Summertime is all about easy cooking. And these sweet and sticky Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans are the perfect summer side dish for all your backyard grill-outs, barbecues, and all around shenanigans.
I'm getting the June itch. It's an itch that every fellow teacher gets right around this time of year. Yea, you know what I'm talking about. Summer vacation.
Two months of pure bliss. #cantwait
And with our new house becoming more and more a reality each day we get closer to July, I'm beyond pumped to have some killer backyard bbq's this summer! Oh heck yes.
I've wanted to make legit baked beans for a while now. My home-cooked cowboy beans have become quite legendary among friends, but I don't want to be a one trick legume pony. Diversification is where it's at.
Doing a quick search of the interwebs, there is definitely no shortage of baked beans variations. It's one of those classic summer recipes. But I wanted to do a little spin on the classic, using bacon (duh!), pineapple caramelized in the bacon fat (double duh!), and some of the best canned tomatoes out there.
But let's just pause for a second on that pineapple. You read correctly. You're going to dust it with chili powder and cook it up in the bacon fat. Pineapple has never tasted so freaking good.
Now that we are crashing with my parents for a few weeks before we move into our new home, I have an extra taste tester on my hands. You already know my dad is one of the most boring eaters in the world and would never even look at a bean, but my mom is all about trying new recipes. She's pretty awesome.
And ladies and gentlemen, my mom has declared these to be the best baked beans she has every tasted. That's a bold claim coming from a most reputable of sources, people. Get on this creative baked bean action before it's too late.
Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans Recipe below
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Pineapple Bacon Baked Beans
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 people (as a side) 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) package thick-cut bacon, diced
- ½ fresh pineapple, finely dinced
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 large red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 (15 ounce) cans great northern white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add pineapple and chili powder to skillet and stir, cooking for about 4-5 minutes, until golden and slightly caramelized. Remove using a slottted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet. Add onion, season generously with Kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to avoid burning.
- Add beans, water, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, ground dry mustard, and cooked bacon. Stir to combine. Season to taste with Kosher salt.
- Transfer mixture to an ovenproof baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven, stir in pineapple, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 90 mins
I shopped at Walmart for Hunt's Canned Tomatoes. #DinnerDone #CollectiveBias
Hunt's canned tomatoes uses a unique flashsteam peeling method. No artificial preservatives are allowed to this party. And I personally use Hunt's products in my cooking all the time. It's one of my faves. If you're down for more great recipes and information on Hunt's tomatoes, feel free to check them out here and here.
Sandra
Pineapple caramelized in bacon fat, HELLO. Somebody get me a plate of this please. I don't think I have ever made my own baked beans before, but I'm thinking I'd probably be the hero of the backyard BBQ party if I made this dish!
Chris
Hahaha, you just want the pineapple caramelized in bacon fat straight up! Lol. And oh please, I'm pretty sure you're the hero of any backyard BBQ you go to!
CakePants
I could eat a vat of these. Well okay my eyes are bigger than my stomach, but that's how amazingly delicious these look!! You have revolutionized baked beans - can't wait to give these a try!
Chris
Hahaha, my wife literally can eat a vat of these. She LOVES beans... I'm super impressed by her eating abilities haha
Sam
These seriously look so amazing, I never thought I'd crave baked beans as badly as I am right now! I am definitely going to have to make these for the next cookout I attend. I can only imagine how delicious that pineapple must be! 🙂
Chris
That pineapple is totally the secret weapon in these! Let me know if you make 'em!
Christine
Chris this looks INCREDIBLE!!! I love the sweet & savory elements here, my mouth is seriously watering for these!!
Chris
Thanks Christine!
Tina
You had me at "bacon".... 😉
Chris
Exactly!
Mike
Man thanks for the remainder: it's almost vacay time! I'm so pumped!
I'm flying to Europe on July 19th and planning to stay there for the rest of my life (...yeah, I wish...)
BTW great looking beans, if your mum vouch for them, then they must be awesomely fantastic!
Chris
Hahaha sweet!!!! Moving the Europe on a permanent vacation sounds like the life... if only!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
Yumeeeeeee!!!! Love me some baked beans, and while I'm normally A ok with the original, I'm totally head over heels for BACON and PINEAPPLE!
Chris
Thanks Nicole! I'm totally good with regular baked beans too... but sometimes you gotta get a little crazy, right?!
Alyssa
A one-trick legume pony - haha! I can't get over the pineapple cooked in bacon fat. These look so, so good!!
Chris
I like cooking anything I can in bacon fat... I think that's a good motto to live by, lol!
Helen
Whaat?! The very idea of cooking pineapple in bacon fat and adding that, plus the bacon, to beans, has just sent me to food heaven. This is now reminding me of a classic Greek dish made with big butter beans and I'm thinking how wonderful they would be with bacon add. And heck, with pineapple too. Why not? 🙂
Chris
Anything with bacon has to be good, right Helen?
Krista
OMG ! Seriously! These look incredible Chris! Love the sweet salty combo you have going on .. that always makes the most tasty baked beans.
I bet you are going to have the best backyard bbq's on the street once you move it! This combined with that burger you posted the other day.. ugh man stick a fork in me because I'd be done! SOoooo good! Pinned!
Chris
Thanks so much Krista! Salty sweet always makes the best combo, doesn't it?! Haha, that's what we are aiming for... BBQ royalty at our new house haha
Ashley
I LOVE the addition of the pineapple! I haven't made baked beans in months I think ... need to change that asap!
Chris
You're totally due for a baked beans fix!
Shelley
Oh, Chris! These look totally fantastic! And good golly, I think these for sure will keep you from being called a one-trick legume pony (which is pretty hilarious)! Now for anyone who happens to read this comment and is even one tiny bit skeptical about the pineapple hanging out in this recipe ... I can share a little story about my fave, killer-good chili ... which includes pineapple!!!! Pineapple in this sort of recipe is an epiphany, so try it, friends ... try it!!! Plus, if it has the total mom-stamp-of-approval, then you know you can't go wrong! Love, love this idea, Chris!!! 😀
Chris
Pineapple in chili?! Where's this recipe hiding, Shelley?!! I need to try it!!!
Bri | Bites of Bri
Chris, my sister and I just talked about adding baked beans to our Father's Day cookout. These sound like the perfect addition and they're a twist on and old fave. YUM!
Chris
Great minds think alike! Thanks so much Bri!
Kelly
Yay for summer vacation and selling your house 🙂 These baked beans look amazing Chris! And of course if they are mom approved they have got to be good 🙂 I absolutely love the sound of the carmelized pineapple in here - sounds incredible - pinning!
Chris
Mom approved always equals good! There aren't many things in life better than caramelized pineapple, right?! Thanks so much Kelly!
Sarah
Oh, man. You have no idea how much I am drooling over here, Chris! These beans are just all-around incredible. I LOVE the idea of combining sweet pineapple with smoky bacon! I can't wait to try these baked beans at our next summer barbecue!
Chris
Thanks so much Sarah! Yea the pineapple - bacon combo makes these beans pretty legit!
Jess
This looks amazing Chris! These would be great as part of a BBQ 🙂
Chris
Thanks Jess! Yup, it's a great BBQ side!
Ami
Chris, I absolutely love baked beans. Even made my own from scratch but never ever thought about adding pineapple!! Genius!!
Chris
Haha thanks Ami! Pineapple is my new fave addition to like... everything!
Cindy
Pineapple bacon baked beans?! Yum! I am loving this combination. BBQ is in full swing and I need to try these soon.
Pinning!
Chris
Thanks Cindy! I'm so happy BBQ season is here!!!!
shashi
Pineapple dusted with chili sounds freakin awesome in these baked beans - such a unique -not to mention, drool inducing- take on baked beans, Chris!!!
Chris
Thanks so much Shashi! I may or may not still be drooling over them 🙂
David
Holy cow! How did I miss this post, Chris? I feel like I've missed a handful of your recent posts. #BlogLovinFail This looks totally delish, and I think it's safe to say you are not a 1-pony show when it comes to beans!
Chris
Hahaha no worries dude. I'm still catching up on reading a bunch of posts from all my blogger friends due to my crazy work schedule and the whole house move thing. Thanks buddy!
Daniel
Thanks for sharing, Chris. Great photography!
I'm glad to see another "dude food blogger" out there. I'm a dude as well, not necessarily blogging, but I am building a site all about gluten free protein bars.
Do you eat protein bars on occasion?
Daniel
Chris
Thanks Daniels. Yup, I do eat protein bars on occasion... for all my massive weight-lifting regiments and such hahaha just kidding. My wife and I are currently really into the Quest bars (I'm a cookies n' cream fan, she's a cookie dough fan).
ela
I find pineapple, bacon, bean, tomato combination quite extraordinary....would love to try this...
ela h.
Chris
Thanks so much Ela!
Cate
Yay for summer vacation! These beans look delicious - I love the addition of pineapple! Sweet and savory - yum!
Chris
Thanks Cate!
Bonnie
love, love ,love baked beans. I also use pineapple and sometime switch to peaches, very good as well!
Chris
OOOOOOooooooohhhhhhh!!! Peaches! Sounds amazing!
Alyssa {Cake, Crust, and Sugar Dust}
I still have all of next week left to teach! I'm over it! haha I need summer so badly at this point. Push through! Backyard barbecues and sunshine are in our very near future!
Chris
Yes... push through! Just a couple more weeks!!!!
Sarah & Arkadi
by adding pineapple you took baked beans to another level! awesome! we are also looking forward to summer easy recipes!
Chris
Thanks so much! They are pretty ridiculous!
Pamela
Craving these baked beans SO BAD! YUM!
Chris
I know... I looked in the fridge yesterday to find that they were sadly all gone. Time to make another batch haha!
Melanie | Melanie Makes
You rock, Chris. Always love your writing style and your great photos. And these beans? A no-brainer winner.
Chris
Aww thanks so much Melanie! That means a lot!
Anna Johnston
Just this morning I was telling a friend how much I loved baked beans on toast. This recipe is next level. On this one like a rash. #getinmybelly
Chris
Baked beans on toast... gotta try that!! Hahaha "on this one like a rash" love it
Jessica
What a creative way to serve beans! #client