Food Ingredients Beans + Legumes Beans Sunny Turmeric-Spiced Baked Beans 5.0 (1) 1 Review Here's how to spice up baked beans for a brighter, sunnier side. By Justin Chapple Justin Chapple Justin Chapple is a chef, recipe developer, food writer, video host, and cookbook author. In addition, he is the culinary director-at-large of Food & Wine and host of their video series, Mad Genius Tips, for which he was nominated twice for a prestigious James Bead Award. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 16, 2024 Tested by Melissa Gray Tested by Melissa Gray Melissa Gray is a Recipe Developer and Food Stylist for Dotdash Meredith, working on titles such as Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, and Health. She has been cooking professionally since she was 16 years old but could always be found cooking and baking with her mom even from a young age. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 6 servings Jump to recipe A simple puree of golden tomatoes laced with turmeric and coriander is the key to this brighter take on baked beans. The turmeric adds such a beautiful color living up to its sunny name. Borlotti beans (aka cranberry beans) offer a creamy bite, guanciale adds a rich note that’s balanced by the acidity of the tomatoes, and Calabrian chiles provide warming spice. Frequently asked questions What is guanciale? Guanciale is cured pork jowl. It’s an Italian ingredient that’s most commonly used in classic Roman pasta dishes like carbonara and amatriciana. It has a salty, rich flavor that’s deeply savory. Unlike bacon, it’s not smoked. However, if you can’t find it, slab bacon can be used in its place here — just know it will lend a smoky flavor to the beans. How do you cook dried beans? Rinse the beans well, then cook them in well-salted water until tender. Adding aromatics like onion to the pot will add flavor. Save any acidic ingredients like tomatoes until after the beans have become tender (if you add acidic ingredients earlier they will cause the beans to remain tough). The Simplest, Most Delicious Way to Cook Dried Beans Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen As the baked beans sit they will thicken slightly. Pulling them from the oven earlier will result in slightly saucier beans, while cooking them for the full 40 minutes will give you slightly creamier results. Make ahead The baked beans can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 pints Sun Gold cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups) 1/4 cup honey 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 4 ounces guanciale or slab bacon, finely chopped (3/4 cup) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium-size (8-ounce) red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon) 3 to 4 (1/8-ounce) Calabrian chiles, stemmed (seeded, if desired) and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon) 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 6 cups cooked and drained borlotti or cranberry beans Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. Place tomatoes, honey, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to use. Combine guanciale and oil in a large skillet over medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onion and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to skillet; cook, stirring often, until onion is slightly softened and guanciale is beginning to brown but not yet crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, Calabrian chiles, coriander, black pepper, and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato mixture to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Add beans, and stir together until well coated. Bake in preheated oven until liquid is slightly reduced and beans are still brothy, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve. Rate It Print