Baked beans on toast is a British classic, but they can taste quite bland straight from the can
Baked beans are tastier if you stir common ingredient into the sauce(Image: Katherine McPhillips)
Baked beans are amongst the easiest meals you can prepare, and there’s nothing better than pouring them over toast when you fancy something quick without spending ages in the kitchen. They’re affordable, comforting, and even contribute towards your five a day, yet they can become rather dull if you simply serve them on toast.
If you’ve ever glanced at a tin of baked beans, you’ll notice they’re typically sold in a plain tomato sauce with minimal seasoning, meaning you’re missing out on any spice, smokiness or herbs. Recently, a curious reminder popped up on my calendar noting that July is National Baked Bean Month, and to mark this notable occasion, I decided to experiment with various ways to improve baked beans.
After testing every condiment in my cupboard and trialling countless ingredients, I discovered that Worcestershire sauce is the undisputed champion and will make beans on toast considerably more flavoursome.
I adore baked beans on toast and tuck into them at least once a week, but these days I simply cannot eat them without a dash of Worcestershire sauce, as it adds tremendous flavour with minimal effort.
Baked beans are prepared in a sweetened tomato sauce, which keeps the taste mild enough to complement toast and other breakfast staples, but over time they can begin to seem genuinely tasteless.
Worcestershire sauce, however, is acidic and will completely transform the dish by cutting through the sweetness of the sauce, helping to draw out the rich tomato flavour.
It also contributes a rich savoury flavour without dominating the beans, which ensures each mouthful becomes far more satisfying.
Incorporating Worcestershire sauce will make baked beans taste sweet, spicy and salty, allowing you to transform this straightforward dish into something you genuinely anticipate eating using ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard.
How to make baked beans taste even better.
You will need:
- One can of baked beans
- Two slices of bread
- One teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
- Grated cheese
- A slab of butter (optional)
- Black pepper
Method:
To start, put the bread into the toaster, tip the can of beans into a saucepan, and set it on a medium heat.
Once the beans begin to simmer, pour in the Worcestershire sauce and season with black pepper. If desired, you can also try other herbs and spices, as I occasionally like to include smoked paprika in the pan as well, though it isn’t essential.
Stir the baked beans for two minutes until they begin bubbling, then switch off the heat. Transfer the toast onto a tray once it emerges from the toaster.
Then, you simply need to put together your beans on toast. Spread some butter onto the toast so it melts into the bread, spoon the baked beans on top and scatter with grated cheese.
Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce over the top of the cheese, and then place in an oven preheated to 200°C for two more minutes.
When the time is up, your cheesy beans will emerge from the oven bubbling, piping hot and the most delicious comfort food you can prepare in under five minutes.
