Easy brown sugar baked beans made with canned baked beans, ground beef, and pineapple chunks.
Hey Cousins! Looking for a show stopping recipe to take to your next cookout? No need to look further! In this post I’m going to show you how to make the best ever brown sugar baked beans with ground beef and pineapple. Yes, my love muffins – I said PINEAPPLE! You’re going to be amazed at how this secret ingredient changes the game!
Is this an easy baked beans recipe?
Yes indeed! This brown sugar baked beans recipe is easy because we’re cutting a huge corner by skipping the dry beans and using canned beans! Baby, you don’t have to be in the kitchen all day, boiling up beans just to bake them! Grab the can opener, and let the magic begin!
What kind of canned beans should I use?
I use canned navy beans for this baked beans recipe. You can use your favorite brand if you choose, but I personally always use whatever is on sale at my local grocery store at the time. I see no reason to spend extra money on some brand name beans, because I’m going to doctor up anyway.
What kind of ground beef to use
I almost always use 85/15 ground beef for these brown sugar baked beans. I find that it’s always moist and never dry. However, in rare cases that I serve this to someone who doesn’t eat beef, I use 80/20 ground turkey, and I brown it in 1 tbsp of oil (usually corn oil).
Why do I use pineapples in this baked beans recipe?
Why do I put pineapple in my brown sugar baked beans? Because pineapples and brown sugar pair so wonderfully! Think about how brown sugar and pineapple make a holiday ham pop. There’s just something about brown sugar, and sweet pineapple that pairs well with savory. The acidic sweet pineapples and deep brown sugar truly elevate this dish to another level
Cookout Foods That Pair Well with Baked Beans
These baked beans should be served with all of your other cookout favorites. Here’s a list of mine
- Best Oven Baked BBQ Ribs
- Southern Potato Salad Recipe
- Slow Cooked Barbecue Beef Back Ribs Recipe
- Oven Baked Corn On The Cob
- Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
How to store leftovers
If you have leftovers, store the baked beans in an airtight container. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Check out my video tutorial for these baked beans!
Brown Sugar and Pineapple Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 46 oz canned navy beans drained and rinse
- 20 oz canned pineapple chunks in juice
- 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp mild molasses
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet peppers
- 1 tbsp celery flakes
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- Salt and pepper for taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the beans, then set them to the side.
- Brown the ground beef over medium heat, and drain all visible fat.
- In a large bowl combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, chicken broth and lemon zest.
- Put the beans in a 9×13 along with the cooked ground turkey, onions, peppers, and pineapple.
- Stir the ingredients until everything is well incorporated.
- Sprinkle in the celery flakes, and salt & pepper.
- Pour in the pineapple juice and brown sugar mixture.
- Make sure everything is well combined, then cover the bake dish with foil or lid.
- Bake on 350 F for one hour and 30 minutes.
- Remove the beans from the oven, and scoop out about 1 cup of the liquid.
- Combine the liquid with 1 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch and mix until it’s lump free.
- Pour the liquid back into the bake dish, and stir.
- Cover the beans back up, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove the beans from the oven, uncover, and stir.
- Let cool until they are safe to eat.
- Serve and enjoy!
This is such an easy recipe for baked beans…….sounds so good! I love the addition of molasses in baked beans. I need a baked bean recipe for Saturday….I found it here! Pinned. Thanks for sharing!
Glad that I could help! Thanks Mary. XOXO
Can this be a freezer meal?
Can this be a freezer meal? And what, if anything, can be used in place of molasses?
Yes, you can freeze this. You can replace the molasses with pure maple syrup.
Hi Rosie…..terrific recipe! Thanks so much. Would you say that a serving size would be 1/2 cup? How many servings would you say this recipe contains?
Thanks again for another great recipe!
Hi Jan. It really depends on the individual.
Thanks Rosie….would you say this would feed about 25 people? We’re planning a big celebration, and was wondering if I need to make a double batch!!! Thanks so much!
Jan
Definitely double the batch 🙂
Thanks Rosie….appreciate it!
Mrs.Rosie I will be making these this weekend with your ribs and potato salad I see that it calls for celery flakes do we have to use celery flakes I don’t exactly care for that taste
Hi Felicia! You can leave it out if you’d like 🙂
I made this dish for our 4th of July cookout and everyone just kept saying how good they were. I had to give the recipe. Thanks again!
Hi Rosie, I save a lot of your recipes & give them to my granddaughter. She just turned 16 & says she wants to be a chef. She has actually cooked a lot of the dishes & we love them. She made the watermelon cake Sunday. It was delicious. Of course she added a lot more fruit. Even had them going down the side along with the almonds on one side & toasted coconut on the other side. Delicious. I just had another slice. I just saw the recipe for the baked beans with pineapple. Told her about it & she said she’s cooking them this weekend along with one of your barbecue ribs recipes. It has gotten to the point now that she is asking for Rosie’s recipes. Please continue posting. We love your recipes. We both use them.
Aweee!! Thanks so much for trying, and sharing my recipes with your grand daughter Helen!! I love it!! XOXOXOX
This sounds so good! I’ve never tried to make baked beans from scratch, but this sounds so good, that I’m going to try it! Where are you or your family from with all of these southern recipes?
Hey Cuz! I have to tell you that you are a beast in the kitchen! I love . And most of them I’ve made. And look forward to trying more. I made your Brown Sugar and Pineapple Baked Beans for Memorial Day. And let me tell you cousin. Me and the hubby almost got left off on the beans! Everybody came back for seconds and thirds. But next time I think I’m gonna double the recipe. Just in case. Keep the deliciousness coming! Love and Blessings!
Hi Erica! YASSS!! At first people look at me sideways when I make this, but once they taste it – it’s over! I’m glad that ya’ll liked the recipe! XOXO
Girrrrrrrrl this looks FIRRRRRRRRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its one of my all time favorites!
Ms Roseie, note to final editor Capital T for Tablespoon
LOLOL!! Ok!