25-05-2025
'My baked beans never tasted better since adding 1 simple ingredient - and it's a total game-changer'
Baked beans, a British kitchen staple, have become the centre of a lively Reddit debate on whether seasoning enhances this classic meal.
One Reddit user raised the question, "Do most British people season their baked beans?". This prompted over 3,000 comments as Brits shared their tips for sprucing up beans.
The individual who started the conversation added: "According to my boyfriend, you're only supposed to take them out of the tin into a bowl and microwave them, or to put them in a pot on the stove for like three minutes. The only allowed flavour is the tomato sauce they come with."
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It turns out that smoked paprika emerged as a fan favourite for elevating beans to new culinary heights. A bean enthusiast on Reddit penned: "Try a bit of smoked paprika on baked beans. You're welcome."
Another chimed in: "Smoked paprika adds some smokiness that you would normally get with bacon," as noted by the Express.
Another also heralded the praises of smoked paprika: "Smoked paprika is a game-changer. It goes well with the flavours of baked beans."
Intrigued by these suggestions, Senior Lifestyle reporter Angela Patrone decided it was time to test the popular advice and break out the smoked paprika from her kitchen cupboard.
Angela shared her culinary experiment by stating: "Smoked paprika is one of those seasonings I love to add to my chicken or when I'm making homemade chips, but I never thought to add it to baked beans."
She detailed her process: "I started by adding the spice to the beans in a bowl. While it wasn't mentioned how much smoked paprika to use, I opted for one teaspoon."
Angela explained her time-saving method: "I usually heat my baked beans in a saucepan, however, I was short on time this day, so I used the microwave instead. I left the beans in the microwave for one minute before stirring them and putting them in for another minute."
Upon tasting the modification, Angela enthused: "Opening the microwave after the second minute was up, I could smell the delicious smoky scent. I served the beans on a slice of toasted sourdough bread."
She concluded with approval: "The seasoning offered a fantastic depth of flavour to the semi-sweet baked beans. I would say a teaspoon is just the right amount, as any more would probably overpower the baked beans."
