My mom makes the best baked beans. The recipe that she uses is from an old cookbook that she has had for years and years and it’s seriously amazing. HOWEVER, like most baked recipes, it is not vegetarian-friendly. The original version uses crumbled bacon and a can of pork and beans- which may sound delicious to many people, but definitely not if you’re a vegetarian and definitely not if you’re goal is to eat healthy. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that as far as heart health is concerned, bacon is not your friend. BEANS, on the other hand, should be your BEST friend. Beans contain protein, fiber, and a ton of other vitamins and minerals like folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium (to name just a few). They also contain little to no fat and are extremely inexpensive. Check out this Huffington Post article that outlines the health benefits of beans.
Okay, back to the recipe. My favorite thing about my mom’s baked beans recipe is that it contains a wide variety of beans. More often than not, when you see baked beans they are primarily made from pinto beans. My mom’s recipe contains butter beans, lima beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans which not only makes the nutritional profile more varied, but it contributes to the overall texture and flavor of the dish as a whole. I modified her recipe and decided to cook the beans in the crock-pot for convenience rather than bake them in the oven. You know I love slow cooker meals, and this is no exception. And I’m happy to report that these Crock-Pot Vegetarian Baked Beans are every bit as delicious as my mom’s traditional baked beans.
The meal possibilities are endless. I like to serve these baked beans as a side to veggie burgers, veggie hotdogs (I love Field Roast brand), or spooned into a Buddha bowl. I even eat them for lunch as my main dish. If you try these Crock-Pot Vegetarian Baked Beans, let me know what you think by leaving a comment on this post!
Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 4-6 hours
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 chopped onion 1 clove minced garlic 1 16-ounce can butter beans, drained 1 16-ounce can lima beans, drained 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained 1 15.5 -ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained ¾ cup ketchup ¼ cup molasses ¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce*
1 tablespoon yellow mustard ¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sriracha
*Check your labels for your Worcestershire sauce as many brands are not vegan or gluten free. For vegan, try Annie’s Homegrown and for gluten free, try Heinz Worcestershire Sauce.
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Leftovers keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 245 Fat: 2g Carbs: 49g Protein: 11g Sodium: 389mg Sugar: 20g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
