Description

Lunch Lady Baked Beans is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender navy beans baked in a savory and slightly sweet tomato-molasses sauce, accented with ham and spices. Perfect as a side for barbecues, potlucks, or a satisfying lunch, this recipe is easy to prepare and bakes to bubbly perfection in just over an hour.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

4 (15-oz) cans Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
¼ cup molasses
1½ tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup tomato paste
¾ cup diced ham (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Mix ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the drained and rinsed navy beans, dried minced onion flakes, molasses, dry mustard, brown sugar, water, tomato paste, diced ham (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients thoroughly until they are evenly mixed.
Transfer to baking dish: Pour the bean mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly for consistent cooking.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the beans are bubbly and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the diced ham.
You can adjust the sweetness by adding more or less molasses and brown sugar according to your taste.
Leftover baked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated gently before serving.
If you prefer a thicker consistency, bake uncovered for the full hour; cover with foil midway if you want to retain more moisture.