Enjoy the best gluten-free baked beans with this easy, tangy, southern-style recipe flavored with crispy bacon and sweet onions. Learn not only how to make baked beans gluten-free, but which store-bought brands are safe and what to look out for.

Do Baked Beans have gluten?
The safest way to ensure a baked beans recipe is gluten-free is to make this southern, homestyle BBQ recipe. This easy, finger-licking gluten-free side dish, flavored with brown sugar, sweet onion, and bacon makes the ideal accompaniment for barbecue, gluten-free Amish potato salad, or corn on the cob!
If you are looking for more ideas of what to serve with baked beans, be sure to check out this complete resource with mains and sides!
Several types of beans may be used to make baked beans, but that is not where the issue lies. All beans are naturally gluten-free, so the issue with gluten-free baked beans recipes is the sauce. It could contain gluten-containing ingredients, like smoke flavoring, Worcestershire, or thickeners.
Sometimes recipes contain vinegar, which may cause a reaction among some people with celiac disease or who have a gluten sensitivity. While some consider distilled vinegar to be safe, others believe ones derived from gluten-containing grains could cause a reaction.
Safe brands gluten-free baked beans
If you are wondering if canned baked beans have gluten in them, the answer is yes and no. While bean products themselves are naturally gluten-free, the sauces mixed with them could contain flavoring or thickeners with wheat, barley, rye grains or malt.
The bean brands below carry some variety of gluten-free baked beans. However, many have varying sauce recipes to make flavors like brown sugar hickory, country style, or sweet heat. Be sure to read the labels carefully.
- Bush’s Baked Beans (all varieties)
- Heinz (Original, Hickory Smoke, and Molasses & Pork varieties only)
- B&M (all varieties)
- Amy’s Kitchen
The following brands either contain gluten or are not clear about their ingredient list, so it’s advised to stay away from – Campbell’s, Grandma Brown’s, Pacific Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Van Camp’s.
Ingredient Notes
This affordable gluten-free side dish pairs great with many other classic dishes, such as gluten-free macaroni salad, deviled eggs, or fruit salad!
- Beans – I used canned beans to make this recipe quick and easy, but dried beans may be substituted. Choose from navy beans, pinto beans, cannellini, great northern, lima, or kidney beans.
- Brown Sugar – Baked bean recipes vary in the amount of sweetener used. Since ketchup is also used, I like to use a reduced amount of brown sugar. Replace with maple syrup for less sweetness.
- Worcestershire – This can be a red flag ingredient for gluten-free baked beans. I recommend Lea & Perrin’s Original, but for other brands read the label to make sure it’s safe.
- Bacon – Adds a great smoky, salty flavor, but may be left out for vegetarian or vegan baked beans.
- Ketchup – To cut back on sweetness, this may also be replaced with tomato puree or tomato sauce. The dish may have to bake longer to thicken, though.
how to make gluten-free baked beans
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- Start with a large, cold skillet (I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet so it could go from stovetop to oven). Turn the heat to medium and cook the chopped bacon halfway. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients to combine – ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the slightly drained canned beans.
- If your skillet is not oven-proof, transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Bake in a 350ºF oven, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm.
vegetarian / vegan baked beans
This recipe for baked beans is gluten-free and dairy-free, but addition of bacon means it is not vegetarian. However, it may be omitted from the recipe for an equally tasty side dish!
Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil and then proceed with the recipe as written. If you still want the smoky, salty flavor, consider stirring in a vegetarian or vegan bacon product, but read the label to make sure it’s gluten-free.
Also, the recommended gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrin’s, does contain anchovies. For vegan baked beans you will want to substitute a vegan and GF brand.
Using dried beans
To replace the canned beans with dried, you will need 1 ½ cups soaked and cooked until tender. Reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid to add to baked bean sauce mixture.
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step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
more side dish recipes
If you are hosting a cook out, BBQ, picnic, or celebration these dishes, along with many ideal to serve with burgers, makes great accompaniments!
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Gluten-Free Baked Beans
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten free), I recommend Lea & Perrin's Original
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 (16-ounce) cans navy beans, slightly drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Start with a large, cold skillet (I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet so it could go from stovetop to oven). Turn the heat to medium and cook the chopped bacon halfway, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes longer.5 slices bacon,,1 small onion,
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining sauce ingredients to combine – ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and then stir in the slightly drained canned beans.½ cup ketchup,¼ cup brown sugar,1 tablespoon mustard,1 tablespoon molasses,1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar,1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten free),,½ teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon pepper,2 (16-ounce) cans navy beans,
- If your skillet is not oven-proof, transfer the mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and bubbly. Serve warm.
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Recipe Notes
vegetarian / vegan baked beans
Omit the bacon from the recipe and saute the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Proceed with the recipe as written. If you still want the smoky, salty flavor, consider stirring in a vegetarian or vegan bacon product, but read the label to make sure it’s gluten-free. Also, the recommended gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrin’s, does contain anchovies. For vegan baked beans you will want to substitute a vegan and GF brand.Using dried beans
To replace the canned beans with dried, you will need 1 ½ cups soaked and cooked until tender. Reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid to add to baked bean sauce mixture.Nutrition
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Anonymous says
Can this be made a day ahead? Looks delicious
Melissa Erdelac says
Yes, you can assemble it and then bake it the next day. Or, bake and then rewarm in the oven the next day.
Best,
Melissa
Liz says
These were delicious! I left out mustard due to a food sensitivity, swapped maple syrup for brown sugar and honey for molasses. I will definitely be making them again.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Liz! So glad the recipe worked out for you. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Pam M says
I was asked last-minute to bring baked beans to a potluck. I had already purchased three 28oz cans of Bush’s Baked Beans (mix of Country Style, Sweet Heat, and Original) when I found this recipe. I doubled the bacon and onion but kept the sauce quantities as is, added the beans then heated. Wow! My pot was literally scraped down to the enamel! So simple and fast and yet so delicious!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much, Pam! Best compliment ever to be left with a clean pot!
Best,
Melissa
Kim says
We love this recipe! I was looking for something that reminded me of the baked beans my grandpa made when I was a kid, but a version that would work with my food sensitivities and these hit the mark perfectly! I used Primal Kitchen Ketchup and substituted 1/4 cup real maple syrup in place of the brown sugar. It turns out excellent every time and people are always amazed at how much better homemade is than the canned ones! I was also so happy about the tip to use Lea & Perrin’s as it’s gluten free! I’d perhaps add to the recipe notes about making the recipe vegan that a different Worcestershire sauce without anchovies should be used.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks for sharing, Kim! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and I will add that note! Thanks for the heads up!
Best,
Melissa
KG says
I don’t generally like baked beans because they’re too sweet. We were attending a cookout with my sister, who has celiac, and so I was looking for a side item she could eat and everyone would enjoy. These beans were easy to make and they’re delicious. I used no sugar added ketchup and swerve brown sugar substitute and didn’t use quite 1/4 a cup. They’re smokey, not sickingly sweet, and have a nice thick sauce. I’m sure they won’t last long at the cookout.
Melissa Erdelac says
I have the same complaint about baked beans, so I’m glad you found these not overly sweet! I was trying to strike a balance. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa