Smoky Baked Beans: A No-Added-Sugar Recipe for Memorial Day

Swap ultra-processed sauces and sugar-loaded canned beans for baked beans made with simple, whole-food ingredients to serve alongside your BBQ this weekend.

Terri Ward/The Epoch Times

These smoky baked beans will make your kitchen smell cozy and inviting this memorial day. Unfortunately, most store-bought and many homemade recipes rely on refined sugar, corn syrup, ketchup, and other ultra-processed ingredients for that sticky-sweet flavor. A small serving can hide several teaspoons of added sugar.

This homemade version takes a different route. A fire-roasted tomato base with onion, carrot, red bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika provides campfire depth. Medjool dates replace brown sugar, creating a rich, naturally sweet sauce. Bacon is optional; extra-virgin olive oil carries the flavor, while smoked paprika adds a classic smoky note.

Real-Food Ingredients, No Refined Sugar

There’s solid nutrition logic behind the comfort of baked beans. The beans provide fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and the fiber and protein promote satiety. Vegetables and herbs add antioxidants, while healthy fats support the absorption of fat-soluble compounds. Soaking the beans reduces the cooking time, improves digestibility, and reduces antinutrients, which may help the body absorb more of the minerals they contain.