Apple Sage Baked Beans: A classic recipe for molasses baked beans seasoned with savoury sage and tart apples.

Apple Sage Baked Beans Recipe

Molasses baked beans with apple and sage – classic comfort food with a twist.

Baked beans were a common Saturday night supper for many employees here at Crosby’s when growing up, along with molasses brown bread.

This version of baked beans is filled with apples and seasoned with sage, which add a new dimension to the flavour and makes them especially well-suited to fall. (We got the idea to add apples from a recipe featured in East Coast Living magazine.)

If you’re using already cooked beans, 2 cups of dried beans equals 5 1/2 to 6 cups of cooked beans.

Not a fan of sage? Substitute thyme for the sage called for in the recipe.

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Apple Sage Baked Beans | Comfort Food with a Twist

Apple and Sage Baked Beans recipe: a classic recipe for molasses baked beans seasoned with savoury sage and apples.

  • Author: Crosby Molasses
  • Category: Entrees and sides

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups dried white beans (navy is my favourite)
  • 1 slice bacon (omit for vegetarian/vegan version)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 apples, peeled and cut in chunks
  • 1/2 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 12 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage (or ½1 Tbsp. dried)*
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Generous pinch of pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups water

*Can substitute thyme.

Instructions

  • Soak 2 cups of dried navy or white beans in water overnight.
  • The next day, drain the beans, put them in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Fry the bacon (if using), discard pan drippings and roughly chop.
  • Drain the beans and put them in a large ovenproof pot with a tight fitting lid, or a bean crock. Add the bacon, chopped carrot, onion and apple.
  • Mix together the molasses, maple syrup, Dijon, sage, garlic, salt, pepper and water and pour over the beans. (Add additional water, if required, so beans are just covered.).
  • Cover the pot and cook at 300 F for 4-6 hours, until tender. Stir occasionally and add water if necessary so the beans do not dry out. Take the lid off for the last hour of cooking to help the beans brown and to thicken the sauce.

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Comments

  • March 22, 2021
    reply

    Bonnie Smith

    cld. i add poultry seasoning and not sage as i do not have just sage?

  • February 10, 2019
    reply

    Ruth McAllister

    This was so delicious! I wanted to make baked beans for a potluck and a number of attendees were vegetarians. I have only made baked beans with bacon before, but I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t miss the bacon AT ALL!
    Thank you, Bridget!

    • February 13, 2019
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Ruth, Always happy to see when a baked beans fan makes a new discovery. I agree with you — I never miss the meat.

  • December 7, 2016
    reply

    LPV

    This is a lovely recipe. I made a batch and everyone loved it. The sage and apples added a nice change.
    Thanks for the recipe. :) I will be making it again.

  • October 14, 2016
    reply

    Meryl

    In your recipe for Apple Sage Baked Beans, there is no reference/directions as to when to add the sage and chopped garlic.
    Please advise, Thank you.

    • October 14, 2016
      reply

      Hi Meryl,
      My apologies that I missed some ingredients in the instructions. You can add the sage and garlic with the molasses mixture. That’s when you add the salt and pepper too. Thanks very much for letting me know that those ingredients were missing.

    • November 24, 2016
      reply

      Odette Borg

      If you look closely to the 5th dot of instruction you will read where you are to add the sage and garlic.

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