Vegetarian Baked Beans | Slow Cooker Recipe

This slow-cooker vegetarian baked beans recipe packs in all the flavor of old-fashioned New England baked beans, only without the meat.

By Yankee Magazine

May 23 2022

Vegetarian Baked Beans

Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker

This vegetarian baked beans recipe is easy to make in the slow cooker. See how easy it is to achieve all the flavor of old-fashioned New England baked beans, without the meat. We think these meatless baked beans, slow cooker style, might even make it onto your list of favorites. Don’t forget the baked Boston brown bread!

LEARN MORE: How to Make Vegetarian Baked Beans

Yield:

8-10 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb. dried beans (such as Great Northern)
1 large onion, diced fine (around 1 3/4 cups) — save the end
1 cup water
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (a vegetarian version)
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
8 whole cloves

Instructions

The night before, pick through the beans to remove any stones, then place in a bowl and cover with enough water to cover the beans by two inches. Soak overnight.

In the morning, mix together all ingredients except the beans, onion, and cloves in a large bowl.

In the bottom of minimum 4-quart slow cooker, layer the diced onion, then add the beans*.

Pour the liquid mixture over the beans, then add up to an additional 3 cups of water until the tops of the beans are just submerged.

For extra flavor, take the reserved onion end and press 8 cloves into it in a circle. I used a skewer to make the holes before inserting the cloves. (I also used more than 8 cloves, which I think overpowered the beans a bit, so in the future I will be using less!) Place the onion end into the center of the beans. Remove before eating.

Cook the beans on high for 6-8 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours. I left mine in the pot on low for around 12 hours (it was a long day), and as you might expect, they taste better the longer they sit.