Popeye’s Red Beans and Rice brings the authentic taste of Louisiana to your table with creamy red beans seasoned with Cajun spices and served over tender, fluffy white rice. This beloved Southern classic is one of Popeye’s most requested recipes, and for good reason. It’s inexpensive, filling, and delivers that unmistakable Louisiana flavor that keeps customers coming back. This copycat version actually surpasses the original by using real ham hock for a deeper, smokier flavor.
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What Makes Popeyes Red Beans and Rice So Good?
While Popeyes is famous for their chicken, their Red Beans and Rice stands as an equally impressive Southern classic. This dish captures the heart of Louisiana cooking with its rich, creamy texture and authentic Cajun seasoning. The combination of tender beans, aromatic spices, and fluffy rice creates a comforting meal that’s both satisfying and affordable. The flavors actually improve overnight, making it perfect for meal preparation.
Why You Should Try This Copycat Recipe for Red Beans and Rice
This version surpasses even Popeye’s because it uses a real ham hock. Southern cooks traditionally love ham hocks for the deep, meaty, smoky flavor they impart to their beans, but the Popeyes Red Beans and Rice recipe doesn’t include it.
If you can find one, use it, but if you would rather not, see below for a budget-friendly vegetarian alternative.
Popeye’s Red Beans and Rice Ingredients
To make this Popeyes Red Beans and Rice recipe, you’ll need:
For the Red Beans:
- Canned red beans – Foundation of the dish, providing protein and creamy texture when properly prepared
- Smoked ham hock – Delivers essential smoky depth and authentic flavor that elevates this above the original
- Water – Acts as a cooking medium and helps control consistency while allowing flavors to meld properly
- Onion powder – Provides consistent savory flavor throughout without adding texture
- Garlic salt – Delivers garlic flavor and necessary seasoning in one convenient ingredient
- Red pepper flakes – Add subtle heat and authentic Cajun spice profile
- Salt – Enhances all flavors while helping break down beans for proper texture
- Lard – Creates rich mouthfeel and authentic Southern taste
- Ground black pepper – Provides warmth and depth while complementing the ham’s smokiness
For Serving:
- Long grain white rice – Provides proper texture and absorbs flavors beautifully
Ingredient Notes
A larger ham hock means more flavor. Select one weighing half a pound or more. If you don’t want to use a ham hock, 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke is a good alternative.
If you want a vegetarian version of this recipe, leave out the ham hock and replace the lard with three tablespoons of olive oil.
Please use good-quality rice with this. We did not like the results with Minute Rice, but Success Rice boil-in-the-bag did come out well. This recipe lets you make Popeye’s Red Beans and Rice at home.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice Like Popeyes
To prepare this copycat Popeyes Red Beans and Rice:
- Empty two cans of beans into a medium saucepan. Add the ham hock and water.
- Bring the uncovered beans to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about an hour until the meat is tender. Keep an eye on the beans to ensure they never come to a full boil or dry out.
- Take the pot off the stove and allow it to sit until the ham hock is cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bone and dice it into small pieces.
- Discard the bone and return the meat to the pan. Stir in the remaining seasonings and the lard.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the beans for only a few seconds to help break them up. If you don’t have a stick blender, you can use a food processor.
- Dump in a can of drained red beans and pulse once or twice to break them up. If you are using a food processor, return the bean mixture to the pan.
- Stir the uncovered beans over low heat for a few minutes to warm them evenly, and serve with fluffy white rice on top.
How To Serve Red Beans and Rice
Spoon the red beans into a bowl. Spoon hot white rice in the center of the red beans. Try garnishing with a few slices of green onions or scallions for a pop of color and extra flavor. Serve with hot sauce on the side.
What Goes With Red Beans and Rice?
Red beans and rice are a hearty main course, but they are often served as a side dish with fried chicken. Other sides that go with them include mac’ n cheese, biscuits, and coleslaw.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store cooled beans in airtight containers for 3 days. The flavors improve with time.
- Freezing: Freeze in portion-sized freezer bags for up to 3 months. Individual portions make convenient, quick meals.
- Reheating Method: For best results, reheat beans in a 350°F oven in a covered casserole dish with a splash of water for 15-20 minutes. Prepare fresh rice for optimal texture.
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Enjoy rice? Check out my favorite rice recipes
Be sure to look at more of the best side dishes and copycat restaurant recipes.
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cans red beans
- 1 smoked ham hock (1/2 to 3/4 pound) (or substitute with 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons lard
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 4 cups cooked long grain rice for serving
Instructions
- Pour 2 cans of beans into a 2-quart saucepan along with the ham hock and water.
- Simmer on medium heat for an hour, until the meat starts to loosen from the bone.
- Remove from the heat and cool until the ham hock is cool enough to handle.
- Remove the meat from the bone, and place the meat, beans, and liquid from the pot in a food processor.
- Add the onion powder, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, salt, and lard.
- Process for only 4 seconds. The beans should be chopped and the liquid thick.
- Drain the remaining can of beans and add it to the processor.
- Process for just a second or two; you want these beans to remain almost whole.
- Pour everything back into the pan and cook slowly on low heat, stirring often, until you’re ready to serve.
- Serve over rice.
Video
Notes
- 🫘 Bean Basics: Never let beans reach a full boil – gentle simmer maintains texture and prevents mushiness.
- 🍖 Ham Hock Help: Choose hocks weighing 1/2 pound or more for optimal flavor infusion.
- 🍚 Rice Right: Skip instant rice – long-grain traditional rice provides the authentic texture.
Cooked it for a work potluck everyone enjoyed them
i love this Copycat Popoeye Recipe. the only difference is, that I add more of the Ham Hocks and used dried beans. The extra Ham hocks makes the broth more flavorful. To me, its close to Popeye but better. One of the reason why some people think its Bland is because of the lack of Ham hock flavor. When I bought an Off Brand, that is what happened. I had to put in more. Now, I just buy the name brand one not the store brand one. That secret is the Ham Hocks !
Thank You !!!!
Would you please provide a Copy Kat recipe for “Southern Classic” brand red beans and rice? I think it’s even tastier than Popeye’s.
I will keep your suggestion in mind.
This is a great rendition for or taste buds.
How can I thicken it up if turned out too thin
I would cook it for a little longer without a lid on it to let the water evaporate.
The recipe as printed really comes out quite bland. To a DOUBLE recipe, I added a quarter cup each of onions and celery and a whole clove of garlic pulse together in the food processor plus a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper and two to three tablespoons of taco sauce. Now it tastes like Popeyes.
What type of taco sauce did you use?
I don’t eat pork so how much liquid smoke do you use?
I would use about 1/2 teaspoon. I personally like the liquid hickory smoke flavor the best.
I will veganize this…no lard, for gosh sakes, and a vegan sausage. Sounds like it will be great!
Please don’t…yuck
Making a vegan version of this dish is lowkey disrespectful. You might as well call it something else
How so? Processed pork products, such as ham hock and bacon, derive their flavor from smoke and salt, both of which are vegan-friendly. As such, vegans who wish to replicate popular dishes while maintaining their compassionate lifestyle may do so by substituting vegan-friendly ingredients and methods of processing. I don’t see how this is “lowkey disrespectful.” If anything is “lowkey disrespectful,” it’s your comment.
My brother suggested I might like this website. He was totally right.
I loved these red beans and rice.
I love Red beans. This recipe is a great starter. I did not use the cans of beans i used a 16 oz dry bag of small red beans and frozen ham left over from Thanksgiving. I put the Ham and beans in the crock pot on low. After 2 hours I put in the seasons in this recipe. I also added extra seasons such as 1tsp of Tony’s Creole seasoning, a tsp of Cumin and a small chopped onion. I let it cook slow for 4 more hours. Checked all of the boxes for me. Thanks.
I distinctly taste cumin in the Popeyes recipe which is what I believe gives it it’s wonderful flavor.
Questions: Do I drain the beans before they go into the pot? Do I cover the pot while stewing?
You can drain the beans before, you can put the pot on top of the beans when you simmer them.
You gave a vegan sub only for the ham, what is a vegan sub for the lard.
You could use vegetable shortening.
I made the red beans and rice today and it did not taste anything like Popeyes! I knew it was missing something so I added a little chili powder and it was better.
Love the Red Beans and Rice receipe!
You omitted the liquid smoke. Without that it’s just another bean recipe.
Not with the smokey flavored ham hock. She/he is correct, it is an upgrade in regards to flavor if you eat pork.
Fantastic recipe Mate!
I doubled all of the seasonings except for the salt and red pepper flakes. I also cooked the beans with 3 bay leaves and 2 ham hocks, not 1. SO good! I absolutely adore this!!
Is this real
I have never cooked with ham hocks b4 so I did not realize I should not put the skin in so I ended up with a bunch of chewy pieces in my food. I wish the video and recipe matched. Overall, it was fine tasting, but I felt like the recipe was truly missing something.