Slow Cooker Baked Bean Macaroni

Slow Cooker Baked Bean Macaroni

This is one of those recipes you do because it’s quick and easy and because it reminds you of home. Somehow this Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Baked Bean Macaroni is both. It’s not fancy and it doesn’t try to impress the crowd with a long list of ingredients. Instead, it takes three basic pantry ingredients and turns them into a meal that feels homey, familiar and unbelievably satisfying.

I remember when this recipe first found its way into my kitchen. It was a rainy Saturday, and the grocery shopping had been postponed until the next day. I stood in front of the pantry hoping for inspiration for dinner. There were two cans of baked beans on the shelf waiting to be used, a box of elbow macaroni was behind them and there was a package of smoked sausage in the refrigerator that had to be used.

I didn’t think those ingredients would work together at first. I cut up the sausage, dumped everything in the slow cooker and crossed my fingers.

The house was quiet for a while but then about half way through the afternoon the smell started drifting from the kitchen. It wasn’t the scent of an elaborate roast or pot of homemade soup. It smelled like backyard cookouts and church picnics and family reunions all at once.

My husband was the first to wander into the kitchen. “What are you cooking?” he asked. “Honestly, I didn’t know a few hours ago,” I laughed. By dinner time everyone was already gathered around the table before I even called them to the table. That’s usually how I know if a recipe is worth keeping.

The baked beans were now a thick sweet and savory sauce. The sausage was smoky and complemented the sweetness perfectly, and the macaroni soaked up every bit of that rich sauce. There were no leftovers that night.

This recipe has since become one of those go-to dinners when life gets busy. It’s cheap and filling and requires very little effort. Sometimes those are the meals we need most.

If you’re looking for easy slow cooker recipes, cheap family dinners, cheap meal ideas, comfort food recipes, easy pasta dinners, or meal prep recipes, this simple meal should be in your recipe repertoire.

Why you should make this recipe

• Some recipes have you spend an hour chopping vegetables before you even get to the cooking part.
• This one doesn’t.
• “Spend a few minutes putting everything together, and then it just cooks away quietly in the slow cooker.”
• That’s one of my favorite things about slow cooker dinners. They give you your night.
• If you’re helping with homework, getting work done, or just enjoying a quiet afternoon, dinner will keep cooking without constant attention.
• Even better, the ingredients list stays wonderfully short.
• That means fewer trips to the grocery store, less prep work, and fewer dishes to wash when it’s all done.

Ingredients:

You will only need three ingredients.

• 2 (28-oz.) cans baked beans
• 12 oz smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
• 2 cups macaroni elbows

The most memorable meals often come from the simplest ingredients.

How to Do It

• Add the baked beans to your slow cooker.
• Add the sliced smoked sausage and stir.
• Place lid on and cook on Low for about 3 hours.
• Add uncooked elbow macaroni about 30 minutes before serving.
• Cover again and continue cooking until pasta is tender.
• stir everything well before serving.
• If the mix is too thick for you, just add a splash of hot chicken broth or water until you have the consistency you want.

Things I’ve Learned

• Don’t rush the mac.
• Adding it near the end keeps it tender without getting too soft.
• And I’ve found that smoked sausage makes all the difference. Choose kielbasa, beef sausage or turkey sausage and that smoky flavor makes the baked beans much richer than you would expect.

What a difference one ingredient can make!

What we usually serve it with

• This dish is already a whole meal itself but still I like to add something fresh to the table.
• Coleslaw provides a cool, crisp contrast.
• A simple green salad is also very good.
• Fresh corn on the cob is a great match with the smoky beans and pasta, especially in the summer.
• And if someone brings homemade cornbread, there will be lots of happy sighs around the table.
• There is just something about warm cornbread and baked beans that works.

Simple Ways to Change It

• I have made this recipe more times than I can count and I have started to change it to what I have in the fridge.
• Sometimes I’ll add shredded cheddar cheese right before serving.
• On other nights, I’ll toss in some diced bell peppers in the last hour of cooking.
• A sprinkle of chili flakes adds a little heat to the dish, and chopped parsley brightens the finished bowl.
• These little tweaks keep an old favorite from becoming the same old thing.

Leftovers Don’t Stick Around

1. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they reheat beautifully.
2. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
3. The next day the sauce is even richer, as the macaroni has absorbed all those smoky flavors overnight.
4. I usually add a splash of broth when I reheat it and it tastes almost as good as the first evening.
5. Sometimes I think it’s even better.

Concluding Thoughts

Some recipes become permanent fixtures in your kitchen because they’re reliable. Some stay because they’re a reminder that you don’t have to complicate things to make them great. This Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Baked Bean Macaroni does both!

You can create a satisfying, comforting and affordable meal with just three simple ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights. This recipe won’t disappoint if you are feeding a hungry family, trying to make your grocery budget stretch even further, or just looking for an easy slow cooker dinner.

So next time your pantry looks a little sparse, don’t forget about those everyday staples. They could be the dinner everyone asks for again next week.