Beans on toast has been eaten for years every day in the UK for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a super simple dish, but it’s comfort food on a plate for many of us. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too!
If you’re from Britain, you’re probably wondering why on earth there’s even a need for a recipe to make beans on toast, am I right?
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However, if you see what is out there on Google when you search “beans on toast”, you too will be horrified! Recipes with so much misinformation about beans on toast that the steam was coming out of my ears! I knew I had to write about it and set the record straight, asap! So here we are.
Did you know that beans on toast is a dish fit for a Queen? Yep, Queen Elizabeth loves her beans on toast and has even attributed (joking, of course) that she caught Covid due to going two days without eating her beloved beans! If you’re interested, here’s the recipe for the Queen’s favorite “cake”: chocolate tiffin.
🇬🇧 Speaking of royalty, are you hosting a Coronation watching party on May 6th? If so, head over to check out the recipe for Coronation quiche (for American kitchens) as well as how to plan an English party at my friend Cynthia’s site at What a Girl Eats! 🇬🇧
My friends know that Heinz beans are one of the very few ready-made, or processed foods that I eat. In fact, last winter, two separate friends both spotted a 2 kg can of Heinz Beans at the 99 cent store, and each of them bought one for me without knowing the other had done the same! (Some of you have asked about my puffin mugs.)
I still haven’t even opened one of the massive tins because how on earth will we go through two kilograms (almost 5 lbs) of beans with only two people in the house? 🤣 I’ll have to have a ton of friends over for a big Scottish breakfast. Then I’ll make some potato scones, and Lorne sausage, too!
And of course, pots of real British tea!
If you don’t already know that Heinz beans are an integral part of being British, maybe this fact will help:
“The United Kingdom eats more cans of baked beans than the rest of the world combined. A staggering 1.5 million cans of Heinz Beanz are sold every day in the UK.” – Fact.Cat
Sir Patrick Stewart claims beans on toast is the only thing he can cook! Methinks he needs to visit my site! 😝
And in case you’re wondering, yes, it’s eaten with a knife and fork: keeping the fork in the left hand and knife in the right, no switching back and forth, that’s American!
What Kind of Beans do the British eat on Toast?
There’s really only one kind: Heinz Beans (sometimes spelled Heinz Beanz)! In fact, I remember a commercial/advert from when I was a little girl in Scotland which said “beans means Heinz!” However, the full slogan was, “a million housewives everyday, pick up a can of beans and say Beanz Meanz Heinz“. Pretty good, huh? No wonder they’re still a staple in almost every British household.
Sure you can make your own version of Heinz beans, but I highly doubt you’ll be able to capture the essence and flavor of this classic. The recipes I’ve seen online are a far cry from Heinz beans in a can, too. Heinz has five basic ingredients, while the recipes I looked at contain twice that many. I wonder if these recipe developers have even traveled to the UK! In ten years of recipe-sharing, I’ve never said, “forget making homemade, buy the can”, and I probably never will again, but if you’re British, you’ll understand!
Where did Beans on Toast Originate?
The creation of “beans on toast” was a marketing event by the Heinz company in 1927, and fared well during WWII. Surprisingly, Heinz Beans were first produced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1895, and were exported to the UK beginning in 1904, albeit at a high price point. However, it wasn’t until 1928 that Heinz began producing baked beans at their factory located just outside London that the popularity increased in the UK due to the lower price. -Heinz.com/hk/en
British food gets a bad rap. Check out this list of English dishes for a primer on why so much of it is a myth.
What Goes with Beans onToast?
You can eat beans on toast on its own, but you can always serve it with an egg (usually fried, but there’s nothing wrong with soft-boiled, or coddled eggs). Some like to add some grated Cheddar cheese on top (you can always put it under the broiler, too). My dad would be very upset if I didn’t mention his way of serving Heinz Beans to the soldiers when he was a cook in the British Army, stationed in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
He said the men loved it when he served them this way. He’d sauté onions until they were browned, and then added the beans to heat them. Dad still prefers his Heinz beans this way. I used red onions here, but his preference is white or yellow onions.
Beans on Toast is Perfect for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner.
Yes, you can eat beans on toast any time of day. It literally takes 5 minutes to make, and is full of protein. There is added sugar in the beans, but using good quality artisan bread instead of the typical British loaf will make it a bit more healthy. If you have bread and a tin of beans, there’s always something to eat! Just add a soft boiled egg, coddled egg, or your choice of egg, if you want to add a little more protein.
Beans on Toast (The Proper, British Way)
a classic British dish serves 3
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
- Put the Heinz beans into a small pot over medium low heat.
- Put the bread in the toaster, and make the toast as desired. (If you like, you can butter the toast, but I find it unnecessary as the beans are the primary flavor.)
- Stir the beans, and heat until almost boiling, but don’t allow to boil. (According to directions on the tin, this will affect the flavor.)
- Place the toast on plates (you can butter the toast, but skip it to keep it vegan), and spoon ⅓ tin of the beans over the top of each slice.
- Serve immediately.
- Preferably with a cup of hot tea.
Enjoy; you’re now closer to being an honorary Brit! 🇬🇧 This has to be the easiest “recipe” ever, right?
FYI: Heinz Baked Beans are sold in 69 countries around the world, so clearly there’s something about these beans!
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Beans on Toast (The Proper British Way - Recipe by a Brit!)
A classic, simple British dish that is served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 tin 13.7 oz (390 g) of Heinz beans (made in England)
- 3 slices of bread
- (pat of butter is optional)
Instructions
- Put the beans into a small pot over medium low heat.
- Put the bread in the toaster, and make the toast as desired. (If you like, you can butter the toast, but I find it unecessary as the beans are the primary flavor.)
- Stir the beans, and heat until almost boiling, but don't allow to boil. (According to directions on the tin, this will affect the flavor.)
- Place the toast on plates, and spoon ⅓ tin of the beans over the top of each slice. Serve immediately, preferably with a cup of hot tea.
Notes
Do not let the beans come to a boil. As per the instructions, it will affect the flavor of the beans.
If desired, fry some thinly sliced onions, then add the beans to heat them (my dad's favorite).
If you decide to use an online recipe that claims to be like Heinz beans, prepare to be disappointed as the recipes are nothing like what comes in the can.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 303Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 450mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 11gSugar: 22gProtein: 14g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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I’m married to an English man and my hubby has made this for us many times! Love this every time he makes it!
Isn’t it great!?
Don’t know if you have them, but here in Quebec we have maple syrup bean in a can. Could make a dessert version of beans on toast!
I don’t know if we have Heinz beans (never bothered to check, plus havent bought baked beansbin a can in forever…), but we do have tomato-based ones, I’ll definitely have a go at it in the near future!
OMG, that’s too funny! Dessert beans on toast would definitely be unique! :)
So… interesting family experience. Growing up in the US in the 70’s and 80’s we as a family never ate beans on toast. we had beans certainly (Campbells, ugh, not my favorite) but the beans were a side dish. Later in life both me and my older brother and sister all developed the habit of having beans on toast separately, and also without until very recently realizing that it is a British thing, and something of a British institution. Meaning, if someone asked me to post a recipe (and they haven’t) I would post mine, which would be Bush’s baked beans doctored up with some chili powder, hot sauce, and garlic, on fry bread (there’s a British touch for you, but you’d probably say that’s wrong too) and a bit of fried up sliced smoked sausage. that’s incredible! But it’s not British. But neither are baked beans to be completely honest, and neither is Heinz. For the record, I have tried the British made Heinz beans (have a can in my cupboard right now actually) and I don’t hate them at all, but they are certainly not my favorite. I just find it just a tad weird that this article contains so much British cultural assumption over a dish that is, other than the toast bit, a historically American one. Baked beans were a native American dish, made with beans native to north America and sweetened with maple syrup, adopted by the colonists and exported, and the Heinz brand is also exported. So who is wrong? well, nobody, we should eat what we enjoy, just, you know, dial back on the cultural assertiveness a bit? And to anyone else, beans on toast are great! however you do it. My wife still looks at me like I have five heads whenever I make it for myself (she won’t) but it is good stuff. and a great easy meal.
Shawn, I clearly stated that Heinz beans originated in the US, so I’m not sure how you missed that unless you just skimmed what I wrote. However, you would have to agree that you are not the norm in the US when it comes to eating beans on toast. Most Americans do not eat this as a regular menu item, whereas, almost everyone in the UK eats beans on toast (and you can also find it in restaurants). I wrote the post to say, if you’re going to have the British version of beans on toast, you shouldn’t make the beans, just open a can. That’s the only thing I am saying is “wrong” because people are being misinformed about UK’s beans on toast, that’s all.
Of course anyone in the world is allowed to have beans on toast, make it as they please, and yes, even doctor up a can to their liking. I wasn’t saying not to do this, but am saying it’s not what the majority of Brits eat when they were having the typical beans on toast. As noted, you can see the sheer number of how much they eat, so it is truly a British “thing”. Quite simple really, and no need to take offense.
Glad you enjoy your own version of beans on toast! :)
I love this meal i think that we should eat this allacrose the world and share my love for this fantasticmeal
I just bought a tin of Heinz beans today and some proper bread for toasting. Think I’ll add a bit of salt and pepper to mine (jazz it up a bit lol). I’m from the US, but have been watching a lot of British tik toks since the Queen’s passing. Cheerio!
Good for you, Julie! How did you like it?
I’m so enjoying your post and the beans and toast “recipe”. I had no idea it required a recipe! I’m in my 70’s and live in the States. My mum was a British war bride my dad an American GI. She’s often make me beans on toast for lunch and tell all about when she was a girl in South Harrow and of course recanting stories from during the war. Beans on toast is a great comfort food for me that I have only just recently treated myself too again. Fond memories thank you. God bless
I never knew about beans on toast as being a British thing. I am almost 70 now & recall eating beans on toast that my mom made when I was a child. I have ALWAYS loved it. My mom had what she called her “depression foods” that she ate as a child & beans on toast was one of them. She took the protein/fiber level up a notch by combining beans with tuna, Something I still eat on occasion just because I like it. My 12 yr old granddaughter absolutely loves eating beans by the bowl full with untoasted bread. Thank you for a “real” recipe. Most people here ( in US) think I am crazy! I recall watching Peppa Pig & one of the episodes had the kids eating “beans on toast” as a snack. It brought back memories for me.
I’ve been to England several times. Oddly, our hosts have never served us beans on toast so I am looking forward to trying your recipe. In theUS I have only ever eaten American Heinze beans which are sweeter and have other seasonings in the can.
When I cook recipes from other cultures, I always look for the most authentic one that I can find. Thanks for providing us with the REAL recipe for the beans. By the way, my Dad was German, came to the states as boy in 1921, and our family name is HEINZE.
Oh with your last name, you MUST try the real Heinz beans, Kathryn! I wish more people would do a little research before trying recipes so they can find a more authentic one. It kills me to see the recipes that rank on the first page of Google for many Italian and British recipes. I just want to cry knowing people are making these and thinking they are the real deal :( If you have stayed in England, you would probably only be served beans with breakfast (not on toast). It would be considered “bad form” to serve beans on toast to a guest as it’s seen as cheap and easy :)
I live in the US. The beans in the picture look like what we call pork and beans (has a tomato base). Is this what they are?? or are they like the bushes baked beans?
Yes, they are similar because if you read my post, Heinz beans originated in the USA! However, they don’t taste like our canned beans like Bush. Give them a try!
This is so sad. British food is so sad in general. But this??? I grew up in Eastern Europe and my grandmother or my mother never ever bought anything in a can. They always prepared a million varieties of freshly cooked/baked amazing food from fresh ingredients only. The food in this country is hideous. Canned beans. Frozen oven fries and all the crap. No surprise half of the population have food allergies and the other half are obese or diabetic.
Clearly you have no idea about my site and what I write about, Rob. This is more of a cultural post than an actual recipe. The food in the UK is not “hideous” when you make the right choices, as applies with any other country on the globe. I grew up with my mother cooking Italian food much like yours, too, so you are sadly mistaken in writing this to me. I am promoting people to cook from real ingredients, and have many bean recipes. Beans on toast is an iconic British dish which would probably have historic protected status if it wasn’t a food. You’d have to be British to understand.
Hi, Cristina! Well, I’m not here to dunk on British food, quite the opposite. I was delighted to find this recipe and can’t wait to try it. Although I’m not sure our Heinz beans are the same as what is sold in Britain (I’ve heard they are not, but I’ll use them anyway). My mother used to make “baked bean sandwiches” when we were kids, the only difference being the bread wasn’t toasted. They contained an unholy amount of cold butter which would melt upon contact with the beans, creating a beautiful mess that warms my heart whenever I think about it. Comfort food at its finest. Thanks so much for sharing
Awww, isn’t that sweet!? Where do you live, Mary? If you’re in the US or Canada, I’m sure you can find British made Heinz beans online or in British shops. Maybe you want to do a comparison? Either way, let me know what you think! :)
I’m in the U.S. I will try to find them on-line, I’d really like to do a comparison. Ours are tangy and somewhat sweet. I say somewhat knowing that’s a relative term. I think we tend to use an aggressive amount of sugar in everything!
I’m in the US and order my Heinz Beans from the British Corner Shop as the ones in the states here are way too sweet rather than savory. Also the British beans are vegan and not many canned beans here are.
I spread an ever so thin layer of Marmite on my toast before adding the beans.
I’m not a Marmite fan, but I might like it this way! I have some, so will give it a try!