Pour canned baked beans over raw ground beef, together with 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a comforting supper that's always a yes in my house

 This slow cooker 5-ingredient beef and baked beans dinner is the kind of low-effort meal that saves busy weeknights. Everything goes right into the cooker with minimal prep, and the result is a warm, hearty supper with a sweet-and-savory flavor that feels especially cozy on cooler evenings. It has that classic baked-beans-and-beef comfort food vibe, with pantry staples doing most of the work.

Serve this with buttery toast, cornbread, or a simple green salad to balance the richness. It also works well spooned over baked potatoes or alongside coleslaw and steamed green beans if you want to round it out into a fuller meal.

Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Beef and Baked Beans

Servings: 6

Finished beef and baked beans in a bowl

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

2 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Directions

1. Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker if desired for easier cleanup. Add the raw ground beef to the bottom of the slow cooker and break it up slightly with a spoon.

2. Scatter the chopped onion over the beef. Pour the baked beans over the top, then add the barbecue sauce and yellow mustard.

3. Stir everything together well so the beef is evenly distributed through the beans and sauce.

4. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice if convenient, until the beef is fully cooked and the mixture is hot and thickened.

5. Taste and adjust if needed, then spoon into bowls and serve hot.

Variations & Tips

Add a little heat: Stir in a pinch of chili powder, a few dashes of hot sauce, or some diced jalapeño if your family likes a sweeter baked bean dish with a spicy edge.

Make it stretch farther: For a bigger batch, serve it over rice, baked potatoes, or even macaroni. This is one of those easy slow cooker meals that can feed more people without much extra effort.

Prep-ahead tip: Chop the onion the night before and measure the sauce and mustard in advance so you can dump everything into the slow cooker quickly in the morning before work.

Texture tip: If you prefer finer crumbles, break up the ground beef well during the first stir. If your mixture seems thinner than you like at the end, leave the lid slightly ajar for 15 to 20 minutes on HIGH to help it thicken.

Ingredient swap: You can use ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter version, or try a smoky barbecue sauce for a deeper flavor. Pork and beans can also work, though the finished dish will be a bit less sweet and rich.