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The first time my friend Margaret made me beans on toast for supper, I laughed. She put down the pan and told me the British eat more baked beans than any country on earth, that every child in Britain grew up on beans on toast, and that it was a proper meal and I had better eat it. So I did. And I will admit it, it was good. Really good. Hot buttered toast going soft under a glossy tomato sauce, small tender beans, and sharp cheddar melting over the top.
British baked beans are not like the dark, thick, sweet beans most of us know. They are small white navy beans in a light, smooth tomato sauce that is only a little sweet and a little tangy. Margaret used to open a tin like everybody else, but now she makes the beans from scratch, and the secret is the sauce: onion softened in butter, tomato sauce, a little sugar and vinegar, simmered and then blended completely smooth before the beans go in. That smooth, glossy sauce is what makes them taste British.
Here is how to make the British tomato sauce from scratch, with canned navy beans for a quick supper or dried beans if you have the time, and how to build the toast the way Margaret does.
Why this beans on toast works
- Navy beans. Small, creamy white beans are the British baked bean. They hold their shape and soak up the sauce.
- A smooth sauce. Blending the sauce before the beans go in gives the silky, glossy coat that clings to every bean.
- Sweet and tangy, lightly. A little sugar and a splash of vinegar balance the tomato without turning it into a dessert.
- A gentle simmer. Ten to fifteen minutes in the sauce lets the beans take on the flavor and the sauce thicken naturally.
- Thick, well-buttered toast. Sturdy bread buttered to the edges stays crisp at the crust while the middle soaks up the sauce.
Ingredients
Serves 4 (two slices of toast each). The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the beans
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15g)
- 1 small onion, finely grated or minced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) plain tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30g)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar (20g)
- 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup water (180ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 small pinch ground cloves or allspice
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) navy beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups cooked beans, 500g)
For the toast
- 8 thick slices sturdy white or whole wheat bread
- Soft salted butter, for spreading
- 1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar (100g)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Use plain tomato sauce, the smooth unseasoned kind, not pasta sauce. In Britain this is called passata or tomato puree. If you cook dried navy beans instead of canned, soak 1 1/4 cups (250g) overnight and simmer them in fresh water until just tender, about 1 hour.
How to make beans on toast
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the grated onion and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, water, salt, onion powder and the pinch of cloves.
- Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, so the flavors come together.
- Blend the sauce completely smooth with a stick blender in the pan, or carefully in a blender, then pour it back into the saucepan.
- Add the drained beans and stir to coat. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened enough to cling to the beans and coat the back of a spoon. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Taste and adjust: a pinch more salt, a little more sugar if your tomatoes were sharp, or a few drops more vinegar if it tastes flat.
- While the beans simmer, toast the bread until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- Butter the toast right to the edges while it is hot.
- Lay two slices on each plate and spoon the hot beans over the top, letting some of the sauce run off the sides.
- Scatter the grated cheddar over the beans while they are hot so it melts, add a grind of black pepper, and eat at once with a knife and fork.
Tips that make the difference
- Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. It melts into the sauce and you never bite into a piece of onion.
- Blend the sauce before the beans go in, never after, or you will have bean soup.
- Finely grated cheddar melts on contact. Thick shreds sit on top and stay cold.
- Margaret’s last trick: put the plates in a low oven for a few minutes first, so the beans stay hot to the last bite.
Variations
- Cheesy beans. Stir a handful of the cheddar right into the beans just before serving.
- With an egg. Top each serving with a fried or poached egg for a heartier supper or a weekend breakfast.
- Jacket potato. Spoon the beans and cheese over a split, buttered baked potato instead of toast, another British favorite.
- A little heat. Add a pinch of smoked paprika or a few drops of hot sauce to the sauce.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftover beans covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They taste even better the next day.
Freeze the beans in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a small pan with a spoonful of water, stirring, and make the toast fresh.
Frequently asked questions
What beans do the British use for baked beans?
Small white navy beans, also called haricot beans. Great Northern beans work too, though they are a little larger.
Are British baked beans sweet?
Only a little. They are lighter, tangier and less sweet than most American-style baked beans, with a smooth tomato sauce rather than a thick dark one.
Is beans on toast really a meal in Britain?
Yes. It is an everyday supper, lunch or breakfast in Britain, cheap, quick and filling, and most British people grew up on it.
Can I make the beans ahead?
Yes. Make them up to 4 days ahead and reheat gently. Only the toast needs to be made at the last minute.
Make the beans on a Sunday, keep them in the refrigerator, and you have a hot supper ready any night of the week in the time it takes to make toast.
British Beans on Toast with Homemade Baked Beans (The Light Tomato Sauce From Scratch)
Proper British beans on toast with homemade baked beans: small white navy beans simmered in a smooth, lightly sweet and tangy tomato sauce made from scratch, spooned over thick buttered toast and finished with grated sharp cheddar.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely grated or minced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) plain tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 small pinch ground cloves or allspice
- 2 cans
- 8 thick slices sturdy white or whole wheat bread
- Soft salted butter, for spreading
- 1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the grated onion and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, water, salt, onion powder and the pinch of cloves.
- Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, so the flavors come together.
- Blend the sauce completely smooth with a stick blender in the pan, or carefully in a blender, then pour it back into the saucepan.
- Add the drained beans and stir to coat. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened enough to cling to the beans and coat the back of a spoon. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Taste and adjust: a pinch more salt, a little more sugar if your tomatoes were sharp, or a few drops more vinegar if it tastes flat.
- While the beans simmer, toast the bread until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- Butter the toast right to the edges while it is hot.
- Lay two slices on each plate and spoon the hot beans over the top, letting some of the sauce run off the sides.
- Scatter the grated cheddar over the beans while they are hot so it melts, add a grind of black pepper, and eat at once with a knife and fork.
