Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ground Beef & Potatoes

This Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ground Beef and Potatoes is the ultimate cozy one-pot comfort meal. Tender potatoes, savory ground beef, smoky bacon, and creamy beans slowly simmer together in a rich barbecue sauce for a hearty dinner the whole family will love. The original recipe uses a low-and-slow cooking method that takes about 6 hours, making it especially convenient for busy days.

🛒 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 strips bacon
• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 cans (15 oz each) baked beans
• 1 can (15 oz) northern white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Cook the bacon
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve for later.

2. Brown the beef
Using the same skillet and bacon fat, add the ground beef. Season with paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook until browned and no longer pink.

3. Add the aromatics
Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for several minutes until the onion softens and the garlic becomes fragrant.

4. Load the slow cooker
Add the baked beans, white beans, browned beef mixture, potatoes, ketchup, hot sauce, and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.

5. Slow cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for about 3 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the flavors have melded together.

6. Finish with bacon
Crumble the reserved crispy bacon over the top just before serving. Keeping it out of the slow cooker until the end helps preserve its crunch.

⭐ Pro Tips

• Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
• Don’t add the bacon until serving if you want a crispy topping.
• Add a little yellow mustard or Worcestershire sauce for extra tang and depth.
• For more heat, increase the hot sauce or add crushed red pepper.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

Serve it with cornbread, garlic bread, coleslaw, steamed green beans, or a crisp green salad. The barbecue sauce makes it especially delicious with something fresh and crunchy on the side.

📌 Recipe at a Glance

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 6 hours on LOW
Total: About 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: About 557 per serving, according to the source recipe.