Popular Canned Baked Beans, Ranked Worst To Best
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Traditionally served with barbecue food or served as an easy dinner side dish, we think that baked beans make a great component to every meal. Classic American baked beans are sweet and savory, made with ingredients such as brown sugar, maple syrup, tomatoes, bacon, or pork; English breakfasts, according to British Grub Hub, are not complete without the serving of baked beans on toast. It is important to note, however, that English baked beans are slightly different in flavor, as they are less sweet and more tomato-forward in taste.
Beans are nutritional powerhouses. Thanks to their incredible fiber content, beans are not only beneficial to gastrointestinal health, but can help lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar, according to Healthline. Additionally, due to their high protein content, they make for an excellent vegetarian staple.
Homemade baked beans made using your Instant Pot or your slow cooker are pretty fantastic, we cannot lie. But we don't always have the time or the energy to make baked beans from scratch.Thank goodness for canned baked beans. Just open the can, warm, and eat. It doesn't get any easier than that. With so many different types of canned baked beans, it's difficult to know which ones make the cut when shopping at the grocery store. We've done the hard work for you. We've ranked popular canned baked beans from worst to best. Refer to this ranking to ensure you are always satisfied with your canned baked bean purchase.
18. Mama's Homestyle Baked Beans
Mama's Homestyle Baked Beans are sold in adorable packaging that looks like it would be from a small, locally run business headed by the beloved matriarch of the town. But in fact, these beans are produced in Macedonia and can be found for purchase at your local Walmart.
So, why does this one come in near the bottom of the list? Alas, a technicality sunk this one. If you're looking for something along the lines of an American or English style baked bean, this one won't pass muster. Inspired by a traditional Macedonian dish, Tavche Gravche — which translates to "beans in a pot," according to Parthenon Foods — this jar of beans contains onion, red chili powder, and salt. They neither have the sweetness that we've come to know and love in some baked beans, nor do they have the tomato base we love in others. They have a slight kick too, so if you are sensitive to spicier food steer clear. Curiously enough, these beans are made with wheat flour so they are not gluten-free. However, they are vegan.
17. Branston
Branston Baked Beans are a brand of English beans from the United Kingdom. Branston sells many options, including regular Baked Beans, Baked Beans with Veggie Sausages, Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans, Baked Beans with Sausages, Baked Beans with Large Lincolnshire Sausages, Baked Beans with Hot and Spicy Chili, as well as Baked Beans with Spicy Spanish Chorizo. With that kind of variety, you are sure to find an option that appeals to your taste buds.
Their traditional baked beans are served in a thick tomato sauce, true to classic English baked beans. However, they are not quite as tasty as Heinz Baked Beanz, which — spoiler alert — are the real winner in the English baked beans department. Branston beans lack the depth of flavor that true English beans contain. These beans, while okay, are nothing special, when compared to the many other brands of baked beans.
16. B&M
B&M, which stands for Burnham & Morrill, dates back to the late 1800s, according to their website. They offer a bunch of baked beans, including Bacon and Onion, Maple, Boston's Best, Country Style, Homestyle, Original, and Vegetarian. Their Original Baked Beans include molasses, pork, and spices. Interestingly, they are 99% fat free, even though they contain pork, making it a good option for those who are watching their fat intake.
Reviews of these baked beans note that they are a little too sweet for many people's liking. Because Bush's is a popular American baked beans brand, they come up in a lot of reviews of B&M's beans. Unfortunately, some say that B&M baked beans taste like a watered-down can of Bush's. However, some say that Bush's baked beans are too spicy for them, so B&M baked beans are the better option. We would have to disagree; B&M baked beans are too soupy for our liking.
15. Clover Valley
If you don't already know, Clover Valley is the generic store brand of the dollar store Dollar General. These baked beans are made with plenty of brown sugar, which contributes to their overly sweet taste. One of our biggest pet peeves with canned baked beans is when they are too treacly — we don't want them to taste like candy, after all. Instead, we need them to be appropriate to serve as dinner side dishes. A touch of sweetness to an overall savory side is the perfect flavor balance we look for in baked beans.
While the Clover Valley Brown Sugar Baked Beans do have an unbeatable price, the sweetness factor gives us pause. Many reviews note that this brand is beloved for the great taste for a good value. If you are interested in saving a few coins and you enjoy a sweet bean, this brand might be for you. Otherwise, we recommend you set your sights a little higher.
14. Campbell's
Campbell's carries just about every canned product you can imagine. They don't just make soup — they produce everything from canned pastas to sauce, tomato juice, and you guessed it ... beans. While this isn't their most extensive product line, Campbell's would be remiss if they didn't enter the bean industry as well. There were two canned bean offerings on our radar: Campbell's pork and beans and Campbell's beans and franks.
The traditional pork and beans can is what we consider to be the truest form of baked beans. According to reviews on Walmart, these beans are fairly well-loved. Many consumers have grown up enjoying and trusting Campbell's brand, so it only seems right to enjoy their canned bean products as well. For some, these beans are preferable as they do not contain any pieces of pork, instead only utilizing pork fat and pork stock for flavor. However, we feel like these beans are just okay. They have nothing special to offer, and for that reason, we have to put them near the bottom of our rankings.
13. Furmano's
Furmano's is a brand that carries a lot of food products, such as canned tomatoes, canned vegetables, lentils, grains, and beans. In terms of baked beans, Furmano's offers Country Style with Bacon, Homestyle with Pork, Bacon & Brown Sugar, Vegetarian New England Style, and more.
We would say that their Bacon & Brown Sugar baked beans are the classic flavor offered in the bunch. One thing to note is that these beans contain big hunks of meat, instead of small hidden pieces contributing only in flavor. These baked beans are savory, sweet, and smoky. While the taste is what we are looking for in a can of baked beans, their texture is not quite right. We found these beans to be overly hard or not quite cooked enough to be the tender beans that mush just right in your mouth. Because of this, they are near the middle of our ranking.
12. Walnut Acres
Walnut Acres Baked Beans are organic baked beans made from tomato paste, molasses, spices and white beans. This brand — which you can find at Walmart, Kroger, Amazon, and so on — is one of the only baked bean brands that does not offer a seemingly endless list of different flavor varieties.
For those that are health-minded, Walnut Acres may be the choice for you, as reviews of these baked beans note the "clean" ingredient list and the organic label. And we would be remiss if we did not mention that the ingredient list on these canned baked beans is far more minimal than other brands, containing less than ten ingredients. However, the taste is still our top concern when we set out to rank these canned baked beans, so judge the taste is what we will do. Since we prefer canned baked beans made with brown sugar over molasses, Walnut Acres appears near the bottom of our list.
11. Great Value
Walmart's generic store brand, Great Value, carries many different kinds of canned baked beans, such as Original, Brown Sugar Hickory, Maple Cured Bacon, and Pork and Beans. The Great Value Original Baked Beans contain bacon and brown sugar, which is a classic combination that some consumers look out for when deciding on a can of baked beans.
Many reviews of this brand give a lot of love to the flavor, going so far as to say that it is better than the name brand baked beans. Some others point out that the Original Baked Beans don't have a tomato base like their Pork and Beans variety, therefore containing less sodium than competitor brands. As far as taste, we like these ones, but they are lacking something special when compared to the other brands we have in the higher ranks. They're great in a pinch, but we would say skip 'em.
10. Amy's
Amy's is a brand known for their organic and healthy canned and frozen food products. In addition to their canned foods, Amy's has frozen entrees like burritos, pasta dishes, and vegetable bowls. Amy's offers a bunch of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free packaged food options, which is great for everyone — especially people with dietary restrictions.
Amy's carries three different kinds of canned baked beans: Vegetarian, Chipotle Vegetarian, and Western Vegetarian. The Chipotle Vegetarian boasts a zesty tomato sauce, while the Western Vegetarian happens to have "a delicious smoky flavor" going for it. The regular Vegetarian baked beans contain organic ingredients like white beans with a tomato and maple syrup sauce. A lot of reviews note that these beans are not too spicy or not too salty. There are many people who absolutely love these beans, but a number have stated that there are other better vegetarian baked beans out there.
9. Signature Select
If you are anything like us, you are no stranger to generic store brand food products. Hey, who can say no to saving a few bucks? What's more, there are times when a generic store brand can actually be the tastier alternative. This one gets close, but unfortunately is just slightly off in terms of taste.
Signature Select, the Safeway or Albertsons generic store brand, carries one variety of meatless baked beans. The Vegetarian Baked Beans with Brown Sugar are made with white beans, sugar, brown sugar, and tomato paste. We'll admit that these are very similar in taste to Bush's vegetarian baked beans, with a slightly thinner sauce. In addition, there is something a little odd tasting about these beans, likely due to the addition of mustard seed in the ingredients. If you have no other option, Signature Select baked beans are fine, but these baked beans are nothing to write home about.
8. Batchelors
Depending on where you're located, you may or may not have heard of Batchelors canned baked beans. Per the Batchelors website, the brand "has been an Irish family favourite since 1935."
The Batchelors Beans are similar to English baked beans in that they are swimming in a tomato-based sauce instead of a sweeter barbecue-flavored sauce. While these baked beans do contain sugar, they are less sweet than many American style baked beans. Reviews of these baked beans note that these are lighter than many other brands, mentioning that these have a great traditional taste, similar to Heinz, and recommend serving with the traditional British breakfast of beans on toast. We, however, are not fans of this tomato-forward sauce, as it's lacking the crucial sweetness we love in baked beans — but hey, it's all a matter of what you're hoping for when you crack open a can of baked beans.
7. Van Camp's
Van Camp's is known for its large variety of canned bean products, including chili, Beanee Weanees (which are the signature Van Camp's baked beans and sauce with sliced hot dogs thrown in), baked beans, and kidney beans. When it comes to their baked beans selection alone, they offer original, bacon, and hickory-flavored options. Upon evaluating their baked beans lineup, it seems that their Original Baked Beans are the real star. Interestingly, the original baked beans are 100% vegetarian.
According to reviews on Amazon, these beans have a strong fan base. While many people love the brand and place them at the top of their list, there are still some reviewers that note Bush's baked beans actually take the cake for them. We'd have to agree. While this brand is just a bit too watery and a touch too sweet for our liking, these beans are up there, but not in our top three rankings.
6. 365 Organic
As we enter to the top of our rankings of canned baked beans, the delineations begin to get more and more minute. There are many great brands of canned baked beans, but we are committed to providing you an honest and thorough ranking of canned baked beans. Just know that from this point on that all of these choices are rather excellent.
365 Organic, the Whole Foods generic store brand, carries one type of canned baked beans. These beans are organic and vegan, two qualities you may not be surprised to see on a Whole Foods product. Interestingly, they are made with both molasses and sugar, proving to be rather heavy on sugar. After tasting the 365 Organic Baked Beans, we think these are a great option for those who prefer to avoid pork. Many reviews mention the subtle sweetness and medium thick sauce of the canned product. We think this one is pretty darn delicious.
5. Mr. Organic
Mr. Organic is a brand that is known for their tomato farm and factory in Rome. Name a better place to grow tomatoes, we dare you. These European beans are sold at many retailers you can find in the United States, including Whole Foods and Amazon.
Mr. Organic carries a few different flavor variations of canned baked beans, including BBQ Baked Beans, Low Sugar Baked Beans, and original Baked Beans. These canned baked beans are organic, vegan, gluten free and are sold in BPA free packaging. Their original baked beans are more true to the English variety with a heavy tomato-forward sauce with a hint of sweetness. We love that this brand contains minimal ingredients and has a focus on health, without sacrificing taste. If you are looking for a traditional can of American baked beans, we would recommend the BBQ baked beans variety as opposed to the original Baked Beans.
4. Heinz Baked Beanz
As we inch closer to the top of our list, Heinz Baked Beanz have to make an appearance. Heinz, yes, the same company that you trust for ketchup, also sells baked beans. While these beans got their start in the US near the end of the 19th century, they made their way across the pond and became a staple in British cuisine. As the Heinz website recounts, "Beanz count among the UK's favourite things and everyone has their own ideas about how to eat them: straight from the can, poured piping hot over toast or stuffed into a baked potato."
Suffice to say, the brand is a bit of a juggernaut when it comes to English beans on toast. If you haven't tried these beans, Heinz Baked Beans contain a very tomato-forward sauce like most other English baked beans. But we would like to point out that Heinz understands the world of tomatoes, with a strong presence in the ketchup industry; a true tomato flavor that you can trust. Reviews note that Heinz Baked Beanz are more ketchup-y than barbecue-y, but that is not surprising. Most of the comments we sorted through sing nothing but praise for these baked beans, with many customers mentioning this is the only brand they trust.
3. Bush's Grillin' Beans
We've now arrived at the top three spots of our canned baked beans ranking. You are likely not surprised to see the top three contenders all belonging to the Bush's Beans brand. Bush's is a trusted American bean brand, with an incredible amount of canned baked bean options to choose from.
The line of Bush's Grillin' Beans are offered in many different flavor varieties, including Honey Chipotle, Bourbon and Brown Sugar, Smokehouse Tradition, Southern Pit Barbecue, and Steakhouse Recipe. The Bourbon & Brown Sugar is most true to the original baked beans recipe. Made from navy beans, brown sugar, bold spices, and a hint of bourbon, the Bush's site promises "each spoonful has a bite of Southern goodness."
Interestingly, these are vegetarian as is; no pork will be found in these Grillin' Beans. Many reviews reveal a lot of love for these baked beans, noting that they are sweet but not too sweet. Just the way we like them.
2. Bush's Original
You're probably surprised to see Bush's Original Baked Beans didn't claim the top spot. After all, as the Bush's website makes quite clear, they're a classic: "These are THE beans. The 'Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage' beans. The beans that are met with smiles at any gathering." Bush's offers the most variety when it comes to canned baked beans, including flavors like Sweet Heat, Brown Sugar, Sweet and Tangy, Original, Barbecue, Honey Sweet, Onion, Boston Recipe, Brown Sugar Hickory, Country Style, Homestyle, Maple and Cured Bacon, as well as Organic.
Reviewers are, quite frankly, obsessed with these baked beans. Many customers note that Bush's Original baked beans are not too sweet and not too salty. One reviewer even shared that they simply eat the beans out of the can with a spoon. While the Bush's Original baked beans are pretty darn good, they got beat out by another member of the Bush's family.
1. Bush's Vegetarian
Drumroll please.... Our number one spot in our canned baked bean ranking goes to Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans. Whether you're a vegetarian or not, there's no denying that these have the superior flavor to the other canned baked bean brands — even ones with meat in them. Reviewers love these beans because they are a great option for vegetarians, loaded with plant-based protein. They boast that these baked beans are full of flavor without any of the animal products.
Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans are cooked in a tomato-based sauce that is full of flavor and sweetness with ingredients, including navy beans, brown sugar, tomato puree, and many other spices. These beans have the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors with just a hint of a little spicy kick. Spice-averse readers needn't worry, as they are hardly that spicy. The aforementioned kick won't bother you, we swear. However, the ever-so-slight burst of heat helps to provide a well-rounded flavor to these baked beans.