She Loves Biscotti

Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Maria
  • My Store
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

Home » Breakfast and Brunch » Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans

Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans

March 7, 2018 , Updated December 3, 2020 Maria 138 Comments

Jump to Recipe  ↓ Print Recipe  ❒

Baked beans can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or supper -throughout the year. This recipe for Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans is truly that versatile. Also provided in this recipe are cooking guidelines so that these baked beans can easily be made in your slow-cooker or oven. Make a batch of these great tasting baked beans today!

Homemade baked beans in a brown ceramic pot.

I was raised in an Italian neighborhood in Montreal – tomatoes growing in small backyard gardens, Sunday lunches lasting an entire afternoon; those sorts of things were commonplace. But growing up in Montreal also meant that I had the privilege of being exposed to so many wonderful French Canadian food traditions, such as this recipe for Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans.

Any Quebecker will tell you that baked beans, also known as fèves au lard, are an integral part of any sugar shacking experience in the spring. But these baked beans can easily be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or supper and throughout the year. They make one of the best side dishes, especially when served alongside this finger-licking recipe for Bar-B-Barn Ribs.

This easy baked beans recipe is so versatile that it can be easily adapted for your meatless Monday lineup. I have also provided you with cooking guidelines so that it can easily be made in your slow-cooker or oven.

A big bowl of baked beans.

How to make baked beans

When preparing any recipe for baked beans, you will immediately notice that the prep time is minimal when compared to the idle time and that it all starts with a good soak.

 

An overhead shot of the white beans being soaked in water.

Rinsing and soaking the beans:

Before you soak your beans, it is important to

  • rinse and sort them;
  • remove any shriveled or discolored beans and
  • remove any small rocks or debris.

With regards to the issue of soaking your dry beans, there have been different opinions as to the necessity of this activity.  In my humble opinion, providing your dry navy beans with an overnight soak will allow you to reduce the total cooking time.

Furthermore, it literally takes a couple of minutes to fill up a bowl of beans with water and leave it for an overnight soak on the counter. The overnight room temperature soak can take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. Make sure you submerge your beans by at least two inches of water as they will absorb a lot of water.

A close up of the white beans after they have been soaked.

Precooking the beans: Here’s another step which is highly debatable. Some will argue that since the beans will cook for a long period of time, this step is unnecessary. Once again, I will share the method that works for me. With that being said, I rinse and drain (again) the soaked beans. I will then place them in a pot of water where they will simmer for about 45 minutes. After which they get another rinse and are ready for the final step.

Baked beans in a slow cooker with an onion placed in the center.

Slow cooker method for baked beans: Transfer the rinsed precooked beans in your slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir together and place a whole onion in the center. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender. If the mixture appears dry, you can add some water. These crockpot baked beans can be served immediately or refrigerated and served reheated the next day. The flavor actually improves the longer they stay in the fridge.

Dutch oven method for baked beans: Preheat oven to 225°F. Once again, transfer the precooked beans to your dutch oven or a large ovenproof pot. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook for approximately 6 hours. You can remove the lid for the last 30 minutes or so in order to obtain a nice golden color. As with the slow cooker method, if the beans appear dry, make sure to add a little water.

Non-vegetarian version: I prefer to make a vegetarian version of this recipe for Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans, however, I have been known to throw in some Italian pancetta or even some Canadian smoked bacon. The final product is creamy and smokey… just perfect as a main, as a side or even to top off those potatoes!

Nutrition Note: There is nothing healthier than eating a bowl of baked beans. This low-calorie food is high in fiber, which keeps your intestines working properly; it’s also a great source of protein, which promotes healthy muscle tissue. As an added bonus, it even has a low glycemic index. There are just a few of the benefits of baked beans. Follow this link to find out more!

White bean recipes we love

  • Easy White Bean Soup
  • White Kidney Bean and Spinach Soup

A side view of a brown ceramic dish of baked beans.

Recipe origins

As I have previously mentioned, I have a very large collection of newspaper clippings from the Food section of the Montreal Gazette. I’ve adapted this recipe from one such clipping. 

Healthy Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans … the perfect side dish for your BBQ.

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

 

Ciao for now,

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this Baked Beans recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

A side view of a brown ceramic dish of baked beans.

Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans

Baked beans can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or supper -throughout the year. This recipe for Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans is truly that versatile. Also provided are cooking guidelines so that these baked beans can easily be made in your slow-cooker or oven. Make a batch of these great tasting baked beans today!
4.95 from 37 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main or Brunch
Cuisine: French-Canadian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 5 cups
Calories: 263kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry beans (navy, great Northern...) 2-1/3 cups
  • water for soaking and precooking
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste in a pinch I have substituted with ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 3 cups water for cooking
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinsing and soaking the beans:

  • Rinse and sort the beans; remove any pebbles or debris.
  • Place the beans in a large bowl.
  • Fill with water in order to submerge the beans by at least two inches of water.
  • Soak overnight (8-12 hours).

Precooking the beans:

  • The next day, transfer the drained and rinsed again beans to a large pot.
  • Re-fill with water and bring to a boil.
  • Turn down the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and rinse again.

Method for slow cooker:

  • Transfer the rinsed precooked beans in your slow cooker.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients, stir together and place the whole onion in the center.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender. If the mixture appears dry, you can add some water.

Dutch oven method:

  • Preheat oven to 225°F.
  • Once again, transfer the precooked beans in your dutch oven or a large oven proof pot.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook for approximately 6 hours.
  • Remove the lid the last 30 minutes or so in order to obtain a nice golden color. As with the slow cooker method, if the beans appear dry, make sure to add a little water.
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

These Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans can be served immediately or refrigerated and served reheated the next day.
These baked beans can also be frozen.
For a non-vegetarian version you can add about 1/2 cup of uncooked Italian pancetta or about 6 cut up slices of Canadian bacon to obtain smokey flavored baked beans.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 
*recipe adapted from food article found in The Gazette

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2.9mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

This post was originally published on April 24, 2016 and republished on March 7, 2018 with updated content and photos.

Breakfast and Brunch

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. Natalie says

    January 2, 2021 at 07:49

    5 stars
    I followed your recipe and made no alterations. So delicious! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      January 2, 2021 at 09:38

      So thrilled to read this! Thanks Natalie!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Maria

Maria headshot

Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Read More…

Subscribe and Follow

Popular Posts

Banner of sites featuring She Loves Biscotti including Buzzfeed, Huffpost, etc.

Looking for something …

Links on this blog are affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you use those links. (There’s no extra charge to you).

PRIVACY POLICY | DISCLOSURE

Copyright © 2021

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoRead more