Delicious Pairings: 8 BEST Side Dishes for Baked Beans

If you love baked beans and want to cook them at home, here’s an easy recipe for the classic version of this dish.

They’re not only inexpensive but also very filling.

Flavorful and tart with spice, these baked beans are great when served over toast or even plain white or brown rice.

You can add chopped or minced onion and even bacon bits if you like.

For a spicier version, add hot sauce or cayenne pepper (remember to adjust the quantity depending on how spicy you like your food).

Remember that the longer you cook baked beans, the more flavor and aroma they will have.

If you want them extra-rich and tasty, try cooking them overnight on a slow or even pressure cooker.

Baked beans are also delicious with steamed vegetables.

You can include all kinds of veggies like fresh corn, steamed broccoli, green beans, and others.

Baked beans go well with crisp-tender stir-fried veggies like carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, and celery for a healthier alternative to fried food.

If you want to make some great side dishes for your baked beans, here are eight ideas for you.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Baked Beans?

If you are tired of serving your baked beans with traditional foods like hot dogs or hamburgers, consider some more out-of-the-box side dishes.

Everyone loves baked beans, but it can be fun to shake things up a bit every once in a while.

Trying something new can help create excitement and spark conversation.

Why not serve baked beans with a side of seaweed fries? The sweet and salty flavors complement each other very well – it’s like sushi, but in french fry form.

You can even make multiple different types of dipping sauce to give your guests some options.

Another reason to consider serving side dishes with beans is that they are delicious.

For example, why not try baked beans with bacon bits? It’s like eating bacon-wrapped scallops without the hassle of having to dip each piece individually in batter and fry it first.

For those who want a healthier option, you can also serve baked beans alongside some fresh fruit.

Mango is a great option because it tastes great with baked beans and complements other items on the menu.

Baked beans are one of the most popular choices when it comes to selecting side dishes for your casual family barbecue, but you can certainly impress your guests and help them break out of their food rut by serving baked beans with a side of seaweed fries.

The sweet and salty flavors complement each other very well – it’s like sushi, but in french fry form.

You can even make multiple different types of dipping sauce to give your guests some options.

What to Serve with Baked Beans? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Here are the top 8 side dishes to serve with baked beans to help take your barbecue to the next level.

1 – Bacon Bits

Bacon bits are tasty little morsels of salty goodness.

They can be made easily in your kitchen or ordered at many local restaurants.

They go great with baked beans because they’re a savory side that your guests can sink their teeth into.

You can always top your bacon bits off with some Parmesan cheese as well.

That way, you’ll get the saltiness of the bacon and the rich cheesy goodness of Parmesan all in one bite.

These are crispy, delicious, and packed full of protein to help your guests feel full for hours.

The perfect side dish to put out at a casual get-together to keep everyone feeling good and satisfied.

2 – Fruit Salad

Many people love the taste of baked beans, but sometimes they can get tired of it after a while.

This is especially true if you serve them with the same thing every time.

Fruit salad is great because everyone loves it and it’s also really healthy.

It’s a great way to balance out the saltiness of the baked beans so that your guests don’t feel weighed down after their meal is over.

Make sure you cut up all your fruit beforehand to make it easier to serve everyone else.

People love the sweet juices that come through when they eat the fruit too.

It adds another layer of flavor to your baked beans that your guests are going to love.

3 – Vegetable Tray with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Another side dish option is a vegetable tray.

This one works especially well if you like serving meat at your barbecue because it helps give vegetarians something to eat.

This way, all of your guests can enjoy some fruits and vegetables with their meal.

They’re healthy, and they add a satisfying crunch to your barbecue that guests will love.

The veggies also pair well with the baked beans because of how fresh they taste.

It’s like having a salad, but without all of the hassle.

Pack carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and cucumber slices in a large bowl.

Mix ranch dressing into the bowl so that all of your veggies are evenly coated.

The mixture should be about a 50/50 ratio of dressing to vegetables.

You can also use your taste to determine how much dressing you want to add.

4 – Baked Potato Bar

Baked potatoes are another great side to serve with baked beans because they’re not only filling but delicious too.

They also go great with barbecue sauce and hamburgers.

You can offer up toppings at your baked potato bar for guests to choose from, so you can push even more variety onto the table.

Offer up shredded cheese, bacon bits, chives, sour cream, and whatever other items your guests might like to throw on top of their potatoes.

They’re crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, so guests will never want to stop eating them once they’ve started.

5 – Poutine

Poutine is classic comfort food that all of your guests are bound to love.

It’s easy to make and versatile too.

You can put practically anything on top of it, which makes it perfect for parties where you might not know everyone’s tastes right off the bat.

It works well with barbecue since it adds even more saltiness to your dishes.

Poutine can be made in various ways, but they all use crispy french fries as a base, so it naturally goes very well with baked beans.

Bake your fries until they are crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.

Top your fries with barbecue sauce, baked beans, shredded cheese, sour cream, chives, bacon bits.

Whatever you want.

Add another layer of flavor to your poutine by using different sauces like hot sauce or mustard instead of traditional barbecue sauce.

6 – Onion Rings

Another delicious side dish option is onion rings.

They are crispy on the outside but soft and delicious on the inside.

They are also an inexpensive side to make, especially if you do it yourself instead of buying premade ones at a store.

At your next barbecue, offer up your onion rings with your baked beans for an amazing combination that all of your guests will love.

They’re a crispy, salty snack that goes well with everything else you have on the table too.

Just make sure you get your batter right when coating your onion rings in breadcrumbs or batter before frying them.

This will add another element of flavor to an already amazing side dish.

7 – Chips and Dip

Sometimes what you need is a dip.

This will help soak up any excess juices from your barbecue meats and make for great snacking material while you chat with friends.

Nothing tastes better than a good potato chip dipped in either salsa or guacamole.

Make sure to choose a strong enough flavor to cut through the meatier taste of the baked beans, though.

You can also make your homemade chips and dip if you want to add even more variety to your barbecue spread.

Everyone loves freshly made foods.

8 – Corn on the Cob

Last but not least, corn is a great side dish that goes well with baked beans because of its natural sweetness and crunchy texture.

Here are some quick tips to make sure your corn on the cob is flavorful and fresh.

First, start by husking off the outer layer of leaves, then removing any excess silk.

Once you have shucked all of your corn, place it in a large pot full of cold salted water so that the corn is completely submerged.

Leave it to soak for at least 10 minutes, then pull it out of the water and place it on a hot grill.

Serve your corn with salt, pepper, butter, cilantro, or parsley.

Conclusion

There are tons of different things you can do for sides that will go great with baked beans.

The best part is that they are all easy to make and impress all of your guests simultaneously.

It is important to make sure you know what your guests like, though.

If they make it known that they do not like onions or spicy food, avoid those options for them when considering what to serve with baked beans at your next barbecue.

Happy grilling.

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