Published: August 31, 2025
Last updated: September 3, 2025
Healthy Baked Beans Casserole with Mushrooms and Peppers (Easy + Vegetarian)
This is a one-pot recipe you will want to make for all your BBQs and cookouts. I love to make different variations of this recipe depending on what i have on hand at the time but the base is relatively the same.
I’ll even make my life even easier by using a coupld of cans of baked beans with a couple cans of regular beans to avoid making the beans completely from scratch.
I’ll show you how to make this begining to end, including how to make the baked beans, but I will tell you where you can use short cuts as well.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
No Meat – this recipe is a high protein vegetarian recipe. It can be a main dish or a side to something else.
Uncomplicated recipe – this comes together in one bowl and is baked
Whole Foods – you know all the ingredients going into this dish
Veggie Focused – this dish is loaded with fiber and nutrient-packed veggies
Fiber Packed – With 15g of protein per serving, you can feel good about hitting your daily fiber goals! Recommended fiber goals are 25-30g per day.
High Protein Side or Main – This dish has 16g of protein per serving that’s 96g of protein in the entire dish.
Not too sweet – this dish controls the amount of sweetness added to the dish. I prefer my beans on the savory side, with a hint of sweetness. Add more or less sugar to your liking.
Versatile – I love that this dish is flexible on bean variety, veggies type, herbs used, and the amount of flavors added. Bump up or tone down the heat by adjusting the jalapenos too.
Tools You’ll Need
- Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker): For cooking dried beans quickly and evenly.
- Large skillet or Dutch oven: Perfect for sautéing vegetables and building the sauce. I prefer using Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Braiser.
- Casserole dish (9×13 or similar): To bake the beans until bubbly and caramelized. (Optional)
- Chef’s knife + cutting board: For chopping onions, mushrooms, peppers, garlic, and herbs.
- Wooden spoon or spatula: For stirring beans and vegetables without scratching your pan.
- Measuring cups + spoons: To keep seasoning balanced.
- Colander: For draining cooked beans.
💡 Tip: If you’re using canned beans, you can skip the Instant Pot and colander.
💡 Tip: Use the Cast Iron Braiser for an all-in-one type recipe with less clean up!
Ingredients In This Recipe
- Beans: Use dried black, pinto, or navy beans for the best flavor and texture (cooked in the Instant Pot). If you’re short on time, canned beans are a great option, just drain and rinse before using.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add brightness when in season, while canned diced tomatoes give you consistency year-round. Either works well here.
- Fresh Aromatics: Onion and garlic provide the savory backbone of this recipe, along with natural plant compounds that support health.
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, bell peppers, and jalapeños add color, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Herbs & Spices: A bay leaf and rosemary sprig infuse the beans as they cook. Finish with salt and pepper to taste. Option to include more herbs to your liking especially as a garnish. I love cilantrol, chives, and parsley as a garnish for this dish.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing, it contributes heart-healthy fats and rich flavor. Use a different oil if you prefer. I love the algae oil by algea cooking club. It has a high smoke point and tastes oh so buttery.
Step By Step Instructions with Tips and Shortcuts
Cook the Beans (Instant Pot)
- Add rinsed black, pinto, or navy beans to the Instant Pot with a bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and 6 cups water.
- Cook on High Pressure: 25 minutes for black beans, 28 minutes for navy beans, or 30 minutes for pintos. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Drain, discard aromatics, and set beans aside.
💡 Shortcut: No time to cook beans? Use three 15-oz cans of drained and rinsed beans instead.
Sauté the Vegetables
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in mushrooms, bell peppers, and jalapeños; cook another 7–8 minutes, until tender and the mushrooms release their liquid.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
💡 Tip: Dice veggies the day before to save prep time.
Make the Sauce
- Stir in diced tomatoes (fresh or canned), ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, smoked paprika, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened and flavors meld.
- Taste and adjust: add more sugar for sweet, vinegar for tang, or jalapeño for heat.
💡 Shortcut: If you’re using canned beans, simmer the sauce a little longer (8–10 minutes) so the flavors really pop.
Combine with Beans
- Stir in the cooked (or canned) beans until everything is evenly coated.
Bake
- Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, until bubbly and lightly caramelized on top.
💡 Tip: If you’re short on time, you can skip the oven and simmer everything together on the stovetop for 10–15 minutes.
How to Serve this recipe
I prefer this as a main dish for an easy plant-based meal. I garnished with a little sliced jalapeño, fresh chopped herbs, and a drizzle of my Whipped Herb Cottage Cheese Sauce for more herby flavor!
Try this in other ways too:
- A Side with a protein or vegetarian protein
- Served over crust bread as beans on toast at brunch
- A high fiber, protein-packed snack
How would you serve this dish?!
Storage Suggestions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. The flavors actually deepen after a day or two, making this dish even better for meal prep.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the beans seem too thick. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
💡 Tip: Divide into single-serve containers before freezing for easy grab-and-go meals.
More Recipes You Will Love
Baked Beans Casserole with Mushrooms and Peppers
Equipment
- pressure cooker optional
- large skillet or cast iron braiser perfect for sautéing and baking.
- chefs knife and cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- colander
- Casserole dish or use your cast iron braiser
Ingredients
- 32 oz beans (pinto, black, navy)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 jalapenos
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Baked Bean Casserole Sauce
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Beans
- If using canned: rise and drain beansIf using dried: In an instant pot, place 6 cups water along with dried beans, bay leaf, and rosemary sprig. Cook beans according to cook time.Black Beans: High Pressure for 25min let pressure release naturally for 15min.Pinto Beans: High Pressure for 30min let pressure release naturally for 15min.Navy Beans: High Pressure for 28min let pressure release naturally for 15min.
Sautee Veggies
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil.
- Add onions and cook until softened (about 5min)
- Add mushrooms, peppers, and jalapeños and cook until tender. (about 8min)
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
Make The Sauce
- Add tomatoes, ketchup, coconut sugar, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a blend. Blend until smooth.
Combine with Beans
- Combine 32 oz beans of choice with the sauce and veggies until well coated.
Bake
- Transfer to a greased casserole dish. Tip: Sautee veggies in a dutch oven, mix, and baked everything from that pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes until bubbly and slightly caramelized.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 16gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 414mgPotassium: 918mgFiber: 15gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 980IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi, I’m Sarah Harper, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing all things food! At The Addy Bean, you’ll find a variety of flexitarian recipes designed to inspire and empower you to explore the delicious world of plant-based eating. My mission is to make plant-forward meals approachable, enjoyable, and part of your everyday life!
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