Cowboy Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cans (15 oz each) baked beans (or pinto/navy beans in tomato sauce)
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) butter beans, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (optional, for extra richness)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder (optional, for spice)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the beef
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion until meat is no longer pink.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Drain excess fat.
- Mix beans & sauce
- In a large mixing bowl, combine baked beans, kidney beans, butter beans, diced tomatoes, BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and spices.
- Stir in the cooked beef mixture.
- Bake
- Transfer to a large baking dish (like the one in your photo).
- Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes to thicken and caramelize on top.
- Serve
- Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions if you like.
- Serve hot as a side or even as a main with cornbread, rice, or baked potatoes.