Craving Beans

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Craving Beans is a down-home dish that mixes baked beans with slices of hot dogs. It’s a simple, hearty meal that’s perfect for when you’re craving something comforting and easy to whip up.

craving beans

Craving Beans is the perfect comfort food that takes you right back to childhood. This easy dish mixes baked beans with juicy hot dog slices for a hearty meal that’s quick to whip up and always satisfying. It’s great for feeding the family or making a simple weeknight dinner.

What makes Craving Beans so special is how simple and tasty it is. The beans soak up all the flavors from the hot dogs, creating a savory and slightly sweet combo that’s just delicious. Plus, it’s super easy to make—just throw everything in a pot, let it simmer, and you’re done. This dish is more than just food; it’s a nostalgic reminder of home and comfort in every bite.

What You’ll Need to Make Craving Beans:

ingredients for craving beans

Recipe Ingredients:

  • Baked Beans*
  • Kidney Beans
  • Butter Beans
  • Weenies
  • Onion
  • Yellow Mustard (yes, it must must must be yellow, if you ask about Dijon or Spicy Brown I’m gonna throw a weenie slice at you) 😉
  • Ketchup
  • Brown Sugar
  • Salt, and Pepper

*In the recipe below, you’ll notice that you don’t have to stick to one certain size of baked beans. 

How to Make Craving Beans:

put all the ingredients in a pot

Put everything in a 5-6 quart slow cooker or dutch oven

stir the ingredients together

…stir them together…

let them simmer together

…and let that sit and simmer on medium heat, uncovered, for about 30 minutes until thick.

craving beans

And there you have it! The most delicious, easy recipe ever! 

craving beans with cornbread

Serve warm in a bowl with some cornbread and you have an amazing, easy meal that you will crave! Delicious!

Commonly Asked Questions about Craving Beans:

Can I use any type of beans? While baked beans are the traditional choice, you can experiment with other beans like navy beans or kidney beans for a different flavor and texture.

Do I need to cook the hot dogs beforehand? No need to cook the hot dogs beforehand. Just slice them up and toss them in with the beans. They’ll cook through as the dish simmers.

Can I add other ingredients? Absolutely! Feel free to add ingredients like onions, bell peppers, or even a bit of barbecue sauce to give the dish extra flavor.

How long does it take to make Craving Beans? It’s a quick dish that takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare and cook, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Can I use a crock pot to make Craving Beans? Yes! Just add all the ingredients to the crock pot, cover it and cook until it’s bubbly and thick, usually 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

Can I make Craving Beans ahead of time? Yes, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to three days. Just reheat it on the stove or in the microwave before serving.

What should I serve with Craving Beans? Craving Beans pairs well with cornbread, a simple green salad, or even over rice for a more filling meal.

Is this dish kid-friendly? Definitely! Kids usually love the combination of beans and hot dogs, making it a family-friendly meal option.

Can I make a vegetarian version? Sure thing! Just swap out the hot dogs for a vegetarian alternative or leave them out altogether and add more veggies or some smoked tofu for flavor.

How can I store leftovers? Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for about 3 days, and you can reheat them on the stove or in the microwave.

craving beans

Craving Beans

Craving Beans are an easy, well rounded dish that people would just about kill for. Read the story and you will understand why 🙂
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beans
Servings: 4 -6 as a main dish, 8-10 as a side dish
Calories: 114kcal

Ingredients

  • 16-28 ounce can Baked Beans with liquid
  • 15 ounce can Kidney Beans with liquid
  • 15 ounce can Butter Beans with liquid
  • 2-4 Weenies sliced into small rounds
  • 1 Onion chopped
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of Yellow Mustard
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a 5-6 quart slow cooker or Dutch oven and stir until well combined.

If using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot)

  • Cover and cook until thick and bubbly, 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.

If using a Dutch Oven

  • Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thick, about thirty minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

You’ll also like these recipes with beans:

Red Beans and Rice Recipe Louisiana Style from Hello Fresh

Shortcut Senate Bean Soup

Cheesy Beef & Bean Burritos (Freezer recipe!)

Creamed Beans and Taters

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118 Comments

  1. Thanks for the not funny, funny story, will be trying theses beans soon. Wishing you and your family a HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

    1. I also have a bean recipe that calls for browned ground beef. It’s from a fundraising cookbook and the beans are called Best in the West Beans, which is funny because we’re in Pennsylvania!

  2. Hey, Christy, thanks for the recipe….can’t wait to try it. Thanks for posting before the 4th! Question, can these be frozen? thanks in advance!

    1. They’ve never lasted that long at my house, however, I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t be frozen. The trick would be in how you thaw them out. You’d want a slow thaw rather than trying to heat them from frozen on the stovetop while stirring and such, because that would moosh up the beans. So if you can take the time to let them thaw in your fridge a day or two, I think you’d be good 🙂

  3. One of my son-in-loves fixes something real close to these, we just call them “Bobby’s beans.” ;o) we have one real picky eater who used to request these for every family gathering. otherwise that child only ate peanut butter and syrup sandwiches on white bread and chicken nuggets. I have no idea how he managed to grow up into a big old strapping teenager!

    1. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the recipe for ‘Craving Beans’.It is almost exactly like the recipe I use ,which was adapted from my Moms’s go to dish.The only difference is dash of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 c. of molasses.My picky eater adult son wants me to make these to take to his UTV races,so we call them ‘Racin’ Beans.Love your recipes and Blog.

  4. These are also great with kielbossa sliced into coins instead instead of weenies. I also use chopped bell pepper and a “glub ” of vinegar. Give me a slice of homemade bread and that is a meal.

    1. I really like Kielbasa. Have you noticed how affordable it is in some places lately? I’ve been able to pick up some good deals and use it as the main meat in several of our meals. I agree on the bread (and vinegar) too! Love both!

      1. Christie, I really like kielbasa too. When it’s on sale, I usually buy a couple and freeze them. I used to slice the kielbasa on the bias and saute it with onions and sauerkraut, and serve it on a roll until I found your recipe for the “Banjo Pickers” sandwiches. We love them and I make them often! In fact, I had them on the menu for next week, but I think I’ll have to try this new recipe with the hotdogs and beans first.

  5. Wow, these look delicious! Seems like a complete meal by itself too; maybe serve over rice if you really need to with a vegetable on the side?

      1. I made these beans and loved them. Will make again but with less brown sugar, a little to sweet for me.
        Christy, love your recipes!

    1. I have been making these beans for over 30 yrs, the only
      difference is I make them with a lb of bacon not hotdogs.

        1. I, too, have been making these beans for a while. Our family call them Cowboy Beans. I use all the same ingredients you have listed but I also include chopped green chiles (in a can from the Mexican food section), chopped bacon along with smoked sausage, but I also add a 1/4 cup honey, and heaping tablespoon of what ever type barbeque sauce I might have in my fridge, usually Sweet Baby Ray’s original. I bake in the oven for 1 hour at 350 covered with foil. I get raving compliments and my family always bring take home containers almost fighting over the left overs and who gets to take more home than the other.

        2. These are definitely DELICIOUS BEANS!! I’ve also been making these beans (same basic recipe) for a couple of years now – – and they DEFINITELY ARE ADDICTIVE!!! I also use 1/2 lb – 1 lb bacon instead of the weinies (although I may have to try it with the weinies – LOVE me some hot dogs!!), and I also usually make them in the over at 350 for 1 hr; Would be MUCH more convenient in the crock pot, though! Thanks Christy for a wonderful recipe website and for a couple of cool new ideas for an old recipe!!! 🙂

    2. I love your site so glad I found it, ironically the baked bean recipe is almost identical to my bean bake recipe i made up years ago slow cooked is great but ohhh so much better baked in the oven we love the texture and serve it over rice for a special dinner and i add up to 5 beans chick peas and pintos or black beans or black eye peas and our secret ingredient black strap molasses everyone requests these beans for every function known to man, thank you for sharing

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