Copycat Popeye’s Red Beans And Rice
Sep 14, 2021, Updated Jul 28, 2023
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Bring a little of Louisiana home with this Copycat Popeye’s red beans and rice recipe. Creamy, smoky red beans are topped with fluffy white rice to make this simple and delicious side dish or main dish that can be made in about 30 minutes.
Making copycat recipes at home is super easy and fun. There are lots of great ones to try like Wingstop fries and KFC Twister wraps.
This easy Popeye’s red beans and rice recipe is one of my favorite copycat recipes to make at home. These full flavor beans are so simple to make and are a wonderful warm, hearty dish. We like serving it with a side of cornbread for a filling meal.
Is there meat in Popeye’s red beans and rice?
The original Popeye’s red beans recipe does not have meat. It does have bacon grease so it’s not considered vegetarian. This copycat recipe uses chopped bacon to make bacon grease but feel free to use any leftover grease you might have sitting around.
If you want to replace the bacon grease for a vegetarian version, use olive oil or vegetable oil.
Ingredients needed
Red beans – I like using canned red beans instead of dry beans because it’s a little faster. Make sure to grab red beans not red kidney beans. Red beans are smaller and a little softer than kidney beans.
2 15-ounce cans of beans are used for this recipe. You will use the whole can, so no need to rinse.
Bacon – Used for the pork fat. For a vegetarian version, substitute bacon grease with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Onion powder
Garlic salt
Creole seasoning – Use your favorite creole or Cajun seasoning blend. You can also substitute with 1/2 tablespoon of hot sauce.
Liquid smoke – Liquid smoke will give you that delicious smoky flavor. It can typically be found in the condiment section of the grocery store. This is strong so you will only need 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
Rice – Use your favorite white rice.
How to make Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
- Rice: Start by cooking the rice. Follow the directions on the rice packaging. You can add a tablespoon of butter while it’s cooking for a little extra flavor.
- Beans: Start by adding chopped bacon into a large, deep skillet or sauce pan. Cook until it starts to brown. ***At this point you can leave the bacon or remove the bacon pieces depending on how you like your beans. Make sure to leave the bacon grease in the pan.
- Stir in both cans of red beans. Use a potato masher to smash some of the beans. You can leave some of the beans whole.
- Stir in water, onion powder, garlic salt, creole seasoning, and liquid smoke into bean mixture.
- Let simmer over medium low heat for about 15 minutes or until beans start to soften. Make sure to stir often.
- Serve beans in a bowl and then place a scoop of cooked rice on top of the beans mixture.
How to store
Let the rice and beans completely cool. I would recommend storing the beans and rice in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through. You might need to add a little extra water if the mixture is too thick.
Red beans and rice can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
Recipe tips
- The rice takes about the same time to cook as the beans so start the rice before cooking the beans.
- Mashing some of the red beans helps to thicken the mixture and make it creamy. You can mash them right in the pan but try leaving a few of the whole.
- Popeye’s version does not have meat so feel free to remove the chopped bacon. Just make sure to leave the grease in the pan.
- If you want to add a little extra heat, stir in a few splashes of hot sauce or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Some recipes uses ham hocks to add smoky flavor.
- Feel free to use your favorite rice. You can even use brown rice or cauliflower rice. Just cook according to package instructions.
How to serve
This recipe is hearty enough to be served as a main dish but can also be used as a perfect side dish.
Try serving it alongside fried chicken, pork chops, corn bread, French bread, collard greens, salad and more.
More easy copycat recipes
- Papa John’s garlic sauce
- Taco Bell quesadilla sauce
- Taco Bell chicken quesadilla
- Texas Roadhouse chili
- Wendy’s apple pecan salad
- Subway Southwest chipotle sauce
More Recipes You Will Love
Did you try this creamy beans and rice dish? Let me know in the comments below.
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked white long grain rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 15 oz cans red beans
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add rice and butter and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
- Add chopped bacon a large deep skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat and stir until bacon starts to crisp. ( If you don't want bacon in the beans, carefully remove the bacon bits but leave the bacon grease. )
- Pour in whole cans of red beans. Using a potato masher, mash some of the beans but leave some of them whole.
- Pour in water, garlic salt, onion powder, creole seasoning, and liquid smoke. Stir to combine.
- Let simmer for 15 minutes or until beans start to soften. Make sure to stir so that the beans don't stick.
- Serve beans in a bowl with a scoop of rice on top.
Video
Notes
- The rice takes about the same time to cook as the beans so start the rice before cooking the beans.
- Mashing some of the red beans helps to thicken the mixture and make it creamy. You can mash them right in the pan but try leaving a few of the whole.
- Popeye’s version does not have meat so feel free to remove the chopped bacon. Just make sure to leave the grease in the pan.
- If you want to add a little extra heat, stir in a few splashes of hot sauce or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Some recipes uses ham hocks to add smoky flavor.
- Feel free to use your favorite rice. You can even use brown rice or cauliflower rice. Just cook according to package instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this over the weekend…. it was a hit everyone loved it!!!! Thank you so much for sharing….
I am addicted to Popeyes red beans and rice and figured it would not be that difficult to make at home, along with being a lot more inexpensive. This was the first recipe I tried, and there’s no need to try any other recipes, as this was spot on. Actually, it might even be a little better than Popeyes. Plus, it’s so easy to customize to your liking. I made it just like the recipe, and my husband, who never orders red beans and rice, loved it. Next time, I will add some onions, hot sauce and maybe a little more Creole seasoning, just to give it a little kick. Thank you for such a great and easy recipe.
I have a question as to whether this receipe after it is cooked can be combined into a crockpot for a pot luck side dish.
Yes, you can keep it heated in a crockpot. Hope you enjoy!
Hello are tou draining the beans?
How if at all can you make this with dried red beans?
Traditionally, red beans and rice is always made with dried beans. They were cooked on Mondays, which was laundry day, as a dish that could be slowly cooked all day with little minding. I don’t know any locals who use canned. Popeye’s red beans are… weird yet tasty. The flavor is good but not quite traditional. The bean texture is great with a nice, thick gravy, but it’s likewise lacking in whole beans. Their rice is usually undercooked. It tastes meaty but is meatless. There are no vegetables. Still, I enjoy them as a side and found this dupe because I’ve always wondered what creates their unique flavor because I’d swear they’re using chicken grease. I am curious about what liquid smoke would do to my beans (I’m going to try it just to see), which I was taught to make by my NOLA born and raised parents. I’ve had red beans all around NOLA, at restaurants and in homes, and, frankly, Popeye’s beans have an enviable base flavor even while being not quite “right.”
Now, if you want to do red beans “right,” don’t use canned beans. So much flavor comes from the slow cook process. Soak the beans (I use red kidney every time) overnight (or in hot water for a couple of hours in the morning). Rinse them and pour off the brownish water. Don’t ever add the bean water to your pot. Locals call it pouring off the gas (true or not, not adding that does seem to create less gassy emissions). I like to cook in pork stock when I have it. Chicken broth works, too.. Add a bay leaf. I add chopped onion after about an hour, and chopped bell pepper after another hour. When to add depends on how prominent you want your vegetables. I like them to mostly cook away to coincide with the soft, creamy flavor of the beans. Many people add celery, but I don’t.. Cook them for a few hours low and slow. How long depends on how low. Keep an eye on them as the gravy thickens and stir more often. The gravy will form without having to mash beans as some of them will break up as they cook and are stirred. Add water/more stock if your beans aren’t ready and the gravy is already thick. You really do want a good amount of whole but soft beans, so don’t mash. As for seasoning… people find their own preference. I’d say salt, onion powder, and pepper are necessary. I’d also recommend garlic or garlic powder, some Worcestershire, and cayenne (and/or hot sauce). You can short cut with a Cajun seasoning blend, but it’s not necessary, and using individual spices gives you more control over the ratio. Salt or a good salt substitute is a must. I go non-traditional and serve with whole grain brown rice for nutrition purposes (I do that with my gumbo and jambalaya, too). I cup uncooked rice to 1 lb dried beans and a lb. of smoked andouille (or even a smoked kielbasa or similar if you can’t get andouille). Some people add ham, but I find it overpowers the dish so that it all tastes like ham. Hope that helps.
The best one I have found. This one is a keeper
10
This was MONEY!! Absolute perfection!! I can’t afford to go to Popeyes very often and there is no reason to now. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I made this with a copycat Popeye’s blackened chicken tender recipe and the combo was better than Popeyes.
Yay so glad you enjoyed it!
Deelish! I added more 1/2 tsp more creole seasoning just because. 🙂
You can never have to much seasoning :).
Even better than Popeye’s!