Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This old-fashioned calico beans recipe combines four different types of beans with ground beef and bacon, all in a sweet-and-tangy sauce. Calico beans are a heartier version of baked beans that works as a side or a main dish. They serve a crowd!
How long it takes: 1 hour
Equipment you’ll need: skillet, 9 x 13 inch baking dish
Servings: 8 as a main dish, up to 12 as a side
As you might guess from the name, calico beans are an assortment of different beans: butter beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and lima beans. They have far more in common with your favorite baked beans recipe (or crock pot baked beans!) than a deli-style mixed bean salad since they’re cooked in a sweet-and-tangy sauce and served up hot.
This dish is a hearty version of baked beans. Like cowboy beans and beef chili, calico beans are meaty, cooked with bacon and ground beef. This means you can make them a meal or make them a side dish. They are an absolute hit at backyard barbecues and potlucks. Plus, because they’re so hearty, they go a long way to serve a crowd.
Reasons To Love Calico Beans
Super filling. Baked beans are satisfying to begin with, but add beef and bacon, and you’ve got a dish that’s extra hearty. You can serve calico beans with cornbread as a main dish, kind of like chili but with a sweeter, milder sauce.
Guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Not only do calico beans make enough for a party, they’re also super popular, especially when served alongside burgers and hot dogs (or air fryer hot dogs). I took calico beans to a family gathering, and they were a HUGE hit!
Easy to make. Because this recipe uses canned beans, it’s a cinch to put together. Just cook the bacon, onions, and beef, combine, then bake until the sauce is thick and bubbly. You can make it ahead and put it in your crockpot, too.
Budget-friendly. Made with beans, ground beef, and pantry staples, calico beans are as economical as they are delicious. When we’re all pinching pennies at the grocery store, that’s a win!
Cooking Tip
Feel free to substitute your favorite beans for any of the beans in this recipe. If you’d like to use dried beans, substitute 1 ½ cups of cooked dried beans for each can.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card below for measurements, instructions, and nutrition information in a printable format.
- Bacon: The bacon itself adds meatiness to the calico beans, and the drippings add lots of flavor when you use them to cook the onion.
- Ground Beef: I recommend using lean ground beef. If you prefer, substitute ground turkey.
- Onion: A standard yellow onion will work here, or try a sweet onion like Vidalia or Walla Walla.
- Light Brown Sugar: If you only have dark brown sugar on hand, you can use that; it simply has a stronger molasses flavor.
- Ketchup: Using ketchup as the base means calico bean sauce tastes a little like barbecue sauce.
- White Vinegar: Vinegar adds a nice tangy note. You can substitute apple cider vinegar if you’d like.
- Dry Mustard: Mustard has a sharp, punchy quality that enhances the overall flavor of this baked calico beans recipe.
- Garlic Powder: Using garlic powder gives the beans a savory flavor without the strength of freshly minced garlic cloves.
- Beans: Use a combination of canned butter beans, kidney beans, and lima beans, rinsed well and drained.
- Pork and Beans: Unlike the rest of the beans for this recipe, the pork and beans should not be drained. Their sauce will add flavor to your calico beans!
How To Make Calico Beans
Get ready. Preheat your oven to 350℉. Open the cans of beans and rinse them; drain well. Chop the onions.
Cook the bacon. In a large skillet, cook the bacon (work in batches if you need to). When it’s crisp, transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off the excess fat. Once the bacon has cooled, cut it into ½” pieces. Note: If you prefer, you can cut the bacon into one inch pieces before you cook it.
Cook beef and onions. Sauté the onions in bacon drippings until they’re softened, then add the ground beef and cook until it’s browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you cook.
Make sauce. While the meat is browning, whisk the brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, dry mustard, and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
Combine. Stir the beans and bacon into the skillet, then stir in the sauce. If your pan isn’t large enough to hold everything, put all the ingredients into the baking dish and stir it well.
Bake. Pour the calico bean mixture into a large baking dish. You can use a 9 x 13 inch pan or a large casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and bubbly.
Recipe Variations
- Use barbecue sauce: Instead of brown sugar and ketchup, swap in your favorite barbecue sauce (or homemade BBQ sauce) to put a different spin on this calico beans recipe. You’ll need 1 ¾ cups of sauce, and you’ll still need to add the vinegar, dry mustard, and garlic powder.
- Make them spicy: Cayenne pepper will give a little (or a lot!) of spicy heat to these calico beans. Add as much as you like.
- Skip the red meat: Use ground turkey and turkey bacon instead. If you want vegetarian calico beans, just leave the meat out. Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or liquid smoke, if you like. A plant-based meat can be substituted, too.
Serving Ideas
- Meats: Calico beans pair well with crockpot BBQ chicken, crockpot ham, and Instant Pot pork chops. Try them with slow cooker ribs or air fryer Italian sausage.
- Cornbread: A classic accompaniment to calico beans! Try whole wheat cornbread or this cornbread muffin recipe with herbs and cheddar.
- Cookout and Potluck Favorites: Crunchy, creamy coleslaw, old fashioned mac and cheese, and potato salad all top my list.
Prepare your calico beans all the way to the point of baking. Then, cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Refrigerate/Freeze: Store leftover calico beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheat: If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the beans in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Spoon leftover calico beans over baked potatoes (or sweet potatoes) for an easy, budget-friendly dinner. You can also use them to make sheet pan nachos with shredded cheddar cheese.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #75. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
More Bean Recipes
Calico Beans
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon (I like center cut bacon)
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (dark brown is fine, too)
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 can (15.5 ounce) butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.5 ounce) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.25 ounce) lima beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (16 ounce) pork and beans, undrained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon; transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. You may have to work in batches depending on your skillet size. Once it's cool, cut it into ½” pieces. If you prefer, you can cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces before you cook it.½ pound bacon
- Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan.
- Add chopped onions to the skillet and sauté them in bacon drippings until soft.1 large onion, chopped
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until it’s no longer pink, breaking up chunks as it browns.1 pound ground beef
- While the meat is browning, whisk together brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, dry mustard, and garlic powder in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.1 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Add the beans and bacon pieces to skillet and stir to combine with the ground beef mixture. Add sauce to the skillet and stir to combine. If your skillet isn't large enough, you can combine everything in the baking dish.1 can (15.5 ounce) butter beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (15.5 ounce) kidney beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (15.25 ounce) lima beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (16 ounce) pork and beans, undrained
- Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or a large casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover calico beans in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze calico beans (cool completely first) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You can also put individual servings into freezer containers. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- Make ahead: Calico beans may be frozen before baking for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed.
- Crockpot instructions: Prepare as instructed. Instead of baking the beans, put them into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 7 hours.
- Possible substitutions: If you prefer, other types of beans can be substituted for the ones listed. You can also use ground turkey instead of beef. Omit the ground beef and bacon if you prefer vegetarian calico beans (add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or liquid smoke, if you like).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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