The sweet, savory, and smoky combination of old-fashioned franks and beans appeals to kids of all ages! Paired with a skillet of Southern cornbread, 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, or rice, this affordable, easy dinner or cookout side dish always disappears fast.
If you love hot dogs as much as we do, be sure to try this hot dog chili, a chili dog casserole, and this cheesy smoked sausage pasta with broccoli, too!
Frank and Beans is an Old-Fashioned Favorite
Odds are good that you grew up on this dish known as “franks and beans,” “frank and beans,” “beans and franks,” and “Beanee Weenees.” Whatever you call it, the humble meal or side dish is similar to pork and beans, with hot dogs taking the place of pork.
The dish gets its name because it combines baked beans with frankfurters (aka hot dogs)! Canned baked beans date back to the Civil War, and were one of the first “convenience foods” offered for sale in America. Nobody knows exactly who first came up with the idea of combining baked beans and sliced hot dogs, but let’s be clear: it’s a match made in heaven!
You’ll love this recipe for a variety of reasons. First, it’s budget-friendly. If you need a hearty, satisfying, and flavorful meal or side dish that won’t break the bank, franks and beans is the way to go! It’s quick and easy, and takes advantage of pantry staples that you can always have on hand. The versatile hot dogs and beans are great as a side dish at a cookout, picnic, or potluck, or as a family-friendly weeknight dinner.
My family’s favorite. Thank you for sharing. Our Pastor loves it too.
- Linda
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- I use Van Camp’s pork and beans, but any similar variety will work. You can also sub with cans of regular baked beans.
- You’ll need a 16-ounce package of hotdogs. I use Oscar Mayer wieners, which come in a pack of 10, and are made with chicken, pork, and turkey. If you prefer all-beef hot dogs, that’s fine too. Any brand or variety is fine.
- Dark brown sugar or light brown sugar are both good options to sweeten the sauce, so use whatever you have on hand.
- Wait to season the dish with salt until after you’ve tasted it. The hot dogs, baked beans, and Worcestershire sauce all provide a good amount of salt, so it might not need anything more.
- For fewer dishes to wash at the end, saute the veggies in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof pan). Transfer the skillet directly to the oven to bake, without the need for an extra casserole dish.
How to Make Franks and Beans
You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Sauté the onion and bell pepper. Stir in the sliced hotdogs, beans, and the rest of the ingredients. Transfer to a baking dish.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Garnish the beans and franks with chopped fresh parsley or other herbs for a bright, flavorful finishing touch.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Franks and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
- 2 tablespoons finely diced green bell pepper
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans, liquid on top poured off
- 1 (16 ounce) package hot dogs (frankfurters), sliced into rounds
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or other herbs; sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper; stir frequently until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, hot dogs, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
- Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs or sliced green onions, if desired.
- Serve as a side dish at a cookout or picnic, or offer as a main course with a side of cornbread, rice, or biscuits.
Notes
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- I use classic Oscar Mayer Wieners, which are made with chicken, pork, and turkey. If you prefer all-beef hot dogs, that’s fine too. Any brand or variety works!
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- Wait to season the dish with salt until after you’ve tasted it. The hot dogs, baked beans, and Worcestershire sauce all provide a good amount of salt, so it might not need anything more.
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- For fewer dishes to wash at the end, sauté the veggies in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof pan). Transfer the skillet directly to the oven to bake, without the need for an extra casserole dish.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
Pair the beanie weenies with cast iron cornbread, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, corn sticks, flaky biscuits, vinegar coleslaw, a house salad with candied pecans, mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette, fried cabbage, old-fashioned applesauce, Southern collard greens, Arkansas green beans with bacon, Southern-style green beans, creamed peas, or roasted yellow squash.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: To prep this meal in advance, you can assemble the dish through Step 1. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, cover, and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months before baking.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Warm the leftovers in a skillet or saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, just until it reaches the desired temperature. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until warm.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of two cans of pork and beans, use two cans of your favorite baked beans (just about any brand/variety works fine).
- Sprinkle cheese on top after stirring it once in the oven.
- Add smoky bacon for even more flavor.
- Add some spicy kick to the dish by including a little bit of cayenne or hot sauce.
- For a less sweet dish, reduce the brown sugar to ¼ cup.
- For a bolder flavor, replace some of the brown sugar with a little bit of molasses. Barbecue sauce or ketchup are also nice additions to the sweet and tangy sauce.
- If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand, you can substitute with soy sauce for a similar salty, umami flavor.
More Recipes with Beans
Cowboy Baked Beans
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Ground Beef and Baked Bean Casserole
25 minutes mins
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Recipe
14 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Originally published in November, 2023, this post was updated in July, 2025.
This makes my mouth water just reading it! I just want to encourage everyone to slice the hotdogs a second time horizontally if young children will be eating them. Hotdogs are a choking hazard, especially for children under four.
Great reminder, Susan. Thank you!
Would it be a good shortcut by using Bushes Baked Beans instead of some of those other ingredients? I am going to try that. Leaving out the Worcestershire sauce, the mustard, and the brown sugar. I think it will be okay.
We would love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
I meant to say vertically, not horizontally. They have already been sliced horizontally.
My family’s favorite. Thank you for sharing. Our Pastor loves it to.
We’re so happy to hear this, Linda!
Hi! Thank you for your recipe. The beans and franks were yummy! However, the proportions seem off. I altered the recipe to make four servings. Which means I used five hot dogs, and planned to use one 16 oz can of vegetarian baked beans; 15 oz cans aren’t available in the brand of baked beans I use. One can was not enough, and therefore I added a second 16 oz can of vegetarian baked beans. The altered recipe was just enough for two people. However, unless one is serving this as a side, or, is serving people with small appetites, the recipe as posted would feed two, possibly three people as a main entree, although I would add a second can of beans. One would need to double the amount of hot dogs, and quadruple the amount of beans, to adequately serve four people, and use 3 packs of hot dogs and six cans of beans to serve six people. I will try the recipe again, with the proposed changes.
Thanks for your feedback! I’m glad that you were able to make it work the way that you wanted it to. Definitely feel free to adjust the proportions to suit your taste and appetites! Glad that you enjoyed the dish. 🙂
I haven’t made this yet, but I appreciate your comments on the number of servings.
When I think that a typical package of hot dogs has 8 dogs in it, and most people (including kids) will eat at least 2 hot dogs, think the full recipe, would only be good for about 3-4 people, as you suggested. I’m glad I read your comment before planning how much to make for a crowd this weekend!
Hi, Blair.
I tried the recipe again. This time, I followed the instructions above for six servings. It was yummy! The two changes I made was adding a bit of chili sauce, and used white pepper instead of black pepper. 🙂
We’re glad you were able to make it work for you and that you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.