• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian British Recipes

    Feb 15, 2020 · Modified: Sep 17, 2021 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

    Homemade Vegetarian Baked Beans

    1.1K shares
    • Share54
    • Tweet
    Total time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    5 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    Baked beans are a British staple! Try these homemade vegetarian baked beans for a gourmet version - made in just 15 minutes.

    Homemade baked beans on buttered toast.

    We Brits are known for eating stuff on toast. There's nothing that can't be improved by serving it on a slice of crispy, buttery toasted bread! Mushrooms on toast, cheese on toast, and of course, best of all - baked beans on toast.

    For a really special version, try these homemade vegetarian baked beans - they're quick and easy to make, and they make an utterly delicious breakfast or lunch.

    Homemade vegetarian baked beans on buttered toast topped with parsley.

    What are British baked beans like?

    I know some non-Brits find it really strange that we eat baked beans on toast - but if pretty much everyone in the UK agrees that baked beans are awesome, it must be true.

    As far as I'm aware, British baked beans are nothing like the American version. American baked beans are very sweet in a rich, dark sauce, whereas British baked beans are much lighter and more tomatoey, and nowhere near as sweet.

    These homemade baked beans aren't quite like the kind we buy in tins here - don't be expecting that they're a perfect replica of Heinz or Branston beans! Those are amazing in their own right, but these are gourmet baked beans, in a thick tomato sauce with heaps of flavour.

    Homemade vegan baked beans served on two slices of buttered toast.

    Rich tomato sauce

    The recipe starts by cooking off some onion and garlic, then adding a few tasty ingredients that give the tomato sauce its beautiful flavour - smoked paprika, soy sauce, dried herbs, even a little sprinkle of sugar.

    The sauce ends up being the perfect balance of smoky, salty and sweet - much richer than the canned version!

    Onions and tomato puree cooking in a small saucepan.

    What beans should I use for homemade baked beans?

    Then, just add some passata (tomato sauce) and some beans. I used cannellini beans, but baked beans you'd buy in a tin are made with haricot beans - so just use whatever you fancy.

    Leave the beans to simmer for a while until they're piping hot. The whole recipe only takes about 15 minutes in total, so it's a really quick meal - not actually that much longer than opening a tin! And so much more satisfying.

    Homemade vegetarian baked beans cooking in a saucepan.

    How to use baked beans

    We Brits usually eat our baked beans in a few different ways:

    • on toast (sometimes with a bit of grated cheese on top)
    • as part of a (vegetarian!) full English breakfast
    • as a topping for a jacket potato
    • as a side dish, especially with veggie sausages and chips!

    Of course, you're not limited to just these ideas - baked beans are also great inside a toasted sandwich, used as an ingredient in bean soups and bean stews, stirred through cheesy pasta with beans, and much more... I use them alllll the time.

    Two slices of toast topped with homemade baked beans.

    Homemade baked beans on toast

    If you do opt to serve your baked beans on toast, they make a great light meal.

    I usually serve beans on toast for lunch, as it's a bit more than I usually eat for breakfast, but plenty of people prefer beans on toast for breakfast.

    Feel free to add some breakfasty extras on the side - a fried egg, some sliced avocado, grilled tomato, fried mushrooms... all British breakfast staples!

    Two slices of toast with homemade baked beans.

    How can I adapt this recipe?

    I feel like this entire blog post is just me giving you a thousand different ways to serve these baked beans - but I'm not going to stop just yet.

    Feel free to adapt the recipe however you fancy - it's the sort of thing you can pretty much throw anything into, and it will be great:

    • add some Indian spices for curried baked beans (maybe served in chapattis instead of on toast!)
    • or add TexMex spices for chilli-inspired baked beans to wrap up in a tortilla
    • swap the cannellini beans for black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, or whatever else you have on hand
    • add a dollop of BBQ sauce for a deeper flavour

    Whatever you decide to do with the recipe, and however you choose to serve your homemade vegetarian baked beans, they'll never fail to satisfy.

    A fork taking a scoop of homemade baked beans on toast.

    Homemade vegetarian baked beans

    Baked beans are a British staple! Try these homemade vegetarian baked beans for a gourmet version - made in just 15 minutes.

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • ½ onion (or 1 small onion), finely diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
    • ½ tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • Salt
    • Black pepper
    • 400 g tin cannellini beans or haricot beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 125 ml (~ ½ cup) passata or tomato sauce

    Instructions

    • Heat a dash of oil in a small saucepan, and add the diced onion and garlic. Cook over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the tomato puree, soy sauce, sugar, smoked paprika, and dried thyme, as well as a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and mix well. Cook for another couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
    • Next add the drained cannellini beans and passata, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 more minutes (or a little longer, if preferred), and serve hot. I garnished mine with a little parsley.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 230 kcal - Carbohydrates: 31.1 g - Protein: 9 g - Fat: 7.8 g - Saturated Fat: 1.1 g - Cholesterol: 0 mg - Sodium: 309 mg - Potassium: 443 mg - Fiber: 8.6 g - Sugar: 4 g - Calcium: 44 mg - Iron: 2 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

    More Vegetarian British Recipes

    • Perfect Welsh Rarebit
    • A portion of vegetarian shepherd's pie on a plate served with fresh arugula.
      Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
    • Honey Roasted Parsnip Soup
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    1.1K shares
    • Share54
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. thapelo kooreng says

      February 18, 2020 at 6:59 am

      Nice dish5 stars

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • Creamy spinach dip in a bowl.
      Cold Spinach Dip (with Greek Yogurt)
    • Mushroom stroganoff in a bowl with rice and parsley.
      Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Mediterranean scrambled eggs.
      Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Feta
    • Creamy mushrooms on toast, topped with fresh chives.
      Creamy Mushrooms On Toast
    • Bowl of tarka dal topped with fresh cilatro.
      Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)
    • A hand scooping creamy cowboy caviar with a tortilla chip.
      Creamy Cowboy Caviar (with Avocado Dressing)
    • Creamy Three Bean Stew
    • Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • A hand squeezing lemon juice over some roasted chickpeas and salad.
      10 Minute Lemon and Black Pepper Chickpeas
    • 15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles
    • 15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera
    • Roasted Vegetable Fattoush
    • Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
    • Sweet Potato Curry
    • Slow Cooker Ratatouille
    • Veggie Burrito Bowls

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for recipes by email

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

    1.1K shares