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Canned Baked Beans

A sweet discovery helped us see which baked beans are best.

Published June 1, 2009. Appears in Cook's Country TV Season 3: Southwestern Suppers
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Top Pick

WinnerB&M Vegetarian Baked Beans

Tasters loved the “very molasses-y” flavor of these beans, calling them “slightly sweet, complex, with a slow-cooked feeling.” “Richer than the others” was a common refrain. Their “firm” and “pleasant” texture was another big plus.
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces
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Tasters loved the “very molasses-y” flavor of these beans, calling them “slightly sweet, complex, with a slow-cooked feeling.” “Richer than the others” was a common refrain. Their “firm” and “pleasant” texture was another big plus.
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces
Learn More
See Everything We Tested

What You Need to Know

Since they are so mild, white beans are often cooked with plenty of salt, sugar, and pork—the alchemy that makes baked beans so popular. And while baked beans are a staple of backyard gatherings, few of us bother to make them from scratch. Canned baked beans deliver convenience, especially in the heat of summer. But are they any good?

Sampling Pork-Based and Vegetarian Baked Beans

We gathered cans from industry leaders and three vegetarian-style brands. We rounded out our lineup with an outlier: a pork and bean product that isn’t technically baked beans but was deemed close enough (through pre-tasting). All the beans were heated in saucepans and sampled plain by our panel of 22 tasters. Our preferences quickly fell into line: We liked sweet, slightly firm beans.

Seeking Balance in Flavor & Texture

Surprisingly, a meatless product came out on top, just ahead of two well-known brands. Tasters rated these three brands the sweetest, and a check of the ingredient list confirmed that they did indeed contain the most sugars. The top three brands were also judged to have the best texture, which makes sense when you consider that sugar slows the softening process (our tasters liked beans with a little bite).

Choose Molasses; Avoid Tomato

More important, the type of sweetener had a big impact on flavor. Our top four brands all contain molasses, a classic baked bean seasoning that adds complexity and depth. Our three least-favorite brands rely on high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice and maple syrup, and sorghum (respectively) instead. Finally, the three lowest-ranked brands contain tomato puree, which made the beans taste inappropriately “ketchup-y”; the recommended brands are not made with any tomato product.

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Cook's CountryCanned Baked BeansWatch Now

Everything We Tested

Recommended

WinnerB&M Vegetarian Baked Beans

Tasters loved the “very molasses-y” flavor of these beans, calling them “slightly sweet, complex, with a slow-cooked feeling.” “Richer than the others” was a common refrain. Their “firm” and “pleasant” texture was another big plus.
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces
Tasters loved the “very molasses-y” flavor of these beans, calling them “slightly sweet, complex, with a slow-cooked feeling.” “Richer than the others” was a common refrain. Their “firm” and “pleasant” texture was another big plus.
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces

Bush's Best Original Baked Beans

Bush’s came in a close second overall, and were given the highest scores for their texture, which was described as “creamy” but “firm.” Tasters deemed these beans the sweetest of the lot, and praised their “smoky, rich flavor,” which had a “nice balance of salty and sweet.”
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces
Bush’s came in a close second overall, and were given the highest scores for their texture, which was described as “creamy” but “firm.” Tasters deemed these beans the sweetest of the lot, and praised their “smoky, rich flavor,” which had a “nice balance of salty and sweet.”
Sugars per serving: 12gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces

Van Camp's Original Baked Beans

These “very smoky” (they contain natural smoke flavor) beans received solid scores across the board. “Nicely complex, with a texture that is soft but not mushy,” said one taster. But there was no mistaking this brand for homemade beans, with a few tasters picking up a range of (not unpleasant) flavors from “cola” to “salad dressing.”
Sugars per serving: 11gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.89 for 28 ounces
These “very smoky” (they contain natural smoke flavor) beans received solid scores across the board. “Nicely complex, with a texture that is soft but not mushy,” said one taster. But there was no mistaking this brand for homemade beans, with a few tasters picking up a range of (not unpleasant) flavors from “cola” to “salad dressing.”
Sugars per serving: 11gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.89 for 28 ounces

Recommended with reservations

B&M Original Baked Beans

These beans have fewer total sugars than their vegetarian cousins. Tasters liked the “nice molasses” flavor, but were none too keen on the “refried-bean-like” (and lowest-scoring) texture, which was “thick and sludgy” and “sticky.”
Sugars per serving: 10gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces
These beans have fewer total sugars than their vegetarian cousins. Tasters liked the “nice molasses” flavor, but were none too keen on the “refried-bean-like” (and lowest-scoring) texture, which was “thick and sludgy” and “sticky.”
Sugars per serving: 10gPrice at Time of Testing: $2 for 28 ounces

Not Recommended

Campbell's Pork & Beans

To be fair, these are labeled pork and beans and not baked beans, but their ingredients line up with the other contenders. Tasters found them “bland,” “runny,” and “entirely unremarkable.” “I feel no compulsion to keep eating them.”
Sugars per serving: 8gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.69 for 15.75 ounces
To be fair, these are labeled pork and beans and not baked beans, but their ingredients line up with the other contenders. Tasters found them “bland,” “runny,” and “entirely unremarkable.” “I feel no compulsion to keep eating them.”
Sugars per serving: 8gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.69 for 15.75 ounces

Amy's Organic Vegetarian Baked Beans

Ironically, tasters likened the flavor of this relatively wholesome brand to highly processed foods like “SpaghettiOs” and “Chef Boyardee.” “Tastes like grade school,” said one. Another thought these “ketchup-y” beans tasted of “tinny tomato, chemicals, and shoe polish.” Enough said.
Sugars per serving: 9gPrice at Time of Testing: $2.69 for 15 ounces
Ironically, tasters likened the flavor of this relatively wholesome brand to highly processed foods like “SpaghettiOs” and “Chef Boyardee.” “Tastes like grade school,” said one. Another thought these “ketchup-y” beans tasted of “tinny tomato, chemicals, and shoe polish.” Enough said.
Sugars per serving: 9gPrice at Time of Testing: $2.69 for 15 ounces

Eden Organic Baked Beans

With just half as much sugars as our winners, tasters found these beans to be “mushy” (as sugar retards softening, less sugar usually means softer beans) and “bitter.” Tasters disliked the “clove-y,” “burnt,” and “metallic” flavors. “I couldn’t even swallow these” sums things up.
Sugars per serving: 6gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.99 for 15 ounces
With just half as much sugars as our winners, tasters found these beans to be “mushy” (as sugar retards softening, less sugar usually means softer beans) and “bitter.” Tasters disliked the “clove-y,” “burnt,” and “metallic” flavors. “I couldn’t even swallow these” sums things up.
Sugars per serving: 6gPrice at Time of Testing: $1.99 for 15 ounces

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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