Baked beans are a very useful store cupboard staple. They are delicious heated, straight from the tin, on buttered toast, and topped with egg and/or bacon, as well as being a staple baked potato filler. I also like to use them as a store cupboard ingredient, and jazz them up into a more exciting dish. Packed with protein containing pulses, a portion of baked beans also counts towards your five-a-day.
Branston Baked Beans have recently been named by the respected Good Housekeeping Institute as the best bean, a fitting tribute just in time for their 10th birthday. Consumers agree with the GHI with 4 out of 5 of us preferring the taste of the Branston beans.
I’ve paired a tin of Branston beans with one of my other staple ingredients, a sheet of ready made, ready rolled, puff pastry to make cheese & onion baked bean pasty puffs; ideal for snacks and for elevenses. Ready made and rolled puff pastry will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge, and is ideal for all manner of pasties or open tarts and pastries either sweet or savoury. If you are usually very pushed for time then make a double batch of the filling, freeze in silicone muffin tins and defrost in the microwave before making these pasty puffs.
Older children can help spoon the beans onto the pastry and to seal the pasties. Do allow these to cool for a good few minutes before serving as when they are fresh from the oven the beans and the cheese inside are scaldingly hot. Mix up the fillings too, we like a simple mix of onion, beans, cheddar cheese for flavour and mozzarella for maximum gooey stretchy cheesiness, but I think ham, bacon and/or corn as well as some spices would all work well.
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 small onion - peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 tin baked beans Branston
- 30 g Cheddar cheese - finely grated
- 30 g mozzarella - shredded
- 1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry - cut into 4 squares
- 1 egg - beaten optional
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Heat the oven to 200C / 180 fan / GM6.
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Pour the oil into a frying pan and fry the onions until they are golden and translucent.
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Remove the pan from the heat, add the beans, and the cheeses and mix well.
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Place a spoon of the baked bean mixture in the middle of each square of pastry, brush the edges with water then fold diagonally to make a triangular parcel. Use a fork to press the layers of pastry together to seal.
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Transfer the pasties to a baking tray covered with a sheet of baking paper, poke a couple of holes in each one with a sharp knife to let the steam out.
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Brush with the beaten egg if desired, then bake for 20 - 25 minutes until puffed and golden.
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Allow to cool slightly before serving - the filling will be very hot.
To save time make a double batch of the filling and freeze. Defrost before use.
You might also like:-
- Katie’s veggie sausage and baked bean slow cooker casserole
- Sisley’s spicy beef bean stew
Recipe commissioned by Branston, all opinions our own.
Thank you for coming by my page yesterday! :) Puff pastry with baked beans looks like my thing, especially with that cheese added… Delicious!
So quick and easy for a mid morning snack.
Now I like the idea of these very much. Cheese and beans – yum! A super, quick recipe. I like it.
We really enjoyed them Kath! I love baked beans as an ingredient.
Oh yum! You can’t beat puff pastry for whizzing something simple into a more exciting idea! Can’t believe Branston Beans are ten years old!
I love ready rolled puff pastry. I think the last time I made it I was at school. I cannot imagine why anyone would make it.
Looks like the ultimate comport food!
It is up there with the best of them!
Meals like this were such a staple when I was a student and I still love them now. Branston beans are my favourite too!
So easy to make and so comforting!
Such a great quick meal idea. Mixing and matching ingredients is a fab way of keeping the kids interested too – they get bored of things so quickly, don’t they! ;) Tx
I think there is so much scope for variation on this one, keeps it fresh every time, or everyone in the family can personalise their pasty.
love the cheesy baked bean puffs. A good and easy treat for a Sunday brunch.
Absolutely perfect for brunch. Or high tea for that matter!
I like the simplicity of this dish. Puff pastry is certainly one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing.
I love ready made puff pastry – it is a fridge or freezer essential!
What a great idea. I might try adding some Worcester sauce to my baked beans. Spice them up a little!
Sounds good. Remember if making this for veggies that not all Worcestershire sauce is veggie though!
These look great to be making with the kids. Perhaps for halloween or Guy Fawkes night.
They would be delicious. Make in advance and then cook when you get home.
Oh my goodness, this just gave me a total flashback to my childhood :) I used to love cold an rainy days when my mum would make us baked beans on toast with cheese on top – I love the sound of this fancier version!
You can very rarely beat baked beans on toast with cheese on top. Perhaps if you top with a poached egg?
Oh my Amber is in heaven. Wonderful recipe inspiration for her to make by herself midweek. She loves cheese and beans on jacket potatoes and she likes pie. Perfect combo!
Short,simple and delicious. I am delighted that Amber will be making this!
Quick and easy plus baked beans. Ticks my boxes!
I love baked beans! so delicious.
Thanks for this recipe. Looks nice and simple.
Simple is sometimes the best isn’t it?
Oh goodness, cheese, baked beans and pastry, you can’t really go wrong or get more comforting, I don’t think! Sounds delicious!!
I absolutely agree. And so easy too!
What a treat! I love pasties and I love beans on toast so for me this is definitely a winner! :D
They were so good, and so adaptable.
I must admit I don’t mind eating baked beans straight from the tin, so yes, this would make perfect meal for me… thanks for the idea! :)
I do rather like baked beans Margot.
Love it! I want this for lunch! They’re my favourite beans too. You can’t beat them. Mind you I wish they’d add ring pulls, it drives me bonkers. I’d happily pay more for that too. Nice recipe Helen, perfect comfort food.
Lovely beans. And I agree on the ring pulls, it makes life so much easier.
Helen this is genius, esp as my eldest loves both baked beans and baking. I must admit I have never tried Branston beans but all that will change with my next shop.
We loved these Bintu, so easy, but so effective.
I’m usually very uncreative with baked beans and just plonk them on the plate, but they do make a fantastic ingredient in other things too – I love them in stews. Will definitely try these, they look amazing!
I think that baked beans are lovely on white bread, lightly toasted with lots of butter! But these are so simply to make.
That photo of cheesy beans oozing out of the pasty has me sold…. I’m making these for lunch, yum! Branston are definitely superior beans to any others I’ve tried, the sauce is so much richer.
Nothing like cheesy beans in a puff pastry!
Using homemade baked beans don’t make any change in the flavor and texture of the dish, do it?
It shouldn’t, but depending how well you have cooked them might effect the texture.