How Long to Cook Baked Beans
Homemade baked beans from scratch using dried beans.
The Short Answer
In the oven at 325°F, baked beans takes 300–420 minutes. Scroll down for all cooking methods, detailed instructions, and tips from the Professor.
Cooking Methods
🔥 Oven
Temperature: 325°F
Time: 300–420 minutes
Rest: 10 minutes
After soaking and parboiling dried beans. Mix with sauce (molasses, mustard, onion, bacon) and bake covered for 4-5 hours. Uncover for the last hour to thicken.
🥘 Slow Cooker
Time: 480–600 minutes
Parboiled beans + sauce on low for 8-10 hours. The long, slow cooking is what develops the rich, deep flavor.
Baked beans from scratch take all day, but the result is incomparable to canned. If you are going to invest the time, double the batch. They freeze beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Soak dried beans overnight (or quick-soak by boiling for 2 minutes and letting sit for 1 hour). Then parboil until slightly tender before baking with the sauce.
The Bottom Line
Baked Beans is straightforward to cook when you know the time and temperature. Use the method that fits your equipment and schedule, and always let the food rest before cutting or serving. Resting allows juices to redistribute and carryover cooking to finish the job.
Source: Culinary reference | Last verified: March 19, 2026 | Our methodology