These Vegan Skillet BBQ Bake Beans are incredibly delicious and SO much better than the canned version! These are healthy, homemade, oil-free and refined sugar-free. They are smoky, sweet and perfectly balanced in flavor!
You know when a recipe is so good you are all fighting over the last bite. That is how these Vegan Skillet Barbecue Baked Beans are. Even my 4 year old was shouting “yummy!” from the rooftops. It’s no secret that my favorite flavor ever is BBQ. I think it tastes good with practically anything, but there is something so amazing and classic about barbecue baked beans. I grew up eating these, but they of course were usually made with bacon. Well, these are not only vegan and plant-based, but they are totally oil-free and super low-fat.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN SKILLET BBQ BAKED BEANS
Guess what, you don’t need bacon. Using 2 very key ingredients that make these beans to-die-for, is vegan worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Without these 2, you will not reach this rich, deep flavor. Liquid smoke gives that same amazing, rich, smoky flavor. Not only that, but I found THE most amazing liquid smoke, called Lazy Kettle, I have ever tasted. It is soooo flavorful, so authentic and honestly smells and tastes just like a wood chip from a barbecue pit from the days my Dad barbecued growing up. It was just a lucky find at Homegoods store of all places.
No need for soaking these vegan barbecue baked beans. There’s no need for all of that extra time. These beans are so easy and quick and ready in about an hour and yet, they taste like they have been simmering for hours. SO GOOD. Your house will smell straight up like a BBQ restaurant, no exaggeration.
Other BBQ Sides to serve:
Vegan Skillet BBQ Baked Beans
Ingredients
For cooking the veggies
- 1/2 cup (64g) chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 packed cup (67g) finely diced white onion
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the remaining ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups tomato puree/sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (I used Lazy Kettle brand which is amazing in this, if you are using another brand, start out with just 2 teaspoons and add more if desired)
- 1/4 cup vegan worcestershire sauce (found at Whole Foods or Amazon)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cans great northern beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Add the ingredients under just veggies to a large skillet, bell pepper, onion, garlic, water and just 1/4 teaspoon salt. I used my 10 inch iron skillet. Turn to medium heat and once simmering, cook for 5 minutes until beginning to get tender and basically all the water should be gone.
- Preheat an oven to 325 degrees.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the beans....tomato sauce, other 1/4 cup water, syrup, liquid smoke, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well until thoroughly mixed. Now gently stir in the beans.
- Add the skillet to the oven and cook for about 30-45 minutes until it is bubbling and the sauce has thickened some, but still some liquid remaining. Remove and serve.
My whole family absolutely loved these! We all agreed these are the best baked beans we’ve ever had! Goes exceptionally well with cornbread!
I’m so happy to hear that Brandy, thank you so much for the lovely review!
This recipe sounds so good to me!
Absolutely love beans 😍
Lots of love,
Bianca ❤️
Thank you so much Bianca!
Thank you so much Bianca!!
Just made these a couple days ago and they are awesome! The sauce is perfect, and the green bell pepper is a perfect touch. They are gone already and I want to make another batch very soon, however I just received your beautiful cookbook and am anxious to try out the great variety of recipes in that. BTW, I recently read that 2019 is supposed to be the year of the vegan!
Thank you so much Darrell for this wonderful review and taking the time to leave it, so very happy you loved these!!
Hands down the BEST baked beans recipe ever!! Way better than the ones I used to make before I was vegans. My in-laws tried it and didn’t even miss the bacon. Phew!!
Delicious- great spice and a little touch of heat.
Saucy and such an awesome BBQ flavor with easy on hand ingredients.
I thought for sure I’d commented but I see it not. ;). This is our second time making this wonderful dish and it was just as good. I didn’t have bell pepper so I added carrot and celery this time and liked it just as well. The flavors are so yummy and it worked perfectly for a night when I had just made an instant pot full of beans and happened to have a couple sweet potatoes already baked. Presto, instant dinner!
Wonderful Elyse, so happy to hear how much you enjoyed these!!
So delicious, so easy, with ingredients we already had on hand! A new favorite – thank you!!!!💚
So happy to hear that Beth!!
This was such a good recipe; I made it for the first time a couple of years ago for a BBQ and I’ve made it about 10 times ever since. I keep coming back to this recipe!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I couldn’t find Great Northern beans and I’m wondering, would Cannellini beans make a good substitute?
Yes, that works!