This is the Ultimate Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage recipe! Its very hearty, flavorful & packed full of bacon, sausage and seasonings that take it over the top! Perfectly paired with cornbread or hot buttered dinner rolls!
These Ultimate Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage are the kind of comfort-food side dish that quietly steals the spotlight. Thick, saucy beans baked low and slow with smoky kielbasa, crispy bacon, and a rich sweet-and-savory sauce come together into something that feels both nostalgic and elevated. This is the dish you bring to cookouts, potlucks, game days, or cozy family dinners when you want people to ask, “Who made the beans?” Baking them in a Dutch oven gives everything time to meld and deepen, creating that rich, sticky texture that only oven-baked beans can achieve. Simple ingredients, bold flavor, and serious crowd appeal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe hits that perfect balance of smoky, sweet, tangy, and savory that makes baked beans completely irresistible. The bacon fat builds a deep flavor base, the smoked sausage adds hearty texture, and the combination of brown sugar, molasses, mustard, and vinegar creates a sauce that’s rich without being cloying. It’s a one-pot recipe that feeds a crowd, reheats beautifully, and works just as well as a main dish as it does a side. Whether you serve it alongside grilled meats, spoon it next to hot dogs, or eat it straight from the bowl, this is one of those recipes that always disappears fast.
FAQ
Can I make these baked beans ahead of time?
Yes. These beans actually taste even better the next day. You can make them up to 24 hours in advance, refrigerate, and reheat gently in the oven or on the stovetop.
What type of sausage works best?
Smoked sausage or kielbasa works best here because it holds up during baking and adds deep, smoky flavor. Beef, pork, or turkey sausage all work.
Can I use different baked beans?
Absolutely. Bush’s baked beans are a classic choice, but any similar canned baked beans will work. Just avoid flavors that are already heavily seasoned unless you want to alter the final taste.
How do I make this less sweet?
Reduce the brown sugar slightly or cut back on the molasses. You can also add a bit more vinegar or mustard to balance things out.
Can this be made on the stovetop only?
It can, but baking gives the beans that thick, caramelized texture that makes them special. If using the stovetop, simmer low and slow and expect a slightly looser consistency.
Are these freezer-friendly?
Yes. Let the beans cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Why I Leave Older Images Alongside New Ones in My Posts
You’ll notice that some of my older posts include a mix of original photos and updated images, and that’s intentional. Recipes evolve just like blogs do, but I believe in honoring where they started. Those older images represent real moments in my kitchen and reflect the growth of both the recipe and my photography over time. Keeping them alongside newer photos also helps longtime readers recognize recipes they’ve loved for years, while showing new readers how the dish truly looks in real life, not just under perfect lighting. It’s part of keeping things honest, relatable, and grounded in the fact that good food doesn’t need perfection to be delicious.
You can use your favorite sausages in this recipe, even chopped hot dogs, Chorizo or bratwurst would work as well!
No one wants boring baked beans….this is one recipe that you are going to come back to time and time again! Its a incredible recipe everyone is sure to go crazy over.
Its wonderful as a meal itself with a side of warm cornbread right out of the oven or even a side salad. Its very hearty and filling as well as extremely delicious. You can make this recipe in the slow cooker or crock pot too- just put it on LOW for 4 hours!
Next time I think I will try using hot italian sausages because those are my ultimate favorite and I know it would give this recipean extra kick of spice and flavor throughout. Perfect recipe to have on your rotation for the cooler moths coming up soon!
Allowing it to further cook in the oven really melds the ingredients together well and gives it even more of a deep flavor. Its wonderful for get togethers, dinners , potlucks and BBQ’s!
This recipe can be made in advance, you can store it in the fridge , covered for up to 5 days and it even freezes well if you want to freeze separate portions for throughout the month!
I made this recipe originally over the Summer a few times for barbecue potlucks! I received many compliments and tons of rave reviews. Highly recommend you all try this recipe asap! I love eating it with some hot buttered dinner rolls on the side- its heaven!
Final Thoughts
These Ultimate Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage are one of those recipes that never go out of style. They’re rich, comforting, and packed with bold flavor, yet still simple enough to make anytime you need a reliable crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re serving them at a backyard cookout, alongside grilled hot dogs and burgers, or as a cozy side dish for a family dinner, they always deliver. This is the kind of recipe that gets requested again and again, the one people remember long after the meal is over. If you’re looking for a hearty, homemade baked bean recipe that feels familiar, satisfying, and completely irresistible, this one truly earns its place on the table.
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Ultimate Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 12 strips thick cut bacon chopped
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp. hot sauce
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs. smoked sausage kielbasa sliced
- 3 16 ounce cans of bushes baked beans
- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a oven-safe dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.
- Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any extra grease.
- Saute onions in the bacon grease remaining in the dutch oven until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and sliced smoked sausage and continue to cook another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add pork and beans, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, salt & pepper and hot sauce to the pan and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until mixture is simmering, then place the dutch oven into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes.
- ENJOY!
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