Barbecue Baked Beans
and macaroni salad with broccoli / watermelon
Tonight we're featuring a classic summer meal. Meatless barbecue baked beans are the star of this meal that was last featured in 2021.
Smarts: The noodles will soak up the creamy sauce used in the pasta salad, so wait to stir everything together until shortly before serving.
Ingredients
- Onions, medium - 1 , diced
- Barbecue sauce - 1/2 cup
- Stock, any type - 3 Tbsp (sub water)
- Soy sauce, low-sodium - 2 Tbsp
- Vinegar, apple cider - 1 Tbsp
- Liquid smoke (opt) - 1 tsp
- Beans, navy (14 oz / 397 g) - 2 cans , drained and rinsed
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Watermelon - 1 lb , cubes or wedges
- Pasta, macaroni - 4 oz (sub any small pasta shape)
- Bell peppers, red - 1/2 , finely diced
- Shallots - 1 clove , diced
- Broccoli florets - 8 oz , finely chopped
- Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
- Mayonnaise - 2 Tbsp
- Sour cream - 2 Tbsp (sub plain or Greek yogurt)
- Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
- Vinegar, apple cider - 2 tsp
Prep
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Pasta - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating before continuing with prep.) Boil pasta according to package directions. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Onions / Bell peppers / Shallots / Broccoli - Prep as directed. (Chop the ingredients for the pasta salad fairly small.) Store onions in one container. Combine bell peppers and shallots. Store broccoli separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Steam broccoli - Place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on high until they are tender but still have some crunch, 2 to 3 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make pasta salad dressing - Combine garlic powder, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and vinegar (portion for pasta salad). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make baked bean sauce - Combine barbecue sauce, stock, soy sauce, vinegar (portion for baked beans), and liquid smoke. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Watermelon - Slice into wedges or cubes for serving.
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Beans - Drain and rinse.
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Make
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Heat oven to 425F / 218C.
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Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and then onions to heated oil. Saute onions until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour baked bean sauce over onions. Add beans and stir everything to combine.
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Bring beans / sauce to a simmer and then transfer to heated oven. Bake until sauce is thick and sticky, 20 to 25 minutes.
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While beans are cooking, combine pasta, bell peppers, shallots, and broccoli. Add dressing and stir to combine. Season with some salt and pepper. Refrigerate while beans finish cooking.
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Serve beans and pasta salad with watermelon on the side. Enjoy!
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