Homemade Baked Beans

Difficulty: Easy

Serves 4

I bloody love a good baked bean so I don’t know why I’d never made them before now. I guess it was probably the prep time required for the beans but when you taste these babies you’ll realise why they’re worth the wait! They taste damn fine on their lonesome but would make a great accompaniment to a big vegan weekend breakfast. Melt a little cheese on top too if you want to make them extra tasty.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried navy beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 can crushed tinned tomatoes
• 1 beef style stock cube
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak the navy beans in water overnight. Bring to the boil and cook until just soft enough, they should still have a bit of bite.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease either small ramekins or a large dish.
3. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil before adding the onion and garlic.
4. After the onion becomes translucent, add the beans and tinned tomatoes.
5. Crumble the stock cube into the mixture and add the tomato paste, molasses, sugar, dried herbs, salt and pepper.
6. Cook for a few minutes before transferring to the baking dish.
7. Allow to cook in the oven for 50 minutes. If you’re going to add cheese, do it at the 40 minute mark.
8. Serve immediately.