Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef Casserole

Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole is another iconic Southern covered dish our family loves to share at family functions, Church Potlucks, picnics, and even on some of the Holiday gatherings.

This Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole is a total cinch to make, combining VanCamp’s pork and beans, crisp bacon, lean ground beef, sweet red bell peppers, Jalapeno peppers, fresh onions, BBQ sauce, spicy brown mustard, and brown sugar.

If you have ever resided or visited the South and you’ve been to any gatherings at all where the community shares a covered dish, aka casserole, then chances are you have tried a variation of Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole. If not, you are missing out on one of the best tasting Southern casseroles. What are you waiting for?

Let me tell you this recipe is so darn good you will even find this being served at the homes of Trisha Yearwood,  Paula Dean, and Ree Drummond, to name a few who know an excellent Southern covered dish at family gatherings. Now, if one of Y’ all tell me you have no clue who these lovely women are, I am just going to cry myself to sleep tonight.

High quality,  smoked, and thick-cut bacon, as well as lean ground beef of 93/7, is a must in this recipe for Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole. I like to cook the bacon and lean ground beef in a cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have one, use a large metal frying pan. Be sure to place the bacon on a metal rack over clean paper towels to drain excess oils if you are using ground beef less than 93/7 you might want to put it in a colander to drain off the fat as well.

Like many of my family recipes, of my Mom’s or Grannie’s, this one has been updated over the years. My mom is more of a savory baked bean gal while I like mine a bit on the sweet and spicy side. Momma tends to use a hint of steak sauce and plain yellow mustard; while I prefer a splash of soy sauce and spicy brown mustard in my Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole.

I prefer to use diced sweet red bell peppers and spicy jalapeño peppers in my recipe for Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole; however, you can substitute diced green bell pepper in your recipe or completely omit all the peppers it’s really up to your taste preferences.

Lordy, VanCamp’s pork and beans, crisp bacon, lean ground beef, sweet red bell peppers, Jalapeno peppers, sweet onions, BBQ sauce, spicy brown mustard, and brown sugar have never looked so good to me today in this casserole! What do Y’all think? Let me know in the comments section! I love hearing from everyone.

Equipment Needed

• Sharp kitchen knife

• Cutting board

• Two Cast-iron skillets or metal skillets

• Large bowl

• Casserole dish large enough to hold ingredients

• Oven

Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole

• Eight slices of bacon, thick-cut, cooked crispy, and chopped 

• One  pound of lean ground beef 93/7 browned

• One medium onion, diced

• One sweet red bell pepper, core, and seeds removed diced

• Four jalapeño peppers membrane removed, seeded, and sliced

• Three- 16-ounce cans of VanCamp’s pork and beans

• 1/2 cup of sweet barbecue sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• Two tablespoons spicy brown mustard

• One teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon of light soy sauce

• 1/4  of a cup of brown sugar

• Kosher salt to own taste

• fresh ground black pepper to own flavor

• cooking spray

How to prepare Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or metal skillet on low to medium heat, add 8 slices of bacon cooking slowly to render off the fat, and make crispy. Careful not to burn the bacon. Line paper towels over a baking sheet, place a metal rack on top of the baking sheet, and drain the bacon when it’s done cooking. Chop the bacon when it has cooled.

3. Meanwhile, place another large cast-iron or metal skillet on medium heat before adding 1 pound of lean ground beef, diced onion, diced red bell peppers, and sliced jalapeño peppers, cook ground beef till browned and all veggies are soft. Drain off excess oils if needed.

4. In a large bowl combine the cooked ground beef mixture, crisp chopped bacon, VanCamp’s pork and beans, sweet barbecue sauce, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper to own taste.

5. Spray your favorite casserole dish with cooking spray and place the Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole is 350 F oven for 45 minutes.

6. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it slightly cool before serving at your next gathering.

Frequently asked Questions

1. I would love to try a vegan version of this how can I make this recipe vegan-friendly? I’m glad you asked, you can actually use plant-based meat (Vegan Ground Beef) to replace the beef. You can also replace the bacon with plant-based bacon such as  Sweet Earth Hickory & Sage Smoked Seitan Bacon, Lightlife Smart Bacon, Cool Foods Veggie Bacon, Tofurky Smoky Maple Bacon Marinated Tempeh, Upton Naturals Bacon Seitan. Be sure to purchase Vegan plan baked beans as the Vancamp’s Pork and Beans do contain pork. Be sure to check all other ingredients to be sure they are vegan-friendly

2. Can this recipe for Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef Casserole be made in advance? Absolutely! You can make it in advance and refrigerate for up to 3 days safely. Do not store longer than 3 days.

3. Can I freeze the Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef Casserole? You sure can place the casserole contents in an air-tight freezer-friendly container and you can store in the freezer for up to three months safely.

4. Can I use ground chicken or turkey to replace the beef in the recipe? Sure why not? The flavor will be much different but if you prefer ground chicken or turkey I am sure you will still enjoy this recipe.

5. Can I use turkey bacon in place of the pork bacon? Absolutely if you enjoy turkey bacon by all means use it. The flavor will not be the same but I am sure you will enjoy the recipe.

Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole

hmccallum

Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole is another iconic Southern covered dish our family loves to share at family functions, Church Potlucks, picnics and even on some of the spring and summer Holiday gatherings.

4.98 from 48 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

0 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Servings 10 People

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 slices Thick bacon may sub with turkey bacon or plant-based bacon
• 1 pound Lean ground beef may sub with plant-based meat
• 1 medium Yellow onion diced
• 1 Sweet red bell pepper chopped
• 1 Green bell pepper chopped
• 4 Jalapeño peppers membrane removed, seeded, and sliced
• 3 16-ounce Van Camp’s pork and beans may sub with vegan beans
• ½ cup Sweet barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup Ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon Light soy sauce
• ¼ cup Brown sugar
• Kosher salt to own taste
• Ground black pepper to own taste
• Cooking spray

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or metal skillet on low to medium heat, add 8 slices of bacon cooking slowly to render off the fat, and make crispy. Careful not to burn the bacon. Line paper towels over a baking sheet, place a metal rack on top of the baking sheet, and drain the bacon when it’s done cooking. Chop the bacon when it has cooled.
• Meanwhile, place another large cast-iron or metal skillet on medium heat before adding 1 pound of lean ground beef, diced onion, diced red bell peppers, and sliced jalapeño peppers, cook ground beef till browned and all veggies are soft. Drain off excess oils if needed.
• In a large bowl combine the cooked ground beef mixture, crisp chopped bacon, VanCamp’s pork and beans, sweet barbecue sauce, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper to own taste.
• Spray your favorite casserole dish with cooking spray and place the Southern Baked Bean and Ground Beef Casserole in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the casserole slightly cool before serving at your next gathering.

Notes

1. I would love to try a vegan version of this how can I make this recipe vegan-friendly? I'm glad you asked, you can actually use plant-based meat (Vegan Ground Beef) to replace the beef. You can also replace the bacon with plant-based bacon such as  Sweet Earth Hickory & Sage Smoked Seitan Bacon, Lightlife Smart Bacon, Cool Foods Veggie Bacon, Tofurky Smoky Maple Bacon Marinated Tempeh, Upton Naturals Bacon Seitan. Be sure to purchase Vegan plan baked beans as the Vancamp's Pork and Beans do contain pork. Be sure to check all other ingredients to be sure they are vegan-friendly
2. Can this recipe for Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef Casserole be made in advance? Absolutely! You can make it in advance and refrigerate for up to 3 days safely. Do not store longer than 3 days.
3. Can I freeze the Southern Baked Beans and Ground Beef Casserole? You sure can place the casserole contents in an air-tight freezer-friendly container and you can store in the freezer for up to three months safely.
4. Can I use ground chicken or turkey to replace the beef in the recipe? Sure why not? The flavor will be much different but if you prefer ground chicken or turkey I am sure you will still enjoy this recipe.

5. Can I use turkey bacon in place of the pork bacon? Absolutely if you enjoy turkey bacon by all means use it. The flavor will not be the same but I am sure you will enjoy the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 01Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 358mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 550IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Baked Bean, Ground Beef

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