Copycat Popeyes Red Beans and Rice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Smoky, creamy beans that taste like the fast-food favorite, made at home.
• Packed with Cajun aromatics and pantry ingredients you likely have.
• Weeknight-friendly but meal-prep ready; reheats like a dream.
• Heat level is fully adjustable to suit everyone at the table.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium yellow onion, 1 rib celery, 1/2 green bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, scallions or parsley (for garnish)
• Dairy: Unsalted butter
• Pantry: Long-grain white rice, 2 cans pinto or small red beans, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, smoked bacon (or smoked ham hock/turkey wing), bay leaf, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, liquid smoke, hot sauce (for serving)

Full Ingredients

For the Beans

• 4 oz smoked bacon, diced (about 4 thick-cut slices) — or 1 small smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wing
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (15 oz/425 g each) pinto or small red beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or neutral oil)

For the Rice

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

For Serving

• Thinly sliced scallions or chopped parsley
• Hot sauce, to taste

If Using Dried Beans Instead of Canned (Optional)

• 1 1/2 cups dried small red beans or pinto beans (about 10 oz), soaked 8–12 hours in cool water, then drained and rinsed
• Simmer in fresh water until tender, 60–90 minutes, then proceed with recipe using 3–3 1/2 cups cooked beans

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and start the rice

Place 1 1/2 cups rinsed long-grain rice, 2 1/4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon butter (optional) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, stir once, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

Step 2: Crisp the bacon

Meanwhile, set a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, 6–8 minutes. If more than about 2 tablespoons of fat remains, spoon off the excess. Leave the bacon in the pot.

Step 3: Sauté the Cajun trinity and garlic

Add the chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot with the bacon and fat. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are softened and lightly translucent, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 4: Toast the spices

Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the fat without burning.

Step 5: Add beans and broth; simmer

Stir in the drained beans, 2 cups broth, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.

Step 6: Mash for creaminess and thicken

Uncover. Use a sturdy spoon or potato masher to mash 1–1 1/2 cups of the beans against the side of the pot to create a creamy base. Continue to simmer uncovered over low heat until the mixture is thick and silky but still spoonable, 10–15 minutes. If it gets too thick, splash in a bit more broth; if too thin, simmer a few minutes more.

Step 7: Finish and serve

Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter and 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and heat. Add another few drops of liquid smoke only if needed—it’s potent. Spoon the smoky, creamy beans over fluffed rice. Garnish with scallions or parsley and pass hot sauce at the table.

Pro Tips

• For the closest texture, mash a portion of the beans and keep the rest whole—this mimics the classic creamy-meets-chunky feel.
• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can split beans and turn the sauce grainy.
• Liquid smoke varies in strength; always start small and add at the end to keep the flavor clean, not bitter.
• Using ham hock or smoked turkey instead of bacon? Add it with the broth and remove before mashing; shred any meat and stir back in.
• Rinse rice well. Removing surface starch helps the grains cook up fluffy and separate.

Variations

• Vegetarian/Vegan: Omit bacon and butter. Use 2 tablespoons neutral oil and increase smoked paprika to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Add a pinch of smoked salt if you have it.
• Extra Meaty: Brown 6–8 oz sliced andouille sausage with the bacon for a heartier, smokier pot.
• From Dried Beans: Use 1 1/2 cups dried beans. Soak 8–12 hours; simmer in unsalted water until tender (60–90 minutes). Substitute 3–3 1/2 cups cooked beans for the canned.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool beans and rice separately. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days; freeze beans (not rice) for up to 3 months. Reheat beans gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or broth until creamy again. Rice reheats best when sprinkled with a little water, then warmed covered in the microwave. The flavors deepen on day two, making this ideal for meal prep.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 of 6 servings (beans over rice): 380 calories; 55 g carbs; 14 g protein; 11 g fat; 7 g fiber; 760 mg sodium. Values will vary with ingredient brands and salt levels.