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.

a close up of an antique spoon scooping baked beans.

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!

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.

overhead shot of baked beans in a cast iron skillet with a spoon next to it.

Ingredient Notes

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.)

images showing the cooked bacon and onions with slightly drained beans.

image showing the beans being stirred into the sauce.

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.

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.

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!

another image of a spoon lifting up baked beans.

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Gluten-Free Baked Beans