Description
Hearty, smoky, sweet-and-tangy cowboy beans made with mixed beans, ground beef, smoked beef, and a rich molasses sauce baked until thick and bubbly—perfect as a side or main dish.
Ingredients
8 slices thick-cut smoked beef, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 lb ground beef
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can green lima beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can large butter beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large skillet, cook the diced smoked beef until golden. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and drain most of the fat.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine the sauce with the beef and onion mixture, then fold in all the beans and the cooked smoked beef.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and bake for about 45 minutes, until thickened and bubbling.
Notes
Swap any of the beans for black beans, navy beans, or great northern beans.
Add diced bell peppers for extra sweetness and color.
Increase smoked paprika for deeper smoky flavor.
Slow cooker option: combine everything after browning meats and cook on low for several hours.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
