Cowboy Baked Beans

5 from 5 votes

These cowboy baked beans are loaded with ground beef, bacon, and a sweet tangy sauce for an easy cookout side dish that's hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Course Dinner, Side

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword cowboy baked beans, cowboy baked beans recipe, cowboy baked beans with ground beef, cowboy beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Resting Time 10

Total Time 1 15

Servings people (as a side dish)

Calories 396kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup total)
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 to 3-quart baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, and bell pepper; cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off the excess grease.
Stir in the pork and beans, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the beef and beans to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the bacon on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the cover; continue baking for 10 more minutes. The total cooking time may vary. For really soft, broken-down beans or a thicker sauce, you might like to leave the dish in the oven a little bit longer. The beans and sauce will continue to thicken as they cool, so don’t worry if it looks a little bit soupy when it first comes out of the oven.
Let the dish rest for 10 minutes, then serve. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions if desired.

Notes

Pork and beans are traditional, but canned baked beans work as a substitute.
Ground turkey, chicken, pork, or sausage can replace the ground beef.
For a smokier flavor, replace some of the ketchup with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Add diced jalapeños, cayenne, or hot sauce if you like a little heat.
The beans will continue to thicken as they cool, so let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
For thicker beans, bake uncovered for an extra 10 to 15 minutes.
Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze cooled beans in an airtight container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Slow Cooker Method: Brown the beef and vegetables first, then cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or HIGH for 1 to 2 hours. Add the bacon during the final 30 minutes.

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