Baked beans are a classic side dish for any barbecue, potluck or family dinner. But when cooking for a crowd it can be tricky to figure out how much to make. You want to make sure you have enough to go around without ending up with a ton of leftovers. So how much baked beans should you make per person? Here is a helpful guide.
Key Factors That Determine Serving Size
Several factors go into determining the ideal serving size of baked beans per person
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Main vs side dish – Are the baked beans the main dish or a side? Main dish portions will be larger.
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Other menu items – If serving just beans alongside hot dogs or burgers, the portion can be more generous. With multiple sides, scale back.
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Appetite – Is it a casual backyard BBQ or a hearty Sunday supper? Hungrier guests may want bigger portions.
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Canned vs homemade – Canned beans tend to be saltier so people eat smaller servings. Homemade beans are milder in flavor.
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Leftovers – It’s better to make extra than run out. Leftover beans keep well.
Recommended Serving Sizes
As a general guideline, here are the recommended serving sizes:
- Main dish – 3/4 to 1 cup per person
- Side dish – 1/2 to 3/4 cup per person
When baked beans are a side at a large buffet with multiple options, plan on around 1/3 to 1/2 cup per person.
For a backyard BBQ with hot dogs and baked beans as the primary side, allow 3/4 to 1 cup per guest.
Buying Canned Baked Beans
If using canned baked beans, here’s how to estimate how many cans you need:
- 16 oz can = Serves 2-3 people as a side dish
- 28 oz can = Serves 4-5 people as a side dish
So for a group of 8 people, you’d want 2-3 regular sized (28 oz) cans of baked beans as a side.
Tip: Get an extra can or two just in case. Canned beans last for years unopened.
Cooking Dry Beans from Scratch
When cooking homemade baked beans from dried navy beans, here’s a rough estimate:
- 1 pound (16 oz) dry beans = 10 servings
- 2 pounds beans = 20 servings
So if you’re having a backyard BBQ for 15 guests, start with around 2 pounds of dried navy beans to end up with enough baked beans for everyone.
Always soak beans overnight before cooking. Cooked beans freeze well so make extra for easy meals later.
Serving Baked Beans for a Crowd
Planning baked beans for a big family reunion or church picnic? Here’s how much you need for a crowd:
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10 people – 2 pounds dry beans or 4-5 cans
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25 people – 5 pounds dry beans or 10-12 cans
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50 people – 10 pounds dry beans or 20-24 cans
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100 people – 20 pounds dry beans or 40-50 cans
When serving beans as a side for a large buffet, allow 4 ounces of dried beans or 8 ounces cooked beans per person as a safe estimate.
Making baked beans for over 100 guests? Consider cooking the beans in very large stock pots or even boiling them in a turkey fryer outdoors. This will make the process easier.
Handy Baked Bean Serving Size Chart
For easy reference, here is a serving size chart for baked beans:
| Number of People | Dry Beans (Main Dish) | Dry Beans (Side Dish) | Canned Beans (28 oz cans) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 oz | 4 oz | 1 |
| 8 | 1 lb | 8 oz | 2-3 |
| 12 | 1 1/2 lb | 12 oz | 3-4 |
| 25 | 3 lb | 1 1/2 lb | 6-8 |
| 50 | 6 lb | 3 lb | 12-16 |
| 100 | 12 lb | 6 lb | 24-32 |
Key Takeaways
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Allow 3/4 to 1 cup beans per person for a main dish
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Plan on 1/2 to 3/4 cup beans as a side dish
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Purchase 1 lb dry beans for every 10 side dish portions
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Double recipes for crowds and make extras as beans freeze well
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For large groups, make 4-6 oz dry beans per guest
With this handy guide on portions, you’ll be ready to perfectly plan baked beans for any size gathering. Now fire up the grill and get ready to enjoy!
The Math / Science
The Baked Beans Calculator calculates the amount of baked beans you need to cook in order to feed a certain number of people. Enter the number of people you need to serve and the serving size per person and you will get the amount of beans you need to cook to meet that demand. 
Photo by Jessica Lothrop There are several facts that you can assume when figuring out how much you need.
- Around half a cup is about how much baked beans you should eat. You can make more beans for your guests if they really love them.
- A half cup is a good size for most sides. You can use it for potato salad, cole slaw, and almost any other side you might serve at a barbecue.
For every 28 ounces of doctor beans, the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and 3 bacon strips. 5 cups) served.
The most common can size for baked bean is 28 ounces (default). However, smaller and larger sizes are often available including 8. 3 oz, 15. 8 oz, 16 oz, 22 oz, 55 oz and 117 oz.
You could use regular Bush’s baked beans, but that would be too easy. Instead, you could make your own baked beans from scratch. Good recipes abound, a few are below.
Popular Canned Baked Beans, Ranked Worst To First
FAQ
What is a portion of baked beans per person?
How much beans do I need to feed 25 people?
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FOOD
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SERVE 25
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SERVE 50
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Meats
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Side Dishes
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Baked beans
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5 quarts
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2–1/2 gallons
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Beets
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7–1/2 pounds
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15 pounds
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How many cups of beans to feed 4 adults?
How many people does 1lb of beans feed?
How many baked beans per person?
The amount of baked beans you need per person will depend on a few factors, including the size of the beans, the number of other dishes you will be serving, and the appetites of your guests. As a general rule of thumb, you should plan on 1/2 cup of baked beans per person. So, if you are serving 10 people, you will need 5 cups of baked beans.
How many cups of beans do I need for 20 people?
For example: If you are serving 25 people, you will take the measurements for 20 people and add 2 1/2 cups (1/2 cup per person) to the number of beans you are making. We recommend, for groups over ten, buying at least one extra 8.3 oz can to ensure that you have enough.
How many servings of baked beans in a pound?
The easiest calculation is that 1 pound or 16 ounces of dried navy beans yields about 10 side dish servings of baked beans. Wondering how much for 20, 50, 100, or 200 people for a big party, event, family reunion, BBQ, wedding, or any big catering job? When serving 2-3 entrees choices at a buffet/party/wedding/event you need less per person.
How many people can a gallons of baked beans feed?
5 gallons of baked beans feed 100 people as a side dish. 10 gallons of baked beans feed 200 people as a side dish. If you want to figure out how much to serve based on any measurement, try a baked bean calculator. It allows you to put in as many people, serving size, and type of measurement.