Root Beer Baked Beans with Bacon
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These root beer baked beans have bacon in them for a fantastic smoky-sweet flavor. Make this recipe your go-to side dish for summer cookouts!
As far as summer side dishes are concerned, baked beans with bacon rank up on top, right along with classic potato salad, creamy coleslaw, and pasta salad as must-haves. A cookout isn’t the same without them!
Plus, I think this recipe is very likely to become your favorite way to make baked beans. Why?
Well, for starters, the flavor of this bean side dish is a delicious combination of sweet and savory. The salty bacon and sweet root beer compliment one another perfectly.
And they are delicious with everything from turkey burgers and grilled ribeye steak to southern fried chicken and a pulled pork sandwich.
Plus, I’m going to give you three cooking options!
3 Ways to Make Root Beer Baked Beans
- Baked beans in the oven. Unlike recipes made from scratch, we use canned beans for this version. As a result, you’ll have slow cooked flavor with only 30 minutes of cooking time.
- Pressure cooker (Instant Pot) baked beans. If you own an Instant Pot, you already know the key benefit of using an electric pressure cooker is its ability to cook quickly. Including the time for the unit to come to pressure, cook, and a natural pressure release, you have a batch of sweet baked beans in 25 minutes!
- Crock pot baked beans. If you are constantly on the run, or you want to make this dish ahead of time, 6 hours in the slow cooker is the way to go.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- bacon
- red onion
- minced garlic
- canned pinto beans
- canned white beans
- root beer – full flavor, high quality root beer is the best choice
- apple cider vinegar
- dark molasses – this is sometimes known as robust molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses; it will give a bitter flavor to the root beer baked beans.
- tomato paste
- Dijon mustard – yellow mustard or dry mustard powder will also work
- chili powder – consider making my chili powder recipe. It’s easy!
- salt
- black pepper
Tips for Making Baked Beans
- Using dried beans
If you want to make this recipe using dried beans instead of canned, it’s not a problem. You’ll need to soak them overnight and cook them before making the recipe below.
Feel free to use my quick soak method to save time.
- Cooking the bacon
Before you cook the bacon, be sure to cut it crosswise into small pieces about one inch wide, and cook until it’s slightly crisp.
Also, don’t throw out the bacon grease; it is liquid gold! Pour it through a strainer to remove any bits of bacon and store it in a tightly covered jar.
It’s the perfect fat to use when you make things like cornbread, spinach salad, and scrambled eggs.
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This recipe post, first published on Kevin is Cooking July 15, 2018, was updated with a video and new content and last updated on August 16, 2021.
Root Beer Baked Beans w/ Bacon + Video
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 cups red onion (about 1 large onion)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 15 oz cans pinto beans rinsed, drained (See Note 1)
- 2 15 oz cans white beans rinsed, drained (See Note 1)
- 2 cups root beer
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dark molasses
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp chili seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
For Baked Version
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut the bacon crosswise into 1 inch pieces. Chop onion and mince garlic.
- Cook bacon in a large ovenproof casserole pot over medium heat until rendered and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and set aside. Leave bacon fat in pan.
- Add onions to pot and cook until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and stir for a minute.
- Add drained beans, root beer, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Transfer to oven and bake 30 minutes uncovered until liquid thickens and beans are glazed (See Note 2). Add cooked bacon, stir through and serve.
For Instant Pot Version
- Cook and render bacon until crispy, set aside. Save bacon grease for other use, it’s “liquid gold”.
- Add drained beans, root beer, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot and stir to combine.
- Place the lid on and lock. Set to Manual, High Pressure, and set for 8 minutes.
- When finished, allow natural pressure release for about 10-15 minutes, then quick release. If too loose, cook on Saute with lid off until thickened up so beans get coated and syrupy. Add cooked bacon, stir through and serve.
Slow Cooker Version
- Cook and render bacon until crispy, set aside. Save bacon grease for other use, it’s “liquid gold”.
- Add drained beans, root beer, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper to slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Close lid securely and set to Low for 6 hours.
- Remove lid and if too loose, cook with lid off until thickened up so beans get coated and syrupy. Add cooked bacon, stir through and serve.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use dried beans instead of canned. Pre-soak dry beans the night before and cook. For a QUICK soak method.Â
- Option: add 1 pound of cooked and seasoned ground beef, chicken or turkey if you like. I do this often to bulk up the dish for a dinner, completely optional.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This sounds wonderful!! If making a batch for a large bbq would you double/ triple ingredients and also would you be able to do most of the preparations the night before and just bake it the next day?
Yes easily. I’d triple it for sure then. This as is serves 4 people.
These Root Beer Baked Beans were out of this world delicious! Savory, hearty and so satisfying! My kids loved them and they tasted so good with the ribs we made that night! Five stars on this one Kevin!!!!
So happy you enjoyed these Mary. It’s great with added ground beef, turkey of chicken, too.
So many rich, delicious flavors in these baked beans! They’d disappear quick at a BBQ!
Dr. Pepper works in a pinch too Marissa, but I’m a sucker for Root Beer! Thanks!
Love bake beans, especially the leftovers straight from the fridge. I know, sounds weird, it’s a childhood thing. We don’t see root beer over here. We do have Dr. Pepper at the American specialty store. Would that work?
Dr. P would work and I have made them that way too. Give a go Ron, let me know! 🙂
I’m thinking I should add this yummy dish to our Labor Day party this year Kevin! My husband would be all for it!!
Let me know Mary Ann, would like any feedback. Have a great weekend!
Have you tried this is a slow cooker? My oven will have ribs going but I really want to try this.
Hi there Joanie. I’ve added the instructions for Slow Cooker or Instant Pot versions. Hope you enjoy these. 🙂
Hey Kevin! These are now on my must make list for this weekend! I love all beans, give me a few flour tortillas and any kind of beans and I’m happy! Always best with bacon!
Couldn’t agree more Dorothy. Hope things are going better for you two. It’s been insanely out out here and lots of fires, too. Onward! 🙂
I make baked beans all the time, but have never used root beer. I imagine it adds a lovely sweetness! YUM!
Oh you’ve been missing out Dawn. Hope you enjoy these. 🙂
Wow! These look great! i love that you put root beer in there! I haven’t ever tried that!
I hope you do and thanks for stopping by to let me know Kelsey. Cheers!