Boston baked beans
Slow-baked Boston beans with molasses, soft brown sugar and streaky bacon — sticky, sweet, smoky and ideal for a relaxed weekend supper or barbecue.
This is the sticky, smoky Boston baked beans you grew up dreaming of — molasses-sweet, brown-sugar rich and flecked with crisp streaky bacon. It’s the sort of dish that rewards patience: long soaking, a short simmer, then a slow oven bath until the sauce is lacquered and bubbly.
Make it for a relaxed weekend supper, a barbecue side or whenever you want something unfussy but properly comforting. The method is forgiving, but there are a few key moments that matter — I’ll point them out so your beans turn out glossy, not mushy.
Ingredients
- 500 g dried haricot beans
- 2 1/2 l water — enough for soaking then cooking; reserve some cooking liquid
- 5 ml bicarbonate of soda — optional — speeds softening; do not exceed 1/2 tsp
- 200 g streaky bacon — cut into lardons
- 1 brown onion — large, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 120 ml unsulphured molasses
- 80 g soft brown sugar
- 30 g tomato purée — about 2 tbsp
- 15 ml English mustard
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar — 1 tbsp
- 10 ml sea salt — do not add until beans are tender
- 5 ml ground black pepper
Equipment
- large ovenproof casserole with lid (or deep baking dish + foil)
- large saucepan
- frying pan
- colander
- measuring jug
Instructions
Put the dried haricot beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 5 cm. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda if using. Leave to soak at room temperature for 12 hours.
Drain and rinse the soaked beans thoroughly in a colander. Transfer to a large saucepan, add fresh cold water to cover by about 3 cm and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium hob, skimming any foam from the surface, then reduce to low and simmer until the beans are just tender — about 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the streaky bacon. Cook until the fat renders and the bacon begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the brown onion and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/170°C conventional. When the beans are tender, drain, reserving about 300–400 ml of the cooking liquid. In a bowl, whisk together the unsulphured molasses, soft brown sugar, tomato purée, English mustard, apple cider vinegar and ground black pepper. In a large ovenproof casserole (or deep baking dish), spread half the bacon and onions across the base, add the drained beans, pour over the molasses mixture and add enough reserved cooking liquid so the beans are just covered. Scatter the remaining bacon and onions on top, cover with a lid (or tightly with foil) and transfer to the oven.
Bake uncovered for a further 30 minutes to glaze and caramelise the top. The sauce should be glossy and sticky; if it looks too dry, spoon over a little more reserved cooking liquid.
Remove from the oven and taste. Season with the sea salt and a little more ground black pepper if needed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Do not add salt during the initial simmer — salt too early tightens bean skins and stops them from softening properly.
- If you’re short on time, use tinned haricot beans (see substitutions) but bake them gently so they absorb flavour without falling apart.
- Make ahead: these beans taste better the next day. Cool completely, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- Reserve some of the bean cooking liquid — it’s useful for loosening the dish during baking without diluting flavour.
- When browning the bacon/onion, keep some rendered fat in the pan — it’s essential for the authentic flavour base.
Substitutions
streaky bacon → smoked pancetta or smoked streaky ham, same weight
Stays closedried haricot beans → tinned haricot beans, 4 x 400 g tins (drained and rinsed) — reduce oven time and skip the long simmer
Noticeably differentunsulphured molasses → black treacle, same volume (120 ml) — slightly less sharp, darker sweetness
Stays closestreaky bacon → smoked tofu, 250 g, diced (for a vegetarian version) — omit bacon, increase molasses/sugar slightly to taste
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 530
- Calories
- 24 g
- Protein
- 77 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 30 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use tinned beans instead of dried?
Yes — drain and rinse 4 x 400 g tins of haricot beans. Skip the 60-minute simmer; assemble and bake gently for 45–60 minutes so the beans absorb the flavours without becoming mushy.
Why didn’t my beans soften?
Common causes are not soaking long enough, water that was too hard, or salting too early. Use the bicarbonate option in the soak if your water is very hard, and avoid adding salt until the beans are tender.
How long will leftovers keep?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in a low oven; add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I make these entirely on the hob?
Yes — simmer the assembled beans on the hob very gently, partially covered, for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed, until tender and glossy.
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