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Savory Crockpot Baked Beans with Crispy Bacon Crumble

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A cozy and flavorful slow cooker baked beans recipe topped with crispy bacon crumble, perfect for easy weeknight dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water or broth

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and crumble once cool. Save about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat for cooking the onions.
  2. In the same skillet with reserved bacon fat, sauté chopped onion over medium heat until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  3. In the slow cooker, combine drained beans, sautéed onion and garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and water or broth. Stir well to mix.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours until beans are tender and sauce thickened. Stir occasionally if possible.
  5. About 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle crispy bacon crumbles on top, cover again to let flavors meld but keep the crunch.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or apple cider vinegar if desired.

Notes

Save some bacon fat to sauté onions and garlic for extra flavor. Add bacon crumble at the end to keep it crispy. If beans are too thick, add water or broth during cooking; if too thin, uncover for last 30 minutes to thicken. Vegetarian version can be made by omitting bacon and adding smoked paprika and liquid smoke.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, crockpot, slow cooker, bacon crumble, easy recipe, comfort food, smoky, sweet, savory

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/savory-crockpot-baked-beans-with-crispy-bacon-crumble-easy-recipe/