By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 6
565 cal · 65 min
My Mom's Famous Calico Baked Beans
Recipe GLPRe037de781139ee
A hearty and flavorful baked bean casserole featuring a colorful trio of beans—black, white kidney, and red pinto—combined with crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and a savory-sweet sauce. This classic comfort food side dish is slow-baked until the flavors meld together beautifully, creating a dish that's perfect for potlucks, barbecues, and family gatherings.
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Ingredients
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 ounce can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16 ounce can red pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water or low-sodium broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish with oil or cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until it becomes crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Leave approximately 1 teaspoon of bacon grease in the skillet. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Drain and rinse all three cans of beans in a colander, then add them to the skillet along with the cooked bacon.
In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar, salt, vinegar, water or broth, and cornstarch if using, until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the beans and bacon. Stir everything together until well combined.
Transfer the entire mixture from the skillet into the prepared baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake the beans in the preheated oven, covered, for 45-60 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the flavors have melded together.
Remove from the oven and serve hot as a side dish.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocery chain—no special stops required. At roughly $8–10 total for six servings, this lands at $1.35–1.65 per serving, driven entirely by the bacon, making it genuinely affordable. The stated 65 minutes is honest for baking time, though dicing the bacon and onion adds 10 minutes upfront; the dish itself requires minimal active attention after ingredients go in the oven. This is classic comfort food that reheats beautifully and feeds a family with zero fussiness, though it's not seasonal or regionally distinctive—it could be any American's baked beans, not distinctly Southern.
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