My 13-year-old son has the appetite of a little old British man when it comes to breakfast—beans on toast is his favorite. I grew up with a grandfather who adored baked bean and toast sandwiches, so I get it. Still, I wasn’t thrilled about him eating canned baked beans every morning, so I developed these Slow-Cooker Breakfast Baked Beans.
These beans are made from scratch but are simple to prepare. They combine tender navy beans with Canadian bacon and browned breakfast sausage, all swimming in a rich maple-and-coffee flavored sauce. The result is a comforting, hearty breakfast that far outshines a spoonful from a can.
The recipe is straightforward; the most involved step is browning a pound or so of breakfast sausage, which only takes a few minutes and adds a huge depth of flavor. The first time my son tried them he declared, “Mom, there’s only one problem: you put too much good into them. I can’t stop eating them.” That pretty much tells you everything.
Breakfast Baked Beans
The recipe includes two batch sizes. The half batch uses 1 pound of dried navy beans (or four 14.5-ounce cans) with 1/2 pound each of Canadian bacon and sausage. The full batch uses 2 pounds of dried beans (or eight cans) and a full pound each of Canadian bacon and sausage. I usually make the full batch because the beans freeze beautifully in single-serve portions—handy for busy mornings.
For convenience you can use canned beans—drain and rinse them to reduce sodium and add unsweetened apple juice or cider as the cooking liquid. If you cook beans from dried, reserve some of the cooking liquid to add to the slow-cooker for extra flavor and controlled salt.
Take a few minutes to brown the sausage before adding it to the slow-cooker. Browning develops flavor and lets you drain excess fat if the sausage is particularly greasy, keeping the finished beans from feeling overly oily. Use cubed, lightly browned Canadian bacon; if you can, buy a larger portion to slice into cubes instead of pre-sliced pieces so the bacon stands out in the finished dish.
Choose a dark, robust maple syrup for the best flavor—Grade B or a darker Grade A will give a richer maple note. You can substitute lighter syrup, but the maple presence will be milder. Avoid imitation pancake syrups; they won’t deliver the same depth. If you need a sweetener substitute, use a real maple-flavored homemade syrup option rather than commercial pancake syrup.
Although these are called Breakfast Baked Beans, they’re versatile. Serve them with grilled sausages, hot dogs, chicken, or pork chops—the smoky-sweet sauce complements many dishes, and they’re great any time of day.
Ingredients (Full and Half Sized Batches)
- Full Sized Batch:
- 2 pounds navy beans (or 8 cans 14.5 oz each, drained and rinsed)
- 1 pound breakfast pork sausage, browned and drained leaving about 1/4 cup fat
- 1 pound Canadian bacon, cubed and browned
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) tomato puree
- 1 cup dark maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup bean cooking liquid or 1 cup unsweetened apple juice or cider
- 2 large bay leaves
- Half-sized Batch:
- 1 pound navy beans (or 4 cans 14.5 oz each, drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 pound breakfast pork sausage, browned and drained leaving about 2 tablespoons fat
- 1/2 pound Canadian bacon, cubed and browned
- 1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- About 14–15 oz tomato puree
- 1/2 cup dark maple syrup
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid or 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice or cider
- 1 large bay leaf
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the slow-cooker. Stir to blend and distribute the meats and beans evenly.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or on LOW for 6–8 hours, until the mixture is bubbly and thickened. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator, or freeze individual portions in zipper-top bags or airtight containers.
The slow-cooker method makes these beans easy and hands-off while producing deep, developed flavors. Browning the sausage beforehand is a small extra step that pays off in taste and texture. Whether you use dried or canned beans, this maple-and-coffee sauce with savory meat makes a memorable breakfast—or a comforting dinner—your family will reach for time and again.
