The BEST Copycat Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Recipe (5 Minutes To Prep)

This easy Popeyes red beans and rice recipe combines tender red beans, long grain rice, smoky ham hocks, and the perfect balance of spices to make the ultimate side dish. For being so simple, the results are oh-so flavorful. Plus, the best part is that this whole recipe comes together with just 5 minutes of prep work and in only a few simple steps!

The Best Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Recipe

If you've ever had Popeye's red beans and rice before, then you know it's one of the hidden gems on the menu. For what it's worth, it's easily one of my favorite things to get from the popular restaurant chain, hence the inspiration to recreate it.

And, I'll be honest, I think I did a pretty good job. I mean, this red beans and rice recipe is loaded with tons of flavor from the ham hocks, spices, and melted butter, and it tastes just like the one from the restaurant. In fact, it might even be better.

Plus, in addition to tasting great, this copycat Popeyes recipe is so easy to whip up. All you have to do is cook the ham hocks until they're fall off the bone tender, then blend 'em up with the beans and top 'em off with some fluffy white rice. It's seriously that easy.

Oh, and my favorite part about this recipe is it's basically all passive cooking. So, while the red beans and rice are simmering on the stovetop, you can whip up something to go with them, like these copycat Popeyes biscuits or this Popeyes chicken sandwich. That way, you get the full restaurant experience.

Ingredients

The cool thing about this copycat Popeye's red beans and rice recipe is that aside from the ham hock, the rest of the ingredients are all kitchen and pantry staples. In fact, you probably have most - if not all - of them on hand already.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make it:

• 20oz. canned red beans
• 0.5lb. smoked ham hock (or 4 strips bacon)
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp butter or lard
• Salt, and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups cooked long-grain rice, for serving

Pretty simple stuff, right?

By the way, if you have any ham hocks left over, then I definitely suggest you make these butter beans or these Great Northern beans next! They're two more of my favorite bean recipes.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

While I think this copycat Popeye's red beans and rice recipe turns out best when it's made with the ingredients listed above, there's definitely room to switch up some of the ingredients. With that said, I'll go over some different things you can do with this recipe.

Use Different Beans

This recipe calls for red beans since that's the way they do it at Popeye's - and that's what will stay "true" to the recipe. But if you're in a pinch any beans will do. I've made this recipe with red kidney beans, pinto beans, and even black beans before, and the recipe still turns out great every time.

Experiment With Add Ons

If you want to amp up the flavor of these Popeyes red beans and rice, then you can play around with adding additional ingredients. I recommend using a little liquid smoke or even a bit of garlic salt to change up the flavor.

If you want to add a little spice, some hot sauce, creole seasoning, or smoked paprika are all great additions.

And for added protein, you can add cooked bacon to the dish right before serving. If you cook the bacon, I suggest adding a little of the bacon grease to the food processor when you mix everything together for a meatier flavor.

How To Make Popeyes Red Beans And Rice

Now it's time for the fun part - it's time to make some homemade red beans and rice!

As I said before, making this recipe is about as quick and easy as it gets. And if you want to save some time, you can even make your rice the day before since you'll need cooked rice for this recipe.

Anyway, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Cook The Beans And Ham

First, you'll begin by placing the beans into a large saucepot with the ham hock and water. Oh, and make sure to reserve 4 ounces of your canned red beans to use later.

Anyway, once you've added the beans, ham, and water to the pot, simmer it on medium heat for about an hour or until the meat loosens from the bone.

After the hour is up and the meat starts to easily pull away from the bone, take the ham hock out of the pot of beans and carefully remove all of the meat from the bone.

Step 2: Make The Bean Mixture

Now that the meat is good to go, you can transfer it to a food processor along with the cooked beans. Then, you can follow this up by adding onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to the food processor.

Next, you'll want to turn on the food processor for only about 3-4 seconds, just enough to pulse the ingredients and combine everything. Then you can add the remaining 4 ounces of beans that you set aside earlier and process for another 2 seconds.

Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, a potato masher will do the job pretty well. Just add all of your ingredients to your pot and mash 'em up until combined but not smooth. You want some chunks to replicate the classic texture in this copycat Popeye's red beans and rice recipe

Step 3: Serve The Red Beans and Rice

Once the bean mixture is combined, you can place the bean mixture back into the pot and cook on low until it's fully warmed through. Then finally, serve your red beans warm with a bed of cooked fluffy white rice on top.

Enjoy!

How To Store Popeyes Red Beans And Rice

This recipe for Popeyes red beans and rice makes 4 servings, so it should be just enough for a big family dinner. However, if you end up with leftovers, then consider yourself lucky because this red beans and rice dish tastes great the next day.

You can technically store the cooked beans and rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. With that said, five days is on the upper end of when cooked ham and cooked rice are good for, so you'll want to eat your leftovers within a few days.

How To Reheat Popeyes Red Beans And Rice

When you're ready to enjoy your leftover Popeyes red beans and rice again, you'll definitely want to reheat 'em first.

So, to reheat your cooked beans and rice, I recommend using your stovetop. Simply transfer everything to a saucepot over medium heat and let the beans and rice simmer for a few minutes - stirring occasionally -until everything reaches your desired temperature.

Alternatively, to warm them up even quicker, you can use your microwave. Just reheat the two together in 30-second intervals.

FAQs About This Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Recipe

What is Popeyes red beans and rice made of?

Popeyes red beans and rice is typically made of red beans cooked in pork fat, spices, and smokey flavors. The beans are then pulsed with all of the ingredients until chunky and served with fresh white rice.

Is there meat in Popeyes red beans and rice?

While the original Popeyes red beans and rice recipe doesn't have meat in it, it does have bacon fat, so it's not considered vegetarian. My spin on this recipe is using ham hock as the meat since I think it really goes well with all of the other elements in this dish.

Is Popeyes red beans and rice healthy?

Popeyes red beans and rice recipe is loaded with protein and fiber, and the red beans are packed with nutrients. However, it's hard to call the dish "healthy" as it has over 15 grams of fat and 250 calories for a small serving. 

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make Popeyes red beans and rice at home!

I know I'm biased, but I really do think this recipe turned out just as good - dare I say better - than the real deal.

I don't know if it's the balance of textures from the savory beans and fluffy rice or if it's the convenience that makes this recipe so, so good. I just know it's been a favorite in my family since I made it for the first time, so if your family loves Popeyes, I think they'll really like this recipe too.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this copycat red beans and rice recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you give this recipe a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Copycat Recipes

If you're looking for more easy copycat recipes from your favorite fast food restaurants, then we've got you covered! We have a ton more on the blog for you to check out next.

Here are some of our most popular copycat recipes:

• Chipotle cilantro lime rice
• Popeyes cajun rice
• Chick Fil A mac and cheese
• Chick-Fil-A nuggets
• Wendy's chili
• Texas Roadhouse rolls
• Panera strawberry poppyseed salad

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram! We post new recipes on them every day.