I’ve written a lot recently about frugal meals and menu planning. Beans are undeniably one of the most budget-friendly foods you can make, but I’m sharing this recipe for another reason: it’s downright delicious. And yes, it’s inexpensive—so you get the best of both worlds.
I also managed to resist making any bean-and-gas jokes. Barely. Moving on…
My grandfather knew good food. He was a hard-working construction man, a professional musician and an ordained Methodist minister. Among his many accomplishments, one simple sandwich stands out as a personal favorite and a family legend.
On paper, a sandwich made from baked beans, thinly sliced onion and mustard might not sound extraordinary, but the components balance each other perfectly. The homemade baked beans are saucy with a touch of sweetness and a deep molasses note. Paper-thin onion slices bring a sharp, bright bite. Tangy yellow mustard cuts through the sweetness and adds zip. All of that on lightly buttered rye creates an unexpectedly refined, umami-rich bite. It’s humble food that delivers big flavor.
Many of the world’s most comforting dishes came from simple beginnings—poverty, thrift and the desire to avoid waste. Pho, fried rice, dumplings, pasties, coq au vin, cassoulet, bone broths and other classic dishes grew from the same ethos: use everything you have and make it taste amazing.
Our national food story includes beans at the center. Native peoples used beans in many ways, early settlers relied on them for sustenance, and immigrant communities brought their own bean traditions. Baked beans are among the most all-American of dishes, and these in particular are especially good.
My baked beans include a small, flavorful twist: spicy link sausage baked into the beans as they bubble in the oven. The sausage melts into the sauce, adding depth and a savory boost. If you prefer a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and add two tablespoons of olive oil and a handful of chopped mushrooms for a similar richness.
These beans are economical—expect the entire dish, including sausage, to cost less than five dollars and yield multiple meals.
Sausage Baked Beans
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried Navy beans, rinsed and picked over
- 12 cups fresh water for soaking plus additional boiling water for cooking
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large cooking onion, peeled
- 1/4 pound spicy link sausage, cut into 1/2″ chunks
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder (or 1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard)
- salt and pepper to taste
Place the Navy beans in a Dutch oven or another heavy, ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour 12 cups of fresh water over the beans, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil for two minutes, then remove from heat and let sit, covered, at room temperature overnight.
The next morning, uncover, add the bay leaf, stir, and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer about 30 minutes, or until the beans are just beginning to soften—you’re not aiming for fully cooked, just starting to get tender. Add boiling water if needed. Drain the beans into a colander and discard the bay leaf.
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Scatter the sausage chunks evenly across the bottom of the pan you used to soak and cook the beans—no need to rinse the pan. In a large bowl, mix the molasses, brown sugar and mustard powder. Pour the hot beans into this mixture and gently fold to coat without mashing.
Transfer the molasses-coated beans back into the pan over the sausage. Add additional boiling water to cover the beans by about an inch. Bake uncovered for roughly three hours, checking periodically to ensure they do not dry out. Cook until the beans are tender—this could take less or more time depending on bean age. When they’re tender, stir to redistribute the beans, then raise the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and continue baking uncovered until the sauce is thick and bubbling, about an hour. Remove from the oven, season with salt and pepper, cover, and let cool to a comfortable temperature for serving.
These beans are excellent hot, warm, at room temperature or cold. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week; they freeze and reheat well, too.
Serve these beans alongside roasts, sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers, toast or eggs. My favorite way to enjoy them is in Grandpa’s Baked Bean Sandwich.
Grandpa’s Baked Bean Sandwiches
Ingredients:
- 2 slices hearty bread (rye is recommended)
- 1 cup slightly reheated baked beans
- thinly sliced sweet onion
- prepared yellow mustard
- softened butter
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread the reheated baked beans over the buttered side of one slice. Top with paper-thin sweet onion slices and a drizzle of yellow mustard. Place the second slice of bread, butter side down, on top. Slice in half and serve with pickles or chips if you like. It’s simple, satisfying food that proves a modest budget doesn’t mean you can’t eat well.