Hindsight is 20/20. As I sat there hungrily devouring one of these BBQ Bean Sliders, beans were falling out of the bun and BBQ sauce was getting all over my hands and face. That’s when it hit me—this would have been much better as a wrap sandwich. But then again, sometimes the messier the food the better. Either way, these BBQ Bean Sliders probably aren’t a good thing to cook for a first date. Or maybe even the second or third date.
But they are a good thing to cook when you are craving BBQ and you don’t have the time or money to cook an entire pork shoulder. I mean, I love pulled pork and all, probably even more than I should, but sometimes it’s just not convenient or in my budget.
What is convenient? Opening up a couple cans of beans, adding some BBQ sauce, and whipping up a quick slaw. BBQ craving fixed.
Pictured with Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
Double Check Your BBQ Sauce
If you’re a vegetarian, be sure to check the label of your favorite BBQ sauce, because you never know if they might have added some Worcestershire sauce in there. And if you’re not a fan of the high sugar store-bought BBQ sauces, definitely give my Homemade BBQ Sauce a try. My version does contain Worcestershire sauce, but there are some vegetarian Worcestershire sauces on the market (like Annie’s brand) if you want to keep it vegetarian.
It’s All About that Coleslaw
My creamy coleslaw is so fast and easy that once you try it, you’ll probably never buy it pre-made ever again. This coleslaw provides the perfect creamy-savory balance to the sweet-tang of the BBQ sauce. They’re just made for each other.
How to Save Your Leftovers
If you plan to save some of these BBQ sliders for leftovers, wait to mix the coleslaw dressing with the vegetables until just before serving, for the best results. When left in the refrigerator pre-mixed, the coleslaw can get a little limp and runny (although that didn’t stop me from devouring my leftovers).
The BBQ beans can be kept in a separate container themselves, rewarmed in the microwave or in a small sauce pot over low, then piled onto the bun. The beans should stay good in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. I don’t recommend this recipe for freezing, but if you have too many buns for the amount of filling made, baked breads freeze beautifully on their own, so you can save some for the next time you make BBQ beans!
What to Serve with BBQ Bean Sliders
I served my bean sliders with a side of Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, but they’d also go great with a classic like Southern Style Potato Salad. Or perhaps a pasta salad like, Broccoli Pasta Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette, Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad, or Summer Sweet Corn Salad.
BBQ Bean Sliders
Servings 4 to 6 servingsIngredients
BBQ Beans
Creamy Coleslaw
- 1/2 14oz. bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage, about 3 cups) ($0.75)
- 3 green onions ($0.17)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise ($0.55)
- 1/2 Tbsp honey ($0.06)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.03)
- 1 tsp red wine or apple cider vinegar ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Rinse and drain the pinto and black beans in a colander. Add the drained beans, BBQ sauce, and smoked paprika to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to combine and then cook over medium-low heat until warmed through (stir occasionally).
- While the beans and BBQ sauce are heating, prepare the creamy coleslaw. Add the cabbage coleslaw mix to a large bowl. Slice the green onions and add them to the bowl with the cabbage.
- In a separate small bowl, make the dressing for the slaw. Stir together the mayonnaise, honey, Dijon, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the dressing to the bowl with the slaw mix and green onions, then stir to combine.
- To make the sliders, add a heaping 1/2 cup of BBQ beans to each bun, then top with 1/2 cup of the slaw. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make BBQ Bean Sliders – Step by Step Photos
Dice one yellow onion and mince one clove of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Rinse and drain one 15 oz. can each of black beans and pinto beans (use a colander to make this easier). Add the drained beans to the skillet along with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.
Stir and heat this mixture over medium until it has heated through.
Meanwhile, make the creamy coleslaw. In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Add 1/2 of a 14 oz. bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) to a bowl. Slice three green onions and add them to the bowl, along with the prepared dressing.
Stir until the cabbage mixture is coated in dressing. And try your hardest to not eat it straight out of the bowl!
To assemble the BBQ bean sliders, add about 1/2 cup of the BBQ bean mixture to each bun, then top with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the creamy coleslaw.
Then Enjoy! Preferably with some sweet potato fries on the side. ;)
I just wanted to say (coming from a food website addict) this is the best website I have come across. Simple and has a lot of great money saving recipes for the semi-vegetarian. Money saving to boot.
Absolutely fantastic. I skipped the bun entirely and just ate the coleslaw and beans out of a bowl. The flavor combination was just right and being so cheap and easy I may just have to remake a recipe for once.
I wanted to avoid mess but also wanted the breadiness of a bun so I used sausage buns! A tiny bit spilled out but nothing terrible. The high sides help keep it in and as long as you don’t overfill the bun not too much falls out the back. Tasted delicious!
This one might just be my absolute favorite dish you have on your blog! The entire family loves it (including my meat-loving hubby).
I’ve used different kinds of beans, depending on what I have on hand and they’re all fabulous. The beans by themselves are great, but that coleslaw bite is what pushes this recipe over the top to outstanding!
My 9 & 6 year olds wanted me to tell you how great these are. We also had the kale apple salad as a side and they loved that as well. ;-)
We loved the beans, we used mostly Trader Joe’s BBQ sauce (should’ve gotten more!) with a little Hunt’s ketchup to make up the difference for the half cup. Yum! But we LOVED the coleslaw. It was the best darn coleslaw I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something! I didn’t use a bag mix, so I have some leftover cabbage and carrot and I may just have to make it again tomorrow! Also going to make it for a potluck coming up. Thanks so much Beth!
Oh, and also, I accidentally weighed out a full 14 oz. of cabbage, and so I had double the veggies to dressing ratio. I can’t read, apparently =P. However, I thought it was the perfect amount because it was not soggy with dressing but still so flavorful!
I’m now covered in beans and slaw. Awesome though :)
Looks, great! Do you have a suggestion for a substitute for the mayo? Would sour cream be way off?
Hmm, yes, I think sour cream would be way off. It’s much tangier than mayo. I can’t think of anything that has the creaminess of mayo. Maybe do a google search for slaw no mayo to see what other people have experimented with and enjoyed.
Just cooked this recipe, awesome. Great in pitas. I must say that the coleslaw recipe here is great all by itself. Look forward to the 2-3 days worth of lunches :)
Love, love, love this recipe. All I’m thinking about today is making these for dinner tonight with some sweet potato fries on the side.
Delicious! My 8 year old daughter asked that these be added to our regular dinner rotation. Believe me, that says a lot!
Made these last night and they were amazing. My fiancé said they were the best beans he ever had.
This was absolutely delicious! I was skeptical at first and am so glad I tried it. I used pita pockets instead of buns and they worked perfectly. My husband was also a big fan. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Beth,
I just wanted to let you know that your website is amazing! My sister sent me your recipe for baked pumpkin oatmeal and ever since that moment, I’ve been obsessed. I’ve made several of your recipes (including this one, which I’m currently consuming for lunch!) and I am happy to report that everything has turned out delicious. We have recently become a one income household and your website has allowed me to cut my grocery bill by a massive amount. Last week, for two adults I spent $68.00 dollars! I’ve got $115.00 budgeted per week, so walking away with a $68.00 bill was amazing. Keep up the good work! Both myself and my husband (who has been raving about all of the delicious meals!) really appreciate it.
Awesome!! You don’t know how happy that makes me! :D
Loved, loved, loved this meal – and I don’t usually like coleslaw. The flavor combinations were great!
And loved how simple it was.