Description
A hearty side dish that combines navy beans with bold flavors of jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese, perfect for barbecues or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (300g) dry navy beans, soaked overnight
- 4 slices bacon (or smoked turkey bacon for lighter version)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 fresh jalapeños, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (100g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups (480ml) chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Rinse the dry navy beans and soak them in cold water overnight (8-12 hours).
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place them in a large pot with chicken or vegetable broth and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the beans are tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.
- Add the finely chopped onion and diced jalapeños to the bacon fat. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Combine the cooked beans, sautéed aromatics, tomato paste, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a baking dish or Dutch oven. Crumble the bacon into the mix and stir well.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the bean mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden on top.
- Let the beans cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Adjust heat level with more or fewer jalapeños. Substitute bacon with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Prep Time: 480 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 25mg