This is how to make apple pie baked beans with pie filling. Can be made with canned beans or with dry beans from scratch. You can make on the stove or fast starting with our Instant Pot Baked Beans and then add the pie filling after that!
Baked beans with apples is a delicious side dish with dried beans or Bush’s canned baked beans. Both ways are easy, you choose whether you want to make from scratch or the cheater way. We won’t tell which it is when you serve this at your next bbq though. 😉
You could make a batch of Crockpot Baked Beans Recipe with Dry Beans first. Then fold in the can of fruit filling about an hour before it is done. This will give it time for the legumes to get tender but still soak up the flavors from the apples. Using canned beans you would follow the directions below but instead of baking in the oven, set to low for a few hours instead.
This is How Long to Cook Baked Beans in Oven if you want to bake them in the oven with dried beans instead. Same thing, I would integrate the pie filling near the end so the flavors can meld but you want the main ingredients to be fork tender before doing so.
Baked Beans with Apples
If you want to eliminate as much processed ingredients as possible, instead of using a can of pie filling you can make Pressure Cooker Apple Pie Filling first. I will go over how to make this with dried beans as well, then you combine the two with bacon if you choose to add some meat into the mix.
Combining meat and/or fruit into this old fashioned side amps the flavors up. Just like our Baked Beans with Ground Beef you can make an ordinary dish more special, with more protein and flavor. Meats do need to be cooked beforehand to be safe.
Using canned fruit like this is easy, or if you want to make completely homemade you can use our Apple Slices Recipe and use that instead. A fun way to turn a side into a sort of sweet dessert of sorts. Of course other fruits could be used instead such as pears or peaches but this is our favorite.
Apple Pie Baked Beans with Canned Pork and Beans
Below we share how to make these the easy, fast way, with cans of pork and beans. If you prefer Bush’s instead I would choose the original version as the brown sugar + the already sweetened apples may make it too sweet for you.
Made with Dry Beans
Use this chart on How Long Do Beans Take to Cook if you want homemade. Once soaked overnight and cooked until tender you can then follow the steps below to integrate the pie filling and go from there. Navy or cannellini beans are traditionally used for this dish but any variety would work.
Apple Pie Baked Beans Recipe
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet 12" or larger
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, diced
- 1/2 c onion, diced
- 1 can apple pie filling, 21 oz.
- 2 cans pork and beans, or baked beans, 28 oz. each
- 1 c barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Add bacon to a large ovenproof skillet and heat over medium high until crispy. Remove and set on a few paper towels to drain. Add onions into bacon grease and cook for 3 minutes until browned.
- Remove from heat. Add apple pie filling contents to the onions in the pan and use a spoon or spatula to cut apples into smaller pieces.
- Add canned beans, diced precooked bacon and barbecue sauce to the apple and mix well. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until edges are bubbly and center is hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQ
We will show you why right here with our apple pie filling baked beans recipe here. Adding a sweet flavor with added texture of some fruit is wonderful. If using fresh fruit you would want to dice fine and peel so it can get tender.
Baked beans typically consist of navy beans that are slow-cooked in a sweet and savory sauce made with ingredients such as molasses, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, and sometimes bacon or salt pork. Pork and beans usually contain navy beans cooked with chunks of salt pork or bacon, along with a sweetened tomato-based sauce.
What else can you add to canned baked beans to make them better?
Well below is one of our ideas of how to make it tangy sweet and savory. You can even add some red pepper flakes to a baked bean casserole to it to make it spicy on top of that. Beyond that there are so many possibilities like;
- You can cook bacon first, saute onions in the bacon grease to make your extra bacon bits over the top.
- Small pieces of leftover ham
- Pineapple tidbits
- Chopped Roasted Jalapenos
- Slices of hot dogs makes the perfect side into a meal
- A splash of bbq sauce to traditional baked beans adds flavor
How do you store leftovers
After serving, allow them to cool down to room temperature within 2 hours. This helps prevent bacterial growth. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container. Choose a container that is just the right size to minimize the amount of air inside, as exposure to air can promote spoilage.
Seal the airtight container tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator, such as the back of the lower shelves, to maintain a consistent temperature. It’s a good practice to label the container with the date when cooked or stored. This helps you keep track of how long they have been stored and when they need to be consumed.
Leftover beans should be consumed within 3-4 days of refrigeration for the best quality and safety. Discard any that have been stored for longer than this period to avoid the risk of food-borne illness. When reheating you can add a dash of barbecue sauce to moisten them up before warming again.
