Vegetarian Boston-Style Baked Beans
Try this Vegetarian Boston-Style Baked Beans recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Vegetarian Boston-Style Baked Beans recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups great northern or navy beans soaked overnight
- 1 large onion chopped fine
- 1 carrot, chopped fine
- 1 celery stalk chopped fine
- 1 apple, peeled cored and chopped fine
- 4-6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- Carbohydrate 257.592368609486 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 8.7254318795772 g
- Fiber 6.56928748636538 g
- Protein 5.9216787514981 g
- Saturated Fat 1.20504137555836 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (527g)
- Sodium 332.492938055716 mg
- Sugar 251.02308112312 g
- Trans Fat 0.434015812633473 g
- Calories 1087 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat a large heavy-duty pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the oil and heat until it begins to simmer then add the onions, celery, carrots and apple.
- Cook until the onions are translucent, about five minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking combine the molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, cloves, bay leaf, mustard powder, whole-grain mustard and vinegar in a small bowl.
- Add the molasses mixture once the vegetables are soft.
- Add three cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the beans to the pot, return to a boil and seal with a piece of foil then the lid (for a tighter fit).
- Place the baking dish in the oven.
- Cook for 4-6 hours.
- Once an hour check the beans, stir and add water one cup as a time as needed.
- After three hours dissolve 2 teaspoons of salt in a few tablespoons of water.
- Stir in the salt water and return to the oven until tender.
- The finished beans should be a rich brownish-red in color and very tender.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the type of bean you use; about 4 hours for navy beans and 6 hours for the larger great northern bean.
Unlike quick-simmered chili, proper Boston-style beans require a long, unhurried baking cycle to break down complex starches without dissolving the legumes into mush. Traditional versions relied on salt pork for richness, but building depth without animal fat requires a specific sequence of aromatics and a balanced braising liquid. Finely dicing the mirepoix ensures the vegetables practically melt into the sauce during the initial five-minute sauté.
Dry beans demand respect for hydration timelines. Soaking Great Northern or navy beans overnight allows the cellular walls to absorb water evenly, preventing split skins during the four-to-six-hour oven phase. Maintain an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit inside a heavy Dutch oven sealed tightly with foil under the lid. This traps steam and prevents the top layer from drying into a crust too early in the process. Monitoring the liquid every sixty minutes is essential. Add fresh water one cup at a time only when the level drops below the bean line. Salting too early toughens legume skins, which explains why the recipe introduces the dissolved salt solution only after the three-hour mark once the structural integrity of the bean softens.
Apple cider vinegar and whole-grain mustard cut through the heavy sweetness of molasses and brown sugar. If you prefer a sharper profile, substitute the apple cider vinegar with malt vinegar at a one-to-one ratio.
