Southern Ground Beef & Baked Bean Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish that’s loaded with savory ground beef, sweet baked beans, and crispy bacon on top. It’s the kind of meal that fills you up and warms you from the inside out. Every bite is rich, satisfying, and full of classic Southern flavor. It’s an easy dinner that’s perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or any time you need a crowd-pleasing comfort food fix.
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I grew up eating casseroles like this one at church suppers and family gatherings, and they always remind me of home. This recipe is simple, hearty, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The bacon on top gets perfectly crispy under the broiler, and the beans soak up all the savory flavors while they bake. It’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, and it’s always a hit with both kids and adults.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking oil spray
- Vegetable oil – Or butter. Butter makes everything better.
- Onions – Sweet onions, yellow onions, and even shallots work in this recipe.
- Lean ground beef – I like 80/20 ground beef for flavor and value.
- Baked beans – Stick to the original flavor baked beans.
- Tomatoes – I love Roma tomatoes for cooking as they have fewer seeds.
- Light brown sugar
- Dijon mustard – You can use 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder if you’re out of Dijon.
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Bacon – Regular cut, original flavor bacon. Use low-sodium bacon if you’re watching your sodium.
How to Make Southern Ground Beef & Baked Bean Casserole
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant silicone spoon until softened and translucent. If you have a food chopper or mini food processor, it makes quick work of dicing the onions evenly.
Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. A meat chopper or ground meat smasher works especially well here to create a fine, even texture. Drain off any excess fat if needed. A mesh grease strainer is helpful if your skillet is deep.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked beef and onion mixture with the baked beans, chopped tomatoes, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. An electric can opener speeds up the process of opening those bean cans, and a silicone spatula or a large spoon works perfectly for stirring everything together until well mixed. Stir everything together with a large spoon until well mixed.
Pour the mixture into your prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Arrange the bacon slices across the top in a single layer.
Cover the dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until the casserole is thick, bubbly, and heated through.
Remove the dish from the oven and carefully take off the lid or foil. Preheat your broiler to high. Place the uncovered casserole under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the bacon is crispy and browned. Be careful not to let it burn.
Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This Southern Ground Beef & Baked Bean Casserole is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a simple side salad, coleslaw, or cornbread. For a true Southern spread, serve it alongside mac and cheese or collard greens. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, barbecues, or any time you need something hearty and satisfying.
Storage Tips
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or reheat the whole dish covered in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. You can also freeze the casserole—either before or after baking—for up to 3 months. If freezing unbaked, thaw in the fridge overnight before baking as directed. If freezing baked, thaw and reheat until warmed through.
Southern Ground Beef & Baked Bean Casserole
Add Preferred SourceEquipment
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking oil spray
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large onions chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cans Boston-style baked beans
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 5 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked beef and onion mixture with the baked beans, chopped tomatoes, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Stir with a large spoon until the mixture is well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly. Lay the bacon slices across the top in a single layer.
- Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes, until thick and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and carefully remove the lid or foil. Preheat the broiler to high. Place the uncovered casserole under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely, until the bacon is crispy. Be careful not to burn it.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.