As a Londoner, born and raised in Britain, a can of Heinz beans has a forever spot in the pantry. The tomato-rich, sweetly saucy beans are both super-easy to throw together and incredibly easy on the budget. Heinz beans is a trusted staple canned-beans brand for Brits — even if it’s not among canned beans to buy according to American tastebuds, across the pond they are top tier. They can be used as part of the notorious full English breakfast, as a filing in jacket potatoes, and, of course, as the star of a humble-but-comforting plate of beans on toast. If you’re new to the world of making meals around baked beans, the best place to begin would be to crack open your tin of Heinz beans and create your very own beans on toast.
A plate of beans on toast is a peace offering and the ultimate hug on a plate. The best way to prepare the beans is to warm them over medium heat on the stove, stirring them occasionally and reducing to a lower heat once they start to bubble. You can remove the beans from heat once the sauce offers your desired thickness. Beans on toast can be served alone or with a layer of butter or dairy-free spread on the toast. Sometimes the bread can get a little soggy if the sauce from the beans is left sitting on it for too long; you can either spoon your beans on your bread just before you’re ready to eat it (rather than adorning each slice of bread all at once) or you can embrace the fun and bend the bread over, turning it into a slightly slurpy, taco-like beans on toast experience.
How to best enjoy your beans on toast with Heinz canned beans
The Heinz beans found in the United States are sweeter than the British version, which makes for a true comfort meal. One of the simplest upgrades to beans on toast is the choice of sauce. While ketchup is a great and obvious addition because of its sweet tomato taste, other sauces worth using include barbecue or Worcestershire sauce for depth and a fuller-bodied flavor. Beyond the sauce, canned beans become a creamy comfort meal with cheese. Simply grating cheddar cheese over the warm beans is enough to up the flavor, but to take things to the next level, add the cheesy beans on toast to a broiler or grill for a gooey, cheese-topped toast. Top with green onions for extra crunch and flavor.
The type of bread used makes a world of difference, too. When toasted, the thicker the bread, the more of a sturdy base you get (which is also good for scooping up extra sauce and beans that fall away). Sliced white bread is the go-to, but some opt for multi-grain seeded bread, gluten-free bread, and New England brown bread. If you find yourself with leftover Heinz beans, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days. Or, if you want to double-up on British baked beans essentials, try using the leftover beans on hot jacket potatoes with a few spoons of cheese, tuna, and chives for a full day of baked beans recipes.
