Sweet and Spicy Cola Pineapple Baked Beans

Baked beans are great for a holiday party pot luck item, a picnic bring-a-long, or even for a backyard barbeque. Baked beans can be made with any beans, with white beans, navy beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans being the most popular. Make this as spicy as you like it by adding fresh jalapenos and different hot sauces. You can also make the dish extra smoky by using canned chipotle chiles and smoked bacon in the recipe.

This recipe is both fun and tasty, and is easily customizable using your favorite beans and other ingredients. The regular cola soft drink helps to give it sweetness without the addition of added sugar. See the variations at the end for all the ways to make this recipe different. This recipe makes enough for about 6 people.

Sweet and Spicy Cola Pineapple Baked Beans

Ingredients for Recipe:

- 6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 12-oz. can of regular cola soft drink (not diet sodas)
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 1/2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
- 1/2 to 1 tsp Tabasco sauce, or other favorite hot sauce (optional)
- 1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 12 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

Procedure for Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub a little oil on the inside of a oven proof casserole dish.

Cook the chopped up bacon and the diced onion in a frying pan until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon and cooked onions to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve them for later.

In a mixing bowl, stir the beans, tomato paste, and crushed pineapple. Add the mustard, and hot sauce, if using. Pour the canned cola soft drink and stir to combine.

Transfer the bean mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

Bake until the baked beans are hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Variations to the Recipe:

Add in a canned chipotle chile, chopped up, for extra smoky and spicy flavors. Use a little bit of the drained liquid and stir into the bean mixture before baking.

Use smoked bacon or regular ham in place of the thick-cut sliced bacon.

Add in diced green or red sweet bell peppers to the bacon and onion mixture for a little color to the finished dish.

Use canned tidbits of pineapple in place of the canned crushed pineapple, or use chopped up fresh pineapple.

Substitute black beans or white beans for the pinto and red kidney beans.