Sweet, tangy, smoky, and hearty, BBQ Beans with Beef is a quick stovetop dinner made with ground beef, canned beans, barbecue sauce, chili sauce, and simple pantry seasonings. It is the kind of easy ground beef and beans recipe that works well on a busy weeknight because it comes together in about 30 minutes and uses ingredients that are easy to keep on hand.
This dish has the comfort of baked beans with beef, but it does not need a long bake time. Everything cooks together in one large skillet or pot, making cleanup simple. The barbecue sauce and grape jelly add sweetness, the chili sauce gives the beans a tangy tomato flavor, and a small amount of liquid smoke brings in that backyard barbecue taste without needing a grill.
Serve these BBQ beef and beans over white rice for a filling meal, or pair them with a crisp salad and hot, buttered cornbread with whole corn for a complete family dinner.
Ingredients
This easy BBQ beans with ground beef recipe uses a short list of practical ingredients. Canned beans keep the recipe fast, while the combination of sauces creates a thick, flavorful coating that tastes like it simmered much longer than it did.
- Ground beef
- Chopped onion
- Barbecue sauce
- Chili sauce, such as Heinz-style chili sauce
- Canned black beans
- Canned red or pink beans
- Canned dark red kidney beans
- Worcestershire sauce
- Liquid smoke
- Grape jelly
- Tomato paste
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic salt
- Sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
The full recipe card below includes exact measurements, cook time, serving size, and nutrition information.
Instructions
If you keep cooked ground beef and onion in the freezer, this recipe becomes even faster. Simply thaw or warm the prepared beef and onion, then continue with the sauce and beans. It is a helpful shortcut for reducing mess and getting dinner on the table quickly.
If you are starting from scratch, place the ground beef and chopped onion in a large pot or extra-large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the beef is fully browned and the onion is tender. Break the meat apart as it cooks so it mixes evenly with the beans later. Drain off excess grease if needed.
Add the chili sauce, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, and grape jelly to the browned beef and onion. Stir gently as the mixture heats. The grape jelly will melt into the sauce, helping create a glossy, sweet-and-tangy base for the beans.
Drain and rinse the black beans, red or pink beans, and dark red kidney beans. Add them to the pan with the beef mixture. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix carefully so the beans stay mostly intact, then let everything simmer for 20 minutes. This short simmer gives the sauce time to thicken and allows the flavors to blend.
Serve the BBQ beef and beans hot over white rice or alongside cornbread. For a fresh finish, garnish with sliced green onions or chopped parsley if desired.
Variations
- Spicy. For a hotter version, add Sriracha sauce or use a spicy chili sauce instead of the Heinz-style chili sauce. You can also cook one or two chopped jalapeños with the ground beef and onion, then garnish the finished dish with crispy jalapeños.
- Vegetarian. Replace the ground beef with plant-based ground meat or use two additional cans of beans. You can use more of the same beans or add pinto beans, chili beans, or cannellini beans.
- Pinto beans. Pinto beans work well in this easy stovetop beans recipe. Baked beans can also be used, but because they are already sweetened, you may want to reduce the grape jelly and barbecue sauce.
FAQ
What meat goes well with beans?
Ground beef works especially well in beef and beans recipes because it cooks quickly and blends easily with the sauce. Top round steak can also be used. If using steak, cut it into ½-inch cubes, brown it first, and then continue with the recipe.
What are good sides to go with beans?
These chuck wagon-style beef and beans are delicious with rice or cornbread. A simple side salad adds freshness and turns the dish into a complete meal.
What can you replace ground beef with?
For a vegetarian version, replace the ground beef with plant-based ground meat or add two more cans of beans. Pinto beans, chili beans, cannellini beans, or extra black, red, or kidney beans can all be used.
What is Chuck Wagon Beef and Beans?
A chuck wagon was a covered wagon used as a field kitchen by cowboys and settlers traveling across the plains. Common food staples included items that stored well, such as salted beef, beans, molasses, and coffee. A nineteenth-century chuck wagon stew would not usually have included fresh ingredients unless they were gathered along the trail. It would likely have relied on salted meat and dried beans and may have been served with sourdough biscuits.
This BBQ Beans with Beef recipe is not an authentic chuck wagon recipe. It is a quicker, modern version made easier with canned beans and bottled sauces.
Recipe
BBQ Beans with Beef (30 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 18 ounces barbecue sauce
- 12 ounces chili sauce, such as Heinz-style chili sauce
- 15.5 ounces black beans, canned
- 15.5 ounces red or pink beans, canned
- 15.5 ounces dark red kidney beans, canned
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ¼ cup grape jelly
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
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Chop the onion.
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Cook the ground beef and onion together in a large pot or extra-large skillet until the beef is browned and the onion is tender.
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Drain off excess grease if necessary.
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Add the chili sauce, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, and grape jelly.
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Heat while stirring gently until the jelly melts and the sauce is smooth and well combined.
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Drain and rinse the black beans, red or pink beans, and dark red kidney beans. Add them to the pan.
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Season with Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
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Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes.
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Serve over white rice or with cornbread. Garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition per serving
Carbohydrates: 80 g
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 2255 mg
Fiber: 13 g
Sugar: 37 g
Net Carbohydrates: 57 g