Copycat Popeyes Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultra-smooth, restaurant-quality mashed potatoes you can make at home.
• Rich, pepper-forward Cajun chicken-style gravy with a subtle smoky note from sausage drippings.
• Thoughtful technique: butter-first potatoes and a silky roux-based gravy for perfect texture.
• Flexible: easy to make spicier, gluten-free, or sausage-free with simple swaps.

Grocery List

• Produce: Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, green onions
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream, whole milk
• Pantry: Smoked andouille or kielbasa (optional), all-purpose flour, low-sodium chicken stock, kosher salt, fine sea salt, black pepper, white pepper, sweet paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar

Full Ingredients

Ultra-Smooth Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lb (900 g) Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tsp kosher salt (for boiling water)
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, warmed
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, warmed
• 1 to 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Peppery Cajun Chicken-Style Gravy

• 2 oz (60 g) smoked andouille or kielbasa, finely diced (to render 1 tbsp drippings; optional but recommended)
• 1 tbsp sausage drippings + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or 2 tbsp butter if skipping sausage)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, warmed
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper (start with 1 tsp)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more to taste)
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce (optional, for color and umami)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter (to finish)
• Sliced green onions and reserved crisp sausage bits, for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Simmer the potatoes until perfectly tender

Place the Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until the potatoes are completely knife-tender but not falling apart, 15–18 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot off the heat for 1–2 minutes to let excess moisture steam away.

Step 2: Render smoky sausage drippings (optional but recommended)

While the potatoes cook, place the diced smoked sausage in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bits are browned and crisp, 4–6 minutes. You want about 1 tablespoon of drippings. Transfer the crisp bits to a small plate (for garnish) and leave 1 tablespoon drippings in the pan. If you do not use sausage, skip this step and use 2 tablespoons butter in Step 3.

Step 3: Make a dark blond Cajun roux

Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the drippings (or use 2 tablespoons butter total if no sausage). When melted and foamy, whisk in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux turns a dark blond to light peanut-butter color and smells toasty, 3–4 minutes. Do not let it burn; lower the heat if needed.

Step 4: Build the peppery gravy

Slowly stream in the warm chicken stock while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Add black pepper, sweet paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, Worcestershire, soy sauce (if using), and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until glossy and nappe (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon), about 8–10 minutes. Finish with the cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon cold butter for sheen. Keep warm on low; add a splash of stock if it thickens too much.

Step 5: Rice and enrich the potatoes

Pass the hot potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pot (or mash very thoroughly). Fold in the melted butter until absorbed. Gradually add the warm cream and milk while stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until ultra-smooth and fluffy. Season with 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. For the silkiest texture, you can press the potatoes through a fine-mesh sieve.

Step 6: Serve like the fast-food favorite

Spoon the mashed potatoes into bowls, swirling the surface and making a shallow well in the center. Ladle the hot Cajun gravy into the well so it slowly cascades over the sides. Garnish with sliced green onions, a few crisp sausage bits, and a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips

• Start potatoes in cold, salted water so they cook evenly and season from within.
• Butter-first method: fold in melted butter before dairy so the potatoes absorb fat and stay velvety, not gluey.
• Warm dairy prevents the potatoes from tightening and turning waxy.
• Gravy thickness: if it’s too thick, add stock a splash at a time; if too thin, simmer a few extra minutes.
• For that signature peppery kick, grind black pepper coarsely and add to taste right at the end.

Variations

• No-Sausage, Still Smoky: Skip the sausage and use 2 tbsp butter for the roux; add 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or a drop of liquid smoke for aroma.
• Gluten-Free Gravy: Swap the flour roux for a slurry of 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water. Simmer the seasoned stock, then whisk in the slurry and cook 2–3 minutes until glossy.
• Extra Spicy Cajun: Increase cayenne to 1/2 tsp and add a dash of hot sauce to the gravy.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Mashed potatoes keep refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of milk or cream, stirring until smooth. The gravy keeps refrigerated up to 4 days and freezes well for 2 months; reheat over medium-low heat, whisking in stock to loosen if needed. For best results, make the potatoes close to serving; you can make the gravy 1–2 days ahead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values: 460 calories; 47 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 26 g fat; 16 g saturated fat; 940 mg sodium; 4 g fiber. Values will vary with specific brands and optional ingredients.