Home cooks on Reddit have identified smoked paprika as the go-to seasoning to elevate a classic beans on toast, with one user promising: "I promise you will never go back."
The discussion began when a home cook asked fellow Reddit users for ideas on how to elevate their baked beans, writing: "How do you 'elevate' your baked beans? Recently I've been frying some onions in the saucepan before adding the beans and the standard Worcestershire sauce. But what is your go to?"
Comments were filled with suggestions, including Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and cheese, but smoked paprika kept repeating itself. One user initially suggested paprika, to which another responded: "Smoked paprika. Like paprika but better. I promise you will never go back." Another user recommended "smoked paprika and garlic powder".
Making beans on toast from scratch
Smoked paprika is a popular ingredient for those who want to take the dish further and skip tinned baked beans in favour of preparing their own.
A simple recipe on BBC Food instructs home cooks on how to make their own beans on toast, allowing them to "control how much salt and sugar you add" and "Mix up the spices and type of bean to your taste."
The recipe uses half a finely chopped onion, half a sliced clove of garlic, one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, one chopped tomato, a 400g tin of pinto beans (drained and rinsed), half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and one slice of toasted sourdough.
Method and impact
To prepare, fry the onions and garlic in a little oil until soft, add the tomato, beans and a dash of water, and cook for 10 minutes until almost dry. Add half a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a drizzle more olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Pour the beans on top of the toast and eat straight away.
