Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe

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This Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe is ideal for a hearty, savory dish with the perfect amount of tangy sweetness. It makes for the perfect side dish to pair with all of your favorite comfort foods like my juicy grilled burgers!

A plate of cowboy baked beans recipe with cornbread.

Perfect for a summer cookout or family gatherings, this hearty side dish pairs perfectly with my Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken and my Creamy Coleslaw. The addition of ground beef and lots of warm spices makes these beans savory, filling, and a guaranteed family favorite.

Quick Look: Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe

⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Servings: 8
📊 Calories: ~335 kcal per serving
🥣 Ingredients: ground beef, bacon, kielbasa, onions, bell pepper, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire
⭐ Difficulty: Easy, great for potlucks and cookouts

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

One-Pot Recipe: All of the cooking and baking is done in the same Dutch oven or large skillet, which makes cleanup simple and easy.

Easy to Customize: You can easily leave out any of the ingredients you don't love, or add even more seasonings or mix-ins to your beans!

Budget-Friendly Comfort Food: This recipe uses lots of ingredients you probably have in your kitchen already, and you'll be left with so many portions of amazing beans!

For even more bean recipes, try my Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans or these Slow Cooker Pinto Beans.

Ingredients Needed

Labeled ingredients for cowboy baked beans recipe.

Bacon: I like to use a thick cut smokey bacon.
Kielbasa: Any kind of sausage works, but kielbasa is great to double down on the smoky flavor.
Ground Beef: ground chicken or turkey can also be used.
Bell Peppers: Any color is fine.
Pork and Beans: You can use plain beans if you prefer, but a pork and beans blend helps make this dish even more hearty.

How to Make this Cowboy Baked Beans Recipe

Sausages and bacon being cooked in a skillet.

Step 1: In a Dutch oven or other oven-safe, heavy-bottom pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: In the same pot, cook the diced kielbasa, then remove it and set it aside.

Ground beef onion and bell peppers cooked in a skillet.

Step 3: Add ground beef, onions, and green peppers to the Dutch oven. Cook until browned.
Step 4: Mix in garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat and drain excess grease using paper towels.

Beans and sauce added to the cooked ground beef.

Step 5: Mix in the pork and beans, cooked bacon and sausage, BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire.
Step 6: Stir until combined, then bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.

Taking a scoop of cowboy baked beans from a cast iron skillet.

Recipe Tips

These actually taste even better the next day, so they’re perfect for making ahead for busy nights or gatherings.
I use pork and beans, but you can use any kind of beans you prefer. Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and cannellini beans are all great options!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat beans, pop them back in the oven at 350 or microwave in individual portions. You could also cook them in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. You may need to add a splash of water to prevent them from drying out.

Stirring cowboy baked beans in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Cowboy Baked Beans FAQs

Why are they called cowboy baked beans?

This recipe imitates the kind of accessible and hearty bean dishes that cowboys and ranch hands might make over the campfire to refuel after a long day of hard work.

Why are my baked beans so dry?

ry baked beans are usually a result of overbaking, not using quality beans, or simply not adding enough liquid to the mixture. Something else to try might be baking covered with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes or so to retain some of the liquid. If you love saucier comfort dishes, you might also enjoy my BBQ pulled pork, which stays nice and juicy.

What goes well with Cowboy Baked Beans?

Cowboy baked beans pair perfectly with classic comfort foods like Bourbon cheeseburger, creamy potato salad, or even a slice of buttery cornbread for a full backyard-style meal.