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Home » Recipes » Side Recipes » Calico Beans Recipe

Calico Beans Recipe

By Lynette on January 28, 2019 · 5 Comments

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calico beans recipe
calico baked beans recipe

Hearty calico beans, rich in flavor with the combination of bacon, ground beef, kidney beans, butter beans and pork in beans.  Baked in the oven, they’re the perfect tender (yet easy to make!) side dish.

calico beans recipe

When I stumbled onto this recipe I immediately knew I had to make it.  It reminds of of this slow cooker baked beans recipe.  The snow was falling outside during a snow storm and this hearty, warm side dish (that we ate as a main course for lunch) sounded absolutely divine.

Packed with lots of flavor because of the variety of beans, the sweetness of this side dish is perfect served along a big pan of corn bread.  It also works as a great side dish paired with coleslaw or other side dishes like these.

What kind of beans are in calico beans?

In this recipe we’re combining:

  • kidney beans
  • butter beans
  • pork and beans

The addition of bacon and ground beef just take it to a whole new level.  What I like most about this recipe is that it simply is a grab everything and mix it – then bake.

calico beans in baking dish with spoon

How to make Calico Beans

Step 1:  Cook the bacon until crispy.  I prefer to use the microwave for this recipe (like my favorite peanut brittle) since it’s fast and the bacon is getting mixed in with a lot of additional ingredients.

Fastest Way To Cook The Bacon

Microwave the bacon.  Place the slices between paper towels on a plate and microwave for four minutes on high.  Test the bacon to see if it needs more time to get to your desired crispy-ness. If not, give it another minute and check again.  Once it’s crispy, remove from the microwave.  Let cool and cut into small bit size pieces.

bacon, ground beef, onions and beans in bowl

Step 2:  While the bacon is crisping up, cook the hamburger and onions together until the hamburger is fully cooked and the onions are translucent.  Drain the fat from the cooked hamburger.

If you want to cook the onions separate, that is totally fine.  I actually did that since I had not read the directions correctly the first time.

calico beans ingredients in baking dish

Step 3: Combine all the remaining ingredients with the drained ground beef, onion and bacon in a large bowl.  Mix well together and add to a baking pan.  I used a 7×11 baking dish which was the perfect size.  A square baking pan would work, but it might get a little full.

Step 4:  Bake at 300˚ F for 1 hour and 30 minutes, making sure to stir at least every 30 minutes.

calico baked beans with hamburger and bacon

How do you thicken calico beans?

The thickness of the beans is directly related to how long you bake them.  I prefer a thicker sauce, so I baked mine for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  If you prefer less thick, bake for less time.  The key is to cook them long and slow so that the flavors have time to combine.

calico baked beans recipe card old fashioned

Calico Bean Making Tips

Can you freeze calico beans?  Yes and no.  In terms of taste, the beans freeze well after cooking.  However, I’ve found that the beans tend to lose a bit of their structure leaving the look of the beans to be less appetizing.

Do calico beans make good leftovers?  Yes!  We enjoyed these for a few days.  I kept the leftovers in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave when ready.

Can you make this recipe in the crockpot?  Yes.  Cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours.  Take note that the beans will not thicken as much because there will be less evaporation than if you had cooked them in the oven.  However, the flavor will be the same!

Can I double this calico beans recipe?  Yes.  Adjust your cooking time to more time so that you get the desired thickness.

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember the last time I bought pork and beans.  I bought all the ingredients for this recipe right before we were to get a huge snow storm and snagged the last can of pork and beans!  Either people were planning to make calico beans like I was, or pork and beans alone is popular!

I hope you enjoy this easy side dish recipe of calico beans as much as we did!

More Easy Side Dish Recipes

  • Easy Traditional Homemade Stuffing
  • Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
  • Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
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calico beans in baking dish with spoon

Calico Beans Recipe

  • Author: Lynette
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Hearty calico beans recipe made from scratch with bacon, ground beef, kidney beans, butter beans and pork and beans.  An easy side dish recipe that is packed with flavor!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 slices of thick cut bacon
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ½ Cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1 (15 oz) can of butter beans, drained
  • 1 (15 oz) can of kidney beans, drained
  • 1 (16 oz) can of pork and beans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300˚ F.
  2. Cook bacon until crispy. Let cool and chop into bite size pieces.
  3. Fry ground beef and onion until hamburger is fully cooked and onions are translucent.  Drain the fat.
  4. Combine bacon, ground beef, onion and all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to baking dish.
  5. Bake at 300˚ F for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the beans are your desired thickness, making sure to stir the beans every 30 minutes.

Notes

If you want to make this in the slow cooker, heat on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours.  Take note that the beans will not thicken as much as they would in the oven.  However, the flavors will still be amazing.

If doubling the recipe, make sure to increase the cook time.  Also, I might still keep it at one pound of ground beef and double the rest of the ingredients.

Keywords: calico beans recipe, calico beans, calico baked beans

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cleverlysimple on Instagram and hashtag it #cleverlysimple

 

« Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
Life At Our Farmhouse (January 2019) »

About Lynette

Lynette is the home cook, recipe tester and photographer for Cleverly Simple which she created in 2010.  Most of her recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from her great-grandma, grandmother, and mother.

Lynette’s recipes and projects have been featured in Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and others.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. J. Harshfield

    June 24, 2020 at 4:48 am

    I’ve made this with black beans and 1/4 cup of liquid smoke

    Reply
    • Lynette

      July 07, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      Yum! The liquid smoke would be great in this!

      Reply
  2. Angela

    January 28, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Do you have nutritional information for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Lynette

      January 28, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      Hi! Yes. It’s within the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Are you able to see it?

      Reply
      • Donna I Laybourn

        July 04, 2021 at 8:56 am

        Recipe card hooked my attention immediately, I
        wanted to be a part of your family. Your Calico Beans recipe is a family holiday stable in our family also.

        Reply

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Lynette Rice head shotHi, I’m Lynette. My desire is to help women who feel uninspired weave time honored recipes into their routines to create a sense of simplicity. Most of my recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from my great-grandma, grandmother and mother. And I want to share them with you.  Learn more.

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