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Slow Cooker Baked Beans – Vegan and Oil Free

4.72 from 7 votes

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These Slow Cooker Baked Beans are smokey, slightly sweet, savory, and so easy to make. Just prepare your ingredients in the morning, then walk away and leave them to cook until dinner time. They’re a perfect side at your picnics and potluck, but delicious any time of year!

Two bowls of baked beans with plate of cornbread in background.

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I love baked beans! Whether eating them with a delicious veggie burger, a veggie dog, or with some homemade corn bread, these beans are wonderful addition to your meal. This homemade baked beans recipe makes a perfect side for a summer barbecue or potluck. But they’re also a comforting dish for the cooler parts of the year. The recipe makes a lot, so there’s plenty to feed a crowd.

You won’t miss the bacon in these baked beans. I’ve added smoked paprika to give them that pleasant smoky flavor. They’re sweet, savory, smoky, and have plenty of sauce. And you don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy them, even meat eaters will love this delicious recipe!

Baked beans are usually baked in the oven for hours, which really heats up the house in the summer. But cooking the in the slow cooker keeps the kitchen cooler on those hot summer days. And if you’re making them in the cooler seasons, cooking the beans in a crock pot frees up the oven for cooking other menu items.

These slow cooker baked beans are made from simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry. They’re also a wonderful source of protein and fiber.

And the recipe is so easy! You only need a tiny bit of prep time. Then the slow cooker does all the magic! Turning those simple ingredients into the creamiest, tastiest, vegetarian baked beans.

Ingredients in this baked beans recipe

Ingredients for baked beans.
  • Navy beans – I’ve also made this with Great Northern Beans, but prefer the smaller Navy beans
  • Low sodium vegetable broth
  • Onion
  • Tomato paste
  • Maple syrup
  • Brown sugar
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Yellow mustard
  • Smoked paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper

Variations

  • If you want more smoky flavor, add a bit of liquid smoke.
  • For spicy flavor, add a little cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.

How to make vegan slow cooker baked beans

First, soak the beans. Place the dried beans in a large pot and pour water over them to about two inches above the level of the beans. They will expand as they soak. It is fine to leave them soaking pot on the counter, but if it’s hot, it’s probably a good idea to place the pot in the refrigerator overnight.

If you forget to soak your beans overnight, you can do use a quick soak method by covering the beans with two inches of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then boil them for 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the beans soak for one hour.

Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a crock pot.

Add the remaining ingredients, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Leftover beans will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and also freeze well.

Serving Suggestions

Two bowls of baked beans with plate of cornbread in background.
Can I use canned beans for this recipe?

You sure can. You can also switch up the beans you use in this recipe by using red beans, pinto beans, black beans, or a combination of them.

Are canned baked beans vegan?

Some varieties of canned baked bean are vegan, but some contain bacon or other animal based ingredients, so be sure to read the label.

Can you freeze baked beans?

Yes! Once cooled, transfer the beans to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Here are more delicious picnic and BBQ sides:

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Two bowls of baked beans with surrounded by pieces of cornbread.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Teresa Sklenicka
These Slow Cooker Baked Beans are smokey, slightly sweet, savory, and so easy to make. Just prepare your ingredients in the morning, then walk away and leave them to cook until dinner time. They're a perfect side at your picnics and potluck, but delicious any time of year!
4.72 from 7 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 118.5 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound white beans
  • 3 cups vegetable broth I used Better than Bouillon
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar or molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Soak the beans overnight.
  • The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
  • Place the beans in the slow cooker.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
  • Cook on the high setting for 4 to 5 hours, or the low setting for 6 to 8 hours, until the beans are soft and the sauce is creamy.

Nutrition

Calories: 118.5kcalCarbohydrates: 24.4gProtein: 5.2gFat: 0.5gSodium: 358.7mgFiber: 5.9gSugar: 9.4gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1.8mg
Keyword Beans, Gluten Free, Oil Free, Slow cooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition calculations are approximate.

By on May 15th, 2022

About Teresa Sklenicka

I love creating tasty, oil-free, vegan recipes that everyone will love (even non-vegans)! Here you'll find vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods, as well as some new tastes! Join me on a path to improving your health, helping the planet, and saving animals.

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