Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (2024)

4.38 from 8 votes

ByStacie VaughanOn Updated

4 Comments

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If you like heaping bowls of chili, then you need to try this delicious kidney bean bake. It’s incredibly flavorful, but it’s also packed with fiber, protein, and antioxidants!

Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (1)

The onions lend these beans an amazing savory flavor, but it’s the chili sauce, butter, and relish that take things to the next level. Seriously, you’ll be surprised at just how tasty a single spoonful can be.

One of the most appealing things about this kidney bean bake (aside from the taste!) is how easy it is to make. You just need a handful of ingredients, a casserole dish, and about 35 minutes.

That’s right, it’s a mix and bake side dish that takes virtually zero effort to put together. Now that’s what I’m talking about when I’m too worn out to face the kitchen!

Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (2)

Why You’ll Love This Kidney Bean Bake

  • It’s made with just a handful of simple ingredients.
  • The recipe is loaded with protein, fiber, and heart-healthy antioxidants.
  • The butter, chili, and relish give every spoonful an incredible kick.
  • It’s a cheap and cheerful side dish that’s perfect for pot lucks, parties, and lazy weeknight dinners.
Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (3)

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

  • Red Kidney Beans: You’ll need 2 regular cans, and you’ll want to drain one and keep the other as-is! Any variation from the grocery store will work well.
  • Salt: Just a small amount for flavor.
  • Chili sauce: Spicy, rich, and intense. This ingredient gives your kidney bean bake its signature kick.
  • Relish: For a deep, tomatoey flavor.
  • Sweet onion: Gives the bake crunch and a slightly sweet but savory flavor.
  • Unsalted butter: Just a small amount for a rich depth.
Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (4)

How to Make Kidney Bean Bake

  • Step One: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Step Two: Add the kidney beans, salt, chili sauce, relish and onion to a bowl and mix together.
  • Step Three: Pour the beans into a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
  • Step Four: Dot the casserole with butter and cover it with the lid of your casserole dish.
  • Step Five: Bake the beans for 35 minutes.
  • Step Six: Serve hot and enjoy!
Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (5)

Equipment Needed

These kitchen tools will help you make this recipe.

This post contains affiliate links.

What to Serve with Kidney Bean Bake

I can honestly eat an entire bowl of this kidney bean bake on its own. But you might want to add a few tasty sides to your meal to bulk things out slightly.

  • Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
  • Texas Roadhouse Rolls
  • Cowboy Stew
  • Beef Nacho Bake
Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (6)

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure you thoroughly drain your beans. You don’t want too much liquid to work its way into your bean mix, so make sure they’re properly drained! You don’t necessarily need to rinse them though.
  • Be sure to thoroughly coat your beans before putting them in the oven. You want to make sure every bean is coated with the chili, relish, and butter mixture (so, mix everything in the bowl carefully!).

Variations and Substitutions

  • If you want to crisp up your beans slightly, put them in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 380F at the end!
  • I love adding crumbled bacon to these beans to give them a Tex-Mex vibe.
  • To turn this into a delicious main dish, feel free to melt a small amount of cheddar cheese over the top. You can also sprinkle everything with spring onions before serving for a deconstructed nacho feel.
  • If you want to dial down the spice, you can replace the chili sauce with BBQ sauce. Just make sure it’s not too sweet!
  • If you want to make these beans veggie-friendly, you can replace the butter with olive oil.
Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (7)

Storage Instructions

If you have any leftovers (which I doubt!), you can store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remember to completely cool them first!

I also highly recommend using an airtight container for maximum freshness.

Can I Freeze?

You can certainly freeze this kidney bean bake if you want to make a few extra servings.

Just split the kidney beans into separate portions and store them in freezer safe containers for up to 6 months.

Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (8)

Bean Recipes

For more bean recipes, check out a few of my favorites.

  • Bean Salad
  • Bean Casserole
  • Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili
  • Slow Cooker Black Beans
  • Bean Chili
  • Dr. Pepper Baked Beans
  • Baked Beans with Ground Beef
  • Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

Try these Crock pot ham and beans.

Follow me on Instagram@simplystacieblog, Facebook atSimply Stacie, TikTok@simplystacierecipesor Pinterest at@simplystacieand let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.

Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (9)

Rate this Recipe

4.38 from 8 votes

Kidney Bean Bake

Created by Stacie Vaughan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Healthy fiber packed deliciousness! This easy casserole is loaded with red kidney beans and onions in a chili flavored sauce.

Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cans red kidney beans 540ml cans, 1 can drained and 1 can undrained
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup chili sauce
  • ¼ cup relish
  • 1 sweet onion sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.

  • Add kidney beans, salt, chili sauce, relish and onion to a bowl and mix together. Pour into a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.

  • Dot casserole with butter. Cover.

  • Bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

I used pickle relish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 897mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 11g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course Casseroles

Cuisine American

Keyword Kidney Bean Bake

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Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (10)

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Kidney Bean Bake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to soft baked beans? ›

Baking Soda – This will actually help soften the beans as they cook so they are just the right (not crunchy, but not mushy) texture. Bacon – Adding a couple slices of bacon brings a nice smokey flavor and a little texture to this recipe. Onion – I use yellow onion though white onion would work great too.

What happens if you don't cook kidney beans long enough? ›

According to the Food and Drug Administration's Bad Bug Book, dried red kidney beans and cannellini beans contain toxic levels of lectin—proteins that bind to carbohydrates—and can cause vomiting, diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness for several hours when not cooked properly.

Why it is not recommended to slow cook kidney beans? ›

Slowly heating raw kidney beans in a slow cooker may increase the toxicity of the beans. Studies have found slow cookers do not reach a high enough temperature to destroy the harmful bacteria in undercooked beans. The PHA toxin is destroyed at 212°F when cooked for at least 10 minutes.

Do you rinse bush's baked beans? ›

"It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states.

Why put vinegar in baked beans? ›

Cider vinegar added at the end balances the flavor profile. It's important not to add vinegar until the end so as to maintain the mixture's pH balance throughout the cooking process.

What to add to baked beans to make them taste better? ›

Cook up beef sausages with onion to create a super-flavorful base for your dressed up baked beans. Upgrade #3: All of the condiments! Maple syrup, molasses, ketchup, vinegar, mustard—basically throw every sweet, salty, tangy condiment you've got at those canned baked beans and you know they're going to taste delicious.

Who should not eat kidney beans? ›

In some people, beans may cause unpleasant effects, such as bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea ( 13 ). Insoluble fibers called alpha-galactosides are responsible for these effects. They belong to a group of fibers known as FODMAPs, which may exacerbate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ( 7 , 59 , 60 ).

What happens if you don't rinse canned kidney beans? ›

Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.

Why can't you eat raw kidney beans? ›

Eating raw or undercooked kidney beans can lead to food poisoning, including symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Only a few beans are needed to cause poisoning. Kidney beans, or red beans, contain a natural protein, Lectin, that is found in many plants, animals and humans.

Which beans are not good for the kidneys? ›

Control of phosphorus often is difficult for kidney failure patients. High-phosphorus foods to eliminate include: Beans (red, black, and white) Black-eyed peas.

How to tell if kidney beans are bad? ›

The best way to tell if the beans have gone bad is to give them a good whiff. The odor will not be pleasant! You might even see a white liquid surrounding them, as well.

Why are canned kidney beans hard? ›

Canned beans are harder to cook than fresh beans because they have already been cooked and processed, so they require less cooking time. They also tend to be harder and less pliable, which can make them more difficult to cook evenly.

Why are Bush's baked beans so good? ›

The beans that are met with smiles at any gathering. Bush's® Original Baked Beans are a Secret Family Recipe of navy beans slow-cooked with specially cured bacon, fine brown sugar and our signature blend of spices.

What to put in canned beans to prevent gas? ›

To cut down on the gassy properties, you can add a little baking soda to your recipe. The baking soda helps break down some of the beans' natural gas-making sugars.

Can you eat Bush's baked beans straight from the can? ›

Bush Brothers are the largest producer. After the American Revolutionary War, Independence Day celebrations often included baked beans. Canned baked beans are used as a convenience food; most are made from haricot beans in sauce. They may be eaten hot or cold, and straight from the can, as they are fully cooked.

How do I get my beans to soften? ›

Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for up to 4 hours. Hot soaking is the preferred method since it reduces cooking time, helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances in beans, and most consistently produces tender beans.

What can I add to my beans to make it soft? ›

These beans can often take much longer to soften while soaking and cooking, up to twice the time! Baking soda can help significantly since it increases the pH of the water, disintegrating that pectin and allowing beans to soften quicker.

How do you keep baked beans from getting hard? ›

As they cook at a low temp in the oven, I add more liquid to keep them just covered. Toward the last 2 hours of cooking, I add acidic stuff like tomato juice. If you use anything acidic at first the beans may not soften properly as they cook.

How do you cook beans so they are not mushy? ›

Stovetop Method

Stir them gently and occasionally, never letting them hit a strong boil; this can burst their skins and make them mushy or unevenly cooked. Depending upon the variety, dried beans will cook quickly (about 15 minutes for red lentils) or slowly (up to 3 to 4 hours for unsoaked chickpeas or lima beans).

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