Baked beans is a traditional dish made with white navy beans. A popular summer barbecue food, baked beans are also part of a full-fledged English breakfast.
Rich in fiber and protein and low in fat, this is a healthy snack option for those who are watching their diet.
To make baked beans at home, you will have to slow-cook navy beans for several hours in a sauce (mostly pork-based), then season them with sugar or maple syrup. It’s an arduous process.
The good news is, you can enjoy hearty food without any effort. Whether you want your baked beans savory, sweet or smoky, or a combination of these, there is a can of beans out there for you.
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A Detailed Look at Our Top Canned Baked Beans
We have listed the five best brands for canned baked beans that are available in the market today. We hope the detailed description of each will help you decide which one would suit you the best.
1. Heinz Beanz Baked With Tomato Sauce
This sauce is adequately sweet and has a rich tomato flavor. This is the product for you if you love a classic English breakfast of beans on toast.
Features:
- Baked beans in tomato sauce
- Distinct tomato flavor
- Provides 162 kcal per half a can
- Two servings per can
- Ingredients include beans, tomatoes, water, sugar, spirit vinegar, modified cornflour, salt, spice extracts, herb extract
- Product of UK
Pros
- Gluten-free
- Adequately sweet, low-sugar
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Suitable for vegetarians
- The can comes with a pull-tab top and doesn’t require a can opener
Cons
- A little bland
- Expensive
- Cans sometimes come dented
This product is imported from the UK and is often compared with the American version, which is relatively more sweet and intense. Heinz Beans has a distinct tomato flavor which is not as severe as tomato ketchup but renders a slightly acidic taste.
While it is a completely vegetarian and vegan product, non-vegetarians have the option of jazzing it up with some sausage, ham, bacon, egg, or steak. Prepare a lip-smacking “beans on toast” with this can of beans. Make it even more English with some Worcester sauce and English mature cheddar cheese.
Completely gluten-free, protein-packed, and with relatively less sugar, this is perhaps the best option for baked bean lovers who are watching their calories.
If you are buying the product online, be sure to check if there is a leak in the can. There have been quite a few complaints of cans being delivered dented, with cuts in the seams. If you see the lining of the tin is split, it’s a food safety issue.
The can has a pull-tab top, and doesn’t need a can opener. You don’t have to think twice before packing it for your potluck.
2. Grandma Brown’s Home Baked Beans
Thick and mildly sweet, this can of baked beans is reminiscent of a classic serving of home-cooked beans. Best for summer cookouts and BBQ evenings.
Features:
- Made with brown sugar and bacon
- Servings per can: 3.5
- Ingredients include water, navy beans, brown sugar, bacon, salt, and baking soda
- Made in the USA
Pros
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Cholesterol free
- High in fiber
- Good source of Potassium
- Gluten-free
Cons
- Expensive
- The beans stick to each other
Grandma Brown’s baked beans are spiced to the right amount and are moderately thick. They contain less sugar compared to other brands. Those who like their baked beans sweet can add extra brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey to get the desired taste. A quick tip: use some molasses and onion powder and cook for 15 minutes to get a classic BBQ side dish.
The product is gluten-free, low in fat, and high in fiber. Thus, it serves as a healthy meal option that’s both wholesome and easy to make.
The navy beans used by this brand are cooked with bacon and seasoned with brown sugar and are not suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The beans are well-cooked and soft. However, they stick to each other and are not firm enough.
Each can serve three and is a top option for those who are allergic to gluten.
3. Bush’s Best Baked Beans
Bush’s baked beans are sweet with a rich aroma of spices and come in a pack of eight. Seasoned with bacon, they are the best comfort food option when you are camping at home.
Features:
- Seasoned with bacon and brown sugar
- 140 calories per half a cup
- Ingredients include white beans, water, brown sugar, sugar, bacon, salt, prepared mustard (water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, spices), modified corn starch, onion powder, caramel color, spices, garlic powder, natural flavor
- Product of USA
Pros
- Value for money
- High in fiber
- Cans come with non-BPA lining
- Over 2 years shelf life
Cons
- Little too sweet
- Many complain of damaged cans
Bush’s baked beans have a mild yet wholesome flavor. Mix it with the meat or vegetables of your choice for a nutritious fiber-rich combo meal. You can cook these beans in a saucepan, microwave them, or bake them in an oven — serve them with chicken, pork, and beef or make dips and spreads.
The firm small beans have a smoky flavor that adds a bit of zing to your food and the necessary proteins in your diet. For some, it might come across as extra sweet, compared to other brands of baked beans. Besides that, there is little reason why you shouldn’t go for this brand.
The quantity of baked beans per can is just enough for one adult or maybe as a side dish for two. It comes in eight small cans and might take up significant space in your kitchen. The cans come with non-BPA lining, which means they are food-safe. However, they are sometimes damaged and dented.
4. B&M Baked Beans
The beans are non-mushy and firm. They are slow-baked in brick ovens for hours. This gives them a smoky flavor.
Features:
- Besides original flavor, the brand also sells bacon and onion, country style, home style, maple, red kidney, barbecue, Boston’s best, and vegetarian flavors
- Ingredients include baked small pea beans with pork in sauce, water, sugar, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, salt, modified corn starch, dried onion, spice, dried garlic, natural flavor
- Made in the USA
Pros
- Long shelf life
- Rich in fiber and protein
- Low in fat
Cons
- Ingredients include high fructose corn syrup
- The beans are a little too hard
B&M Baked beans come in a variety of flavors. While the original is most preferred, home style and country style are also popular. This product stands out from its competitors because of its non-mushy texture and the distinct taste of molasses.
However, they do use high-fructose corn starch as a thickening agent – making it a little unpopular among those who are trying to control their sugar levels. High fructose is known to cause a risk of obesity, and diabetes, among other diseases.
The home-style version is sweeter, making it a top option for kids. You can use B&M baked beans as a side dish for pork, or cook them along with pork chops. You won’t be disappointed with the result.
In the original version, the beans are cooked with pork. But the can has only a negligible amount of bacon bits and flavor.
The brand also offers a vegetarian version that tastes close to the original.
5. Van Camp’s Pork and Beans
Soft in texture, this can of beans has a strong tomato flavor and can be used as a topping, or mixed into your favorite recipes like soup, stew, and chili.
Features:
- Comes in two flavors: Original, and Pork and Beans
- Ingredients include prepared white beans (water, white beans), water, tomato puree (water, tomato paste) sugar, less than 2 % of high-fructose corn syrup, salt, distilled vinegar, pork, baking soda, onion powder, natural and artificial flavors, spice, calcium chloride (a firming agent), may contain soy
- Made in the USA
Pros
- Fresh tomato flavor
- Great source of protein
Cons
- Uses high-fructose corn syrup
- Uses artificial flavors
If you are not a fan of the sweet flavor that most other baked beans usually have, then this is the product for you. Both the Original and Pork and beans version have a strong tangy tomato flavor. Microwave it with some onion and mustard, and serve it along with hamburgers, steak, or a bowl of rice.
The Pork and Beans option by Van Camp tastes similar to the Original version and hardly has any pork in it. The beans are soft, maybe too soft and mushy for some. Although they do pair well with some hotdogs and spinach.
This product is ideal for those who prefer their food less spicy. However, it contains high-fructose corn syrup, which makes it less suitable for those who have diabetes.
Concluding thoughts…
Since the canned beans are already cooked, all you have to do is empty the necessary amount in a bowl and microwave it or bake it with your choice of meat and vegetables. All it takes is 15 minutes. Of course, you also have the option to eat it straight off the can.
Most brands cook the beans with pork sauce, but we have listed options for vegetarians and vegans. Some canned beans are sweeter than others, and some are infused with tangy tomato flavor. We have picked an assortment of both and included them in the article. Whether your priority is low sugar, gluten-free, or easy to open cans, we have got you covered.
Once you have made your buy, get ready to elevate your every meal with a generous serving of baked beans.
