By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 6
518 cal · 25 min
Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Recipe GLPR3d07207dba48f9
A hearty, satisfying one-pot dish combining tender beans with seasoned ground beef, sweet molasses, and tangy ketchup. This classic comfort food is quick to prepare and delivers deep, rich flavors with a smooth, slightly thick sauce. Perfect for weeknight dinners.
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 15-ounce cans no-salt-added navy beans, rinsed
1 cup water
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.
Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 160°F). Drain any excess fat if needed.
Stir in the rinsed navy beans, water, ketchup, molasses, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh chopped chives. Serve hot.
Comments
Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocer—navy beans from a can, ground beef, ketchup, molasses, and chives are all standard stock at Harris Teeter, Kroger, ALDI, and Walmart. The real cost driver is the ground beef, which at typical Charlotte prices runs about $5 to $6 per pound; with six servings, that puts the dish around $1.50 to $2 per serving if using a pound, making it genuinely affordable. The stated 25 minutes is honest for browning meat and simmering canned beans, though fresh onions and garlic powder shaved off about five minutes means you'll hit table closer to 20. This is a weeknight-friendly dish that reheats beautifully in the oven or microwave, requires no special attention once assembled, and feeds a family without fuss, though it lands more as comfort food than anything specifically tied to North Carolina flavors—it's a solid utility recipe, not a standout.
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