Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

This Healthy Pork and Beans recipe is a summertime classic at my house. We’ve lightened up the traditional canned version with some simple and healthy swaps that you are going to love.

Homemade pork and beans are the perfect side dish for your next potluck. It’s an easy recipe that has amazing flavor without any added brown sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious and healthy backyard BBQ recipe.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. From new home chef to experienced cook. To best serve all of my readers I like to provide a lot of helpful information. 

If you’re a confident cook and want to skip over ingredient information, cooking instructions, and recipe tips, please scroll to the bottom of the page. There you will find the recipe card with nutrition information and measurements for this healthy pork and beans recipe.

Ingredients in this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

• White beans: White beans are a nutritional powerhouse, as they’re packed with fiber and protein and a good source of numerous micronutrients, including folate, magnesium, and vitamin B6. There are several white bean options, but I typically use great northern beans for this recipe.
• Bacon: One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it uses fresh bacon, rather than pork that’s been sitting in a can for a year. Turkey bacon, while lower in fat than traditional bacon, is highly processed so there are conflicting views about if it’s really healthier than regular bacon. For the sake of this recipe I used turkey bacon, but you can definitely choose what works best for you.
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika: When choosing smoked paprika, look for a brand that is made from high-quality ingredients. Smoked paprika should be bright red in color and have a strong, smoky flavor.
• Molasses: That sweet and smoky flavor of pork and beans is a unique one that many people love, but I never loved opening a can of beans that had sugars and meat in it. The molasses in this recipe is a great way to use a natural sweetener for that deep sweetness and bbq flavor we all love in this recipe.
• Garlic powder: Pantry staples like garlic powder make this a truly easy recipe. If you’d rather use fresh garlic cloves you can absolutely do that. 
• Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that I love using in place of refined sugar. A new study shows that, in addition to it tasting delicious, it may also have benefits for cardiometabolic health.

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe on the Stove

1. First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe.
2. Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 
3. Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don’t stick. If you like thick sauce I’d leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans you can leave the top on. 
4. After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe in the Instant Pot

1. Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
3. Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes. 
4. When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

More Easy Recipes 

• Healthy Baked Beans with Ground Turkey This recipe for Homemade Baked Beans with Ground Turkey makes the best baked beans I’ve ever had! It’s got plenty of beans like kidney beans and black beans, and a tangy sauce that’s made of honey, dry mustard, apple cider vinegar, and ketchup. 
• I love making freezer staples, like these pork and beans, so that I always have healthier alternatives to prepackaged foods in my house. Some of my other favorites are cream of mushroom soup, and brown rice.
• If you’re looking for a delicious, satisfying, and spicy BBQ sauce to go with…everything… you’ll want to make this Low Carb Barbecue Sauce.
• This Instant Pot Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe is a great low carb recipe to make for your next summer BBQ.
• Easy and healthy Crack Chicken Pasta Salad in the crock pot is a creamy, cheesy pasta salad with chicken breasts and a homemade ranch dressing. It’s a perfect side dish for any summer potluck. 
• One of our favorite summer recipes are these Sweet Refrigerator Pickles. They’re perfect for burgers and are so easy!

5 from 7 ratings

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Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

Created by: Becca Ludlum

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Approximate Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Servings 4

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These homemade pork and beans are the perfect summer side dish. They’re healthier than traditional canned pork and beans, too! Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious backyard BBQ recipe. 

Equipment

• Stock Pot
• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients 

• ▢ 8 slices bacon turkey or nitrate free | cooked, but not crispy. Cut into small pieces.
• ▢ 1 can white beans 14 oz can, undrained, I used great northern beans
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 tsp molasses
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 cup honey

Instructions

Stove Top

• First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe. 8 slices bacon
• Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 1 can white beans, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp molasses, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 cup honey
• Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don't stick. If you like thick sauce I'd leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans I’d leave the top on. 
• After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened you can remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

Instant Pot

• Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
• Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes.
• When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers 

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg

Make This Recipe?

Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum