What Are Vegan Baked Beans?

Vegan baked beans are free of animal products like pork fat and bacon, which are both commonly used to flavor traditional baked beans. This is a flavorful, filling, and relatively easy-to-make side dish that is frequently served at barbecues or while camping. Because dairy is not a common ingredient in baked beans unless cheese is added for some reason, which is not very common, anything labeled as “vegetarian” baked beans can also be considered vegan baked beans. This dish can be bought pre-made in a can and simply heated, or it can be made from scratch with the seasonings adjusted.

In general, navy beans or pinto beans are used to make vegan baked beans. These will need to be pre-soaked and then cooked before being made into baked beans if purchased dry. If you buy them in a can, all you have to do is heat them up, which is slightly easier but generally more expensive. Anyone planning on making a large batch of baked beans, such as for a picnic, should buy dry beans in bulk. The rest of the baked bean ingredients are largely dependent on personal preference, but they usually include a mix of spicy and sweet flavors for a nice balance. x000D_

Season the beans with onion and garlic powder, as well as dry mustard; fresh ingredients can also be used, but they must be chopped very finely. To make the sauce, ingredients such as tomato paste or tomato sauce, molasses, and soy sauce are frequently used. For added flavor, some people use olive oil or apple cider vinegar. Brown sugar can be used to sweeten it, and ketchup can be used in a pinch for a little extra flavor. Vegan baked beans can be found in a variety of forms online, but this is a dish that lends itself to experimentation.

Making vegan baked beans is as simple as combining all of the seasonings and sauce ingredients in a pot and heating it up once the beans are cooked through. These can also be reheated, which is one of the reasons they’re a good camping option. This dish is also high in protein and fiber, which is especially important for vegans and vegetarians who find it difficult to get enough protein in their diet.