📋Slow Cooker New England Baked Beans Recipe

slow cooker baked beans in pottery with slow cooker in background

5 from 4 votes

📋Slow Cooker New England Baked Beans Recipe

This Slow Cooker New England Baked Beans recipe is a quick and easy side dish! It uses canned beans so you don't have to worry about fussing with boiling or soaking dried beans and it can be made in advance. It's perfect for a BBQ or potluck!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, British, Canadian, North American

Keyword baked, beans, New England

Special Diet weight watchers

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5 30

Total Time 5 40

Servings servings

Calories 342kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

3 15 ounce -cans navy beans
4 slices pre cooked bacon * use chopped
⅔ cup diced tomato drained
1 medium onion chopped
¾ cup water
4 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoon molasses
4 tablespoon maple syrup * I use low sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon maple extract (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper (optional)

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Drain beans and rinse under cold water.
3 15 ounce -cans navy beans
Place beans in slow cooker, then add all other ingredients.
4 slices pre cooked bacon * use, ⅔ cup diced tomato, 1 medium onion, ¾ cup water, 4 tablespoon brown sugar, 3 tablespoon molasses, 4 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 cloves garlic, minced, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon maple extract (optional), ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Mix together.
Cover and cook on low for on 5.5 hours or until mixture is thickened (like a very thick stew).
Remove bay leaf and add maple extract (optional) before serving.

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

Rinse canned beans thoroughly. Rinsing canned navy beans under cold water removes excess starch and sodium, helping prevent the beans from becoming too thick or overly salty.

Use real maple syrup for depth of flavor. While low-sugar syrup works, real maple syrup brings a richer, more authentic New England flavor. If using a substitute, balance with a little maple extract, as recommended.

Don’t skip the bay leaf. Bay leaves not only add subtle depth but also help reduce the gas-producing compounds in beans, even canned ones.

Taste and adjust the sweetness. If your tomatoes are particularly acidic, add a touch more brown sugar or syrup after cooking. Conversely, cut the sweetness slightly with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.

Let them rest before serving. Let the beans sit for 10–15 minutes after cooking. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken further.

Freeze in individual portions. Freeze leftover beans in smaller containers for quick sides or breakfasts—perfect for toast, burritos, or baked potatoes *See Top Tip -what to do with leftover baked beans (below).

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