This Baked Three Bean Casserole is perfect for all your summer parties! It’s an easy recipe made with ground beef and bacon that feeds like a meal that’s always a crowd pleaser!
Beans, beans and more beans!
I know what you’re thinking, but come on, we can get past that little poem can’t we? We’re all adults here aren’t we? Ok, ok, I know it’s funny, but we all know it wouldn’t be a summer BBQ without baked beans!
And these beans….oh yeah….your’re gonna love ’em!!
I don’t usually like to refer to anything I whip up in the kitchen as “the BEST thing ever” because I like my guests to come to their own conclusions. I do have to say though, after serving up this Baked Three Bean Casserole for years, (a lot of years) I am pretty sure all of my summer guests refer to these beans as the BEST!
This recipe comes from a cookbook my mother gave me when I graduated from college a few years back. Ok, I’m lying. It was more than a few years back, but nevertheless she gave me the cookbook and I’ve made dozens of recipes from it, and they have all been winners!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This recipe is quick, easy (check out the VIDEO below and see how easy) AND it’s a ONE pot wonder! No big mess in the kitchen! YAY!! I’m always excited about dishes that only require one pot, especially in the summer!
This baked bean casserole with ground beef recipe is like a meal in itself. It’s so hearty and satisfying.
A baked bean casserole is always a hit at any summer BBQ. It goes with everything. Hot dogs, chicken, burgers, steaks…you name it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- bacon
- ground beef
- yellow onion
- pork and beans
- red kidney beans
- butter beans
- light brown sugar
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
This delicious casserole has 3 different types of beans, hence the name, Baked Three Bean Casserole. It’s an easy recipe that requires minimal prep time and can be made ahead of time.
Step-By-Step Instructions
First, you’ll fry up the bacon in a large Dutch oven, then remove to a paper-towel-lined plate leaving all but two tablespoons of fat from the pot.
Next, add your ground beef and onion and cook until the ground beef is no longer pink inside, then drain the fat.
Finally, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and bake! It’s that simple. I put mine in a casserole dish for my photos today, but you don’t need to do that unless you want to be fancy. Just make it, bake it and serve it right out of the dutch oven.
I hope these beans are as popular at your next BBQ as they have been at ours over the years. Enjoy your holiday weekend and see you back in the kitchen next week!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Baked Three Bean Casserole
You can use light red or dark red kidney beans for this recipe.
I add 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed, but if you like things less sweet don’t pack your sugar.
BAKED THREE BEAN CASSEROLE RECIPE VIDEO
More Delicious Summer Recipes to Enjoy
Baked Three Bean Casserole
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 28-oz. can pork and beans
- 1 20-oz. light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 20-oz. can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.In a large Dutch oven or deep braiser, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Remove all but two tablespoons of bacon fat from pot. Add ground beef and onions and cook over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add all other ingredients and the cooked bacon to the pot. Mix well. Bake for 35 minutes.
Notes
Adapted from Casseroles, Casseroles, Casseroles Cookbook
Looks delicious, Mary Ann! I love beans :)
I love them too Jennifer and this recipe is a summer favorite! Enjoy your weekend!
BBQ-ing without this dish would be criminal. I love them!!!
I think you may be right! I also think not eating zucchini casserole may be criminal too! Lol!
This looks very good, my husband would love this. I like it because it is quick and easy.
It is SO easy Gerlinde! I bet he will!
Looks so hearty and delish! Gotta love those one-pot wonders ;)
Absolutely Allie! Perfect for summer!
I’m always looking for ways to fancify (that’s a word, right? ;) ) beans, and this looks like the perfect way! The addition of bacon is pure GENIUS! Another great recipe, Mary! :D
Thanks Kennedy! Old favorites are always the BEST!
These look so delicious!! I’ve never tried butter beans but now I want to! Haha- I love that you mentioned the poem! Can anyone ever make beans without saying it? Not in my house :)
I have two boys! I’ve heard that poem a million times! Lol!
Wow, Mary Ann! This is baked beans to a whole new, hearty, seriously delicious level! Love that this takes beans from a side dish to a show stopping main! Love this! Pinned!
As far as the song associated with beans… I’ll be 100 years old, still giggle and sing that song in my head! ♡ Cheers, pretty lady!!
Thanks Cheyanne! These really are some serious baked beans! Cheers and enjoy the weekend!
I love that this recipe is different from the standard baked beans. This casserole looks hearty and delicious. I definitely need to add it to my dinner menu soon!
It really is a meal in itself Ashley! It has been a favorite for years! Thanks for commenting and enjoy the weekend!!
My husband grew up eating a casserole like this! He always talks about it being one of his favourite meals that his mother made. I’m going to make this for him!
You should! He is going to love it!
Delicious!!!! Mother knows best as they say… My mother also gave me cookbook too. This is good for the weekend where my family is complete. Thanks a lot for sharing…
You’re very welcome Charlotte! Thank you so much for commenting and following the blog!
I have made this for decades… it was handed down from my Mom but we always add Kielbasi to it as well… it’s a Burgh thing… thank you for sharing
Great idea Scott! Glad you enjoy it too! Thanks so much for taking time to leave a comment!
Can you use great northern beans instead of butter beans ? Thanks for getting back to me. Have a Great Weekend and Happy New Year
Yes you can. Just use the same can size. This is one of my favorite side dishes! Hope you enjoy it too. Thanks so much for following and Happy New Year!
This has been a go to casserole for years. I use my moms recipe that also calls for a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. It adds just a bit of acid without over powering. But to anybody that hasn’t tried this…. go for it. Always a crowd pleaser!!
One of my favorites too Bob! Thanks for the tip of using the apple cider vinegar!
Thanks for reminding me! This was my most requested dish at our tailgates years ago!
Time to start making it again. Thanks so much for following!
It’s an absolute MUST at our house for the 4th Barb! It is always a crowd pleaser!
i love this.. i did have to sub a few things.. but,,, my crew here loved it.. I had 1 hamburger and a smoked kielbasa sausage and i used Truvia light brown sugar.. awesome recipe .. My daughter says it will be a good winter soul food meal. Thank u for sharing it…
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Roberta! This is an old stand by at our house. I make it all year long, but especially for summer bbq’s! Thanks so much for following!
I love these beans. Usually, I make them in the crock pot, rather than the oven. They are good any way you make them.
I agree Jolayne! Always a crowd pleaser!
How long in the crock pot
Hi Chad. I’ve never cooked these in the crock pot. I’m guessing you’d brown your beef and bacon first, then add everything to the crock pot and cook for about 3-4 hours on high. Enjoy!
OMG could not believe that I saw this dish. It brings back so many memories of my Mom. This was one of her dishes that she made when I was growing up. The other weird thing is, is that I am making this tonight for supper. A nice creamy cole slaw and the meal is complete.
Thanks for the memory.
Yay! Reminds me of my childhood too Diane! My mother made it for all the summer bbq’s!!
Honestly, we wouldn’t complain if this one is served as main… with some lettuce aside :-) Perfect, as usual !
You’d really enjoy it Davorka!
Wow, Mary Ann, you know how to get my attention! This looks wonderful – add a little side salad and I’d gladly make a meal of this!
Thanks Marissa! It’s been a winner here for years.
So full of flavour – what a great side dish!!! I can imagine this always being a hit at parties for sure. I am thinking some leftovers with a poached egg would be delicious, too!
Yes! Great idea Alex.
Looks so flavourful and filling! This casserole would definitely be a hit at our summer gatherings. I’d love it served up with some burgers!
A total hit guaranteed!
These beans really do look like the best and they would be perfect for the 4th of July! I’m loving your new videos! Nicely done!!!
Thanks so much Kathy!
This is ALWAYS a hit! I make all year round, my family loves it.
So happy to hear Lala! We love it too and enjoy it year round.
Hi do you cover this when you put it in the oven?
No, you don’t need to cover. Enjoy!
Can I freeze this? If so, could I skip the baking part as all of the ingredients are already more or less cooked?
Yes you can Christine! Enjoy!
what cookbook did your mother give you?
It was called Casseroles Casseroles Casseroles. It was back in 1985!
I lost this 3 bean recipe and I’m so glad I finally found it. It is a awesome recipe. I used to take4 it to my work pot lucks, everyone loved them. I made it in a crock pot so it stayed warm
So happy you found it too! It’s a family and friend favorite here too.
Can you substitute something for the Pork and beans? Would pinto beans work?
Yes. Pinto beans would work Gail. Enjoy!
Do u need to drain the beans
Only the kidney and butter beans need to be drained and rinsed. Not the pork and beans. Enjoy!
I had similar if not exact recipe for any years. Last few years couldn’t find my tattered paper with recipe . So glad I found your website. Husband loves this especially with cornbread. Again thank you.
I mentioned in the post that it was from a recipe book my mother gave me a long long time ago Mary. And this baked bean casserole has always been a family and friend favorite! It makes an appearance several times during the summer for all our BBQ’s and it always disappears quickly! So happy you found the recipe here at the BHK. And thanks so much for giving it a try!
Prepared this for dinner along with jalapeño cornbread and coleslaw. The casserole is absolutely delicious! We will be making it many more times.
It’s one of my family’s all time favorites Tamie. So happy you enjoy it too! Thanks for following!
REALLY QUICK AND EASY AND TASTY i TRIED WITHOUT MINCE AND OUR OWN HOMEGROWN POTATOES. thanks
Wow. Sounds good with potatoes! So happy you gave the recipe a try!
Can u make 3 bean casserole in a crock pot?
Hi Patricia. I have only made this recipe in the oven, but I don’t see why you couldn’t make it in a slow cooker. I would follow my recipe and cook the bacon and the hamburger ahead of time and then throw everything in your crockpot and maybe cook it on low for 4-5 hours. Enjoy.
Hello there.i love this dish I’ve had it yrs ago.ik the cowboys use to make an eat on it for days.its hearty there getting everything in it to be strong an healthy.to go on there next day.they would sit around the camp fire and enjoy.thank you
I’ve been making this for more years than I can count Jody! It’s a total family favorite!
Hopefully they weren’t to close to the fire…lol
My grandma used to make this dish a lot about 25 to 30 years ago, but it was a 4-bean casserole (I think the 4th bean was Lima Beans) and she put like 2 pounds of bacon in hers. It was so sweet and so bad for you, but it tasted sooooo good. I’m glad I found this recipe; I’m thinking about making it myself.
Enjoy!
I am making these without the beef. Can I prepare a day before and put in the oven the next day?
Absolutely. Enjoy Denise!
Very good! Used 1/2 cup mix of BBQ and ketchup. A1 sauce instead of Worcester. Keeper@
So happy you enjoyed it Steph! It’s been a winner at our house for more years than I can count!
How much is a serving?
Hi Lis. One serving is 456 calories. Hope you enjoy!
It’s April 21,2025. I’m trying this recipe tonight. Hope it’s as tasty as it looks. I love baked beans
It is Colette! You’re going to love it!
along with the ketchup ( used a little less of that) i added about 1 T of sweet baby rays BBQ sauce. yummy! i didn’t use any bacon. just cuz we’ve been watching our meat intake this month . i used 16 oz. can Bush’s Homestyle baked beans, regular can kidney beans, regular can great northern beans, 1/2 or a little more reg. can pork n beans.We all loved it!
Woohoo! So happy to hear Ann! This is a winner for the 4th of July!
I made these for a party and What a hit!!!! There were NO Leftovers. These beans are so delicious and so easy to make.
So happy you enjoyed them Cassy! I’ve been making these for years and we love them too! Great for summer BBQs!!
Hi Mary Ann. Thank you for this recipe. It looks awesome!!! Can I substitute the Ketchup? My friend hates ketchup!!! Would BBQ sauce be ok or would it really change the flavour? Is the ketchup taste really noticeable in this casserole? Could I pretend it wasnt in there lol!!!
Hi Becky. You’re so welcome! You could change it to BBQ sauce if you’d like, but honestly I can’t really single out the ketchup flavor when I’m eating it. I’ve been making this for so many years and never ever miss the 4th of July celebration with this one. It’s a TOTAL crowd favorite!