beans completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze the baked beans for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the beans in the refrigerator a day before reheating and serving.
This was a delicious dish indeed, I never thought of sweetening it with dates. What a delightful outcome. Very nice!
Thank you, Ramona.
Baked beans are one of my favorite sides and I like how this recipe for them provides a healthier alternative through the use of dates.
I love that these baked beans use dates in the sauce! Genius!! I cannot wait to give them a try this week for dinner 🙂
You’re going to love them!
What a great idea to use dates to sweetened baked beans. We loved it with some crusty bread. This will be such a wonderful side dish for summer backyard party!
Oh, the baked beans with bread sounds amazing!