Slow-Baked Boston Beans with Molasses and Bacon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-23 · Updated 2026-06-23

A hearty New England classic featuring tender beans slow-cooked in a molasses-sweetened sauce with smoky bacon. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs dried navy beans, water, bacon slices for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried navy beans
• 4 cups water
• 4 bacon slices
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water for baking

The slow cooker we’d leave this in all day → Best Slow Cookers in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup dried navy beans and soak in 4 cups water overnight or at least 8 hours until beans double in size.
2. Step 2: Drain beans and place in a large pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 45 minutes until beans are tender but not falling apart.
3. Step 3: Preheat oven to 300°F. In a skillet over medium heat, cook 4 slices of bacon until crispy, about 6 minutes, then remove and chop into bits, reserving bacon fat.
4. Step 4: In a mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup molasses, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp dry mustard powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 cup ketchup, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth.
5. Step 5: In a 2-quart ovenproof casserole, add the cooked beans and 1 diced medium yellow onion. Pour in the molasses sauce and 1 cup water. Stir gently to combine.
6. Step 6: Sprinkle the chopped bacon over the top and drizzle 2 tbsp reserved bacon fat.
7. Step 7: Cover the casserole tightly with foil and bake for 3 hours at 300°F, removing foil in the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce, until beans are tender and the sauce is sticky and thick.
8. Step 8: Let cool 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.