Enjoy the best gluten-free baked beans with this easy, tangy 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.
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.
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.