Popeyes red beans and rice recipe secret ingredient

Q: Does Popeyes red beans and rice have meat in them?

Unfortunately, the red beans and rice at Popeyes are not vegan. They are, in fact, cooked with pork which makes them obviously not vegan. What is this? And since theyre cooked in the pork, there is no way to even modify them like can be done with some menu items by requesting no butter or something similar.

Instant Pot Popeye’s Copy Cat Red Beans and Rice is bursting with flavor! Creamy, flavorful, and the right amount of Cajun spice to kick it up a notch.

Table of Contents Show

Popeyes Copycat Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Does Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Have Pork In It
What Is The Difference Between Red Beans and Kidney Beans
What Sides Go With Red Beans and Rice
How Can I Thicken My Red Beans and Rice
Best Way To Store Leftover Popeyes Copycat Red Beans and Rice
Why This Recipe Works
Here’s How You Make This Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).
Why Are Popeyes Red Beans and Rice So GOOD?!
Are Red Beans and Kidney Beans the Same Thing?
Can I Eat Red Beans Straight From the Can?
Are Red Beans Good?
Can I Freeze This Dish?
How Long does Red Beans and Rice Keep?
How Do I Reheat This Dish?
Do I Need Any Special Equipment?
How Do I Make the Rice?
To Make This Using Canned Red Beans:
Can I Make These Vegan?
How to Make Red Beans and Rice in the Instant Pot.
What Goes With Red Beans and Rice?
Tips and Tricks!
IF YOU ENJOYED RECIPE, TRY SOME OF THESE OTHER BEAN DISHES!
Hey, Can You Help Me Out?
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed
Ingredients
Instructions
A VERSE TO SHARE
What is Popeyes red beans and rice made of?
Why did Popeyes stop selling red beans and rice?
Does Popeyes red beans and rice have meat in them?
How do you cut the spice in red beans and rice?

If you enjoy Popeyes than lake this Copycat red beans and rice at home to pair with dinner tonight! Pair with some fried chicken and dive in!

Popeyes Copycat Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

My husband actually loved this recipe. At first when I said what I was making he looked at me like I couldn’t nail the flavor. Popeyes beans are magical so I had a lot to live up to! But, I pulled it off and he was impressed.

Does Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Have Pork In It

The actual recipe does not have meat in it but does use pork fat. Liquid smoke is what is used to help give it that meaty flavor without having the meat in it.

You will find many copycat recipes do feature a ham bone or ham in it. This helps to achieve its classic flavor. It isn’t wrong to add meat, so feel free to do so if you want some heartier beans.

What Is The Difference Between Red Beans and Kidney Beans

Red beans and kidney beans get people confused often. Red beans are smaller in size compared to a kidney bean. But they can be swapped out in many recipes as the flavor they showcase is very similar.

What Sides Go With Red Beans and Rice

Cornbread | Sweet or savory cornbread is up to you! Both will work great for pairing next to your red beans and rice.
Collard Greens | A classic side to go right next to your red beans. Add in some bacon and dive in and enjoy the southern classic flavors.
Vegetable | Cook up your favorite vegetable side and pair next to your beans. Green beans, broccoli, etc.

How Can I Thicken My Red Beans and Rice

If you find your beans are not thick enough to meet your standards, this is an easy fix. Simply add to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water, and then mix it up until thin. Then pour into the red beans and rice and stir, while it is still piping hot (or even boiling). This will thicken your beans without affecting the flavor. You can repeat if need be.

More Copy-Cat Recipes in the Instant Pot

Panera’s Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscan Soup, Applebees Copy Cat Spinach, and Artichoke Dip.

Best Way To Store Leftover Popeyes Copycat Red Beans and Rice

Grab an airtight container and store it in your fridge. These beans and rice need to be refrigerated or they will go bad. Store for 3-5 days in the fridge. Reheat in microwave for a quick reheat or opt to warm them up on the stove. If you do the stovetop stir often, to prevent burning. If your beans are too thick add in a splash of stock or water.

If you are a fan of Popeyes I highly suggest trying my Instant pot version. You can get the incredible flavor just like at your favorite restaurant.

Continue to Content

Instant Pot Popeye's Copy Cat Red Beans and Rice is bursting with flavor! Creamy, flavorful, and the right amount of Cajun spice to kick it up a notch.

Thick, Creamy, Smoky and Spicy! This Red Beans and Rice Recipe is the perfect recipe for hot Louisiana Style Cajun beans and fluffy white rice just the way that my favorite restaurant does it: Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed!

Why This Recipe Works

Contents show

1 Why This Recipe Works

2 Here’s How You Make This Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed Recipe

3 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).

3.1 Why Are Popeyes Red Beans and Rice So GOOD?!

3.2 Are Red Beans and Kidney Beans the Same Thing?

3.3 Can I Eat Red Beans Straight From the Can?

3.4 Are Red Beans Good?

3.5 Can I Freeze This Dish?

3.6 How Long does Red Beans and Rice Keep?

3.7 How Do I Reheat This Dish?

3.8 Do I Need Any Special Equipment?

3.9 How Do I Make the Rice?

3.10 To Make This Using Canned Red Beans:

3.11 Can I Make These Vegan?

3.12 How to Make Red Beans and Rice in the Instant Pot.

3.13 What Goes With Red Beans and Rice?

4 Tips and Tricks!

5 IF YOU ENJOYED RECIPE, TRY SOME OF THESE OTHER BEAN DISHES!

6 Hey, Can You Help Me Out?

7 Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed

7.1 Ingredients

7.1.1 For the Beans

7.1.2 For the Rice

7.2 Instructions

7.3 Notes

7.4 Nutrition

8 A VERSE TO SHARE

8.1 You May Also Love:

You can use dried red beans or canned, your choice
Perfect seasoning blend for not too hot but just hot enough to have you lapping up more.
There’s nothing that you don’t already have at home.
EASY!

Here’s How You Make This Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed Recipe

STEP 1

Rinse and remove any bad beans from the amount you will cook.

STEP 2. After rinsing and picking through bad beans, cover with 2″ of water and precook for 10 minutes.

STEP 3. Drain the beans, then put back in the pot, add the other ingredients, cover with water and simmer for 2-3 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).

Why Are Popeyes Red Beans and Rice So GOOD?!

Popeyes Red Beans and Rice are so GOOD because they include the basics of what makes ANY recipe good! They have:

Heat
Smoke
Flavor
Salt
And a little fat
Creamy Texture of the Beans Combined with the bumpy texture of the rice.

When you make a combination like that, it is a flavor powerhouse that WON’T quit!

Are Red Beans and Kidney Beans the Same Thing?

Yes, they are the same exact thing. You will note that there are light and dark red beans. They taste about the same. Often, I believe, the dark ones have a thicker skin.

Can I Eat Red Beans Straight From the Can?

Yes, you can eat any canned food straight from the can, although you will find that if you cook it first and add seasonings, it will taste much better!

Are Red Beans Good?

Super delicious, in fact. They will remind you of pinto beans but a tiny bit more flavorful. They have an earthy nutty flavor and work with all kinds of other dishes.

Can I Freeze This Dish?

Yes, absolutely, you can freeze red beans once they are cooked. Place into a freezer safe container, remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months!

How Long does Red Beans and Rice Keep?

This dish will keep well for at least 5 days in the refrigerator.
Do not allow it to sit out for longer than 2 hours.

How Do I Reheat This Dish?

Reheat this dish as follows:
Stovetop: Heat over medium low heat, stirring often. Heat until heated through. You may need to add a little water and stir that in at first.
Oven: Preheat to 350. Place beans in an oven safe container, heat for 20 minutes until heated through.
Microwave: Place in microwave safe container and microwave at 1 minute intervals, stirring between, until heated through.

Do I Need Any Special Equipment?

You do not need any special equipment for this recipe. Two saucepans with lids will work.

However, if you are interested in easy perfect rice every time, I do use this rice cooker myself and it’s a joy to have in the kitchen. The one pictured here is very much like the one I use. This is an Amazon Affiliate link and if you click the photo you can go through to Amazon to compare prices. I do earn a commission if you decide to purchase this way, so thank you. The commission does not change the price of the item you purchase however. I do tithe 10% of the earnings I make.

How Do I Make the Rice?

There are several ways to make perfect rice! I recommend using a rice cooker or pressure cooker. You can also find directions for making rice in the microwave here on this site!

To Make This Using Canned Red Beans:

Drain the beans well
Add chicken stock and all of the ingredients from the recipe.
Heat over medium heat until heated through. Stir frequently.
Remove about ⅓ of the beans and mash them well using a fork or a potato masher.
Return the smashed beans to the sauce pan and return to medium heat.
Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice!

Can I Make These Vegan?

Yes, you absolutely can. Substitute any fat with vegetable oil. That’s it!

How to Make Red Beans and Rice in the Instant Pot.

Use the ingredients listed below for the rice, place into the instant pot and cook with high pressure for 10 minutes. Then complete the instructions for mashing some of the beans. Serve over rice! YUM!

What Goes With Red Beans and Rice?

We LOVE ours with Fried Chicken or Pot Roast! Another delicious meal is to just go with Cooked Cabbage and Cornbread! A lovely dinner!

Tips and Tricks!

If you do not have and can not get the chicken stock concentrate, use bouillon cubes instead and do not add salt until after you have finished cooking the beans.
OK to substitute vegetable oil for the bacon fat if you don’t have it or want to keep this recipe vegan.
Use the dried beans if you are able, it makes a big difference in the final flavor, in my opinion.
Using dried beans will cost less.
The directions indicate that you should mash some of the beans and return them to the pot. If you are the type of person who enjoys the entire pot of beans being softer, then there is no need to do this, just keep cooking them and they will eventually all be soft and mushy. That is completely personal preference.
If you prefer a different kind of rice, then use that and follow the package instructions for making it. White rice really does taste best with this dish.
Try some Minute Rice if you aren’t sure how to cook regular rice. I show you how in this post.

PRO TIP: You may be wondering why this recipe doesn’t call for any fresh garlic or onions. I’ve experimented long and hard with using fresh onion and garlic in bean recipes and find that the flavors aren’t reliable after simmering for a long time like this while the powdered/dried varieties do better. Feel free to add fresh onion and garlic, but I would still add the powdered and then use the fresh for garnish perhaps.

IF YOU ENJOYED RECIPE, TRY SOME OF THESE OTHER BEAN DISHES!

Pinto Beans on the Stove Top

The Secret to Perfect Southern Pinto Beans

Black Beans on the Stove Top

How to Cook Dried Black Beans

Hey, Can You Help Me Out?

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Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: popeyes red beans and rice, red beans and rice

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

For the Beans

16 oz Dried Red Beans
4 Bacon slices cut into 1” pieces
1 Heaping Tablespoon of Chicken Stock Concentrate.
4 Tbs Bacon Fat see notes
1 Tbs Onion Powder
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbs Hot Sauce a Good quality one like Tolulas or a Sriracha sauce
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Tbs Liquid Smoke
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Rice

2 Cups of Long Grain White Rice
4 Cups Chicken Broth
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 Tbs butter

Instructions

For the Beans
Pour the red beans into a large stock pot and cover with cool water, slosh around to wash. Remove any bad beans you find. Do this several times until the beans are free of any dirt, bad beans, half beans, etc.
Put the beans back into the stockpot and cover with 2 inches of cool water. Place on the stove and heat over high heat until boiling, then reduce heat to medium for a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to precook.
After precook, pour the beans into a colander and rinse with cool water. Rinse the stockpot as well.
In the stockpot you just used for the beans, cook 4 slices of bacon cut into 1” pieces until crispy. Then, leaving the bacon in place, replace the washed beans into the stockpot and cover with enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Set on the stove over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to keep the liquid at this low simmer. Do Not allow it to come to a full rolling boil.
Add the other ingredients EXCEPT the liquid smoke. Simmer until the beans are soft and like you like them. Once they are like you like them, cut the heat to low, remove about ⅓ of the beans and lightly smash with a potato masher and then replace it into the saucepan.
Add the liquid smoke and stir well after each tbs added. Allow to heat for 5 minutes to give time for the liquid smoke to absorb into the beans. Taste to see if you need to add salt or pepper. Serve hot over a bed of rice.
For the Rice
Rinse the rice well in cool water and repeat this 2-3 times.
Place the washed rice into a sauce pan, cover with chicken stock by 1 inch.
Add the salt, pepper, and butter and give it a good stir.
Bring the sauce pan up to a simmer over medium heat, reduce to a simmer, place the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and use as a bed for the red beans.

Notes

If you do not have and can not get the chicken stock concentrate, use bouillon cubes instead and do not add salt until after you have finished cooking the beans.
OK to substitute vegetable oil for the bacon fat if you don’t have it or want to keep this recipe vegan, also use vegetable stock instead of other stock. Use liquid smoke only, no bacon.
Use the dried beans if you are able, it makes a big difference in the final flavor, in my opinion.
Using dried beans will cost less.
The directions indicate that you should mash some of the beans and return them to the pot. If you are the type of person who enjoys the entire pot of beans being softer, then there is no need to do this, just keep cooking them and they will eventually all be soft and mushy. That is completely personal preference.
If you prefer a different kind of rice, then use that and follow the package instructions for making it. White rice really does taste best with this dish.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Revealed

Amount Per Serving

Calories 261 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Cholesterol 13mg4%

Sodium 584mg24%

Potassium 481mg14%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 5g20%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 78IU2%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Do you know how bad I am at procrastinating? So bad that I’ve been trying to put this article out for over a month! Do you know what was holding me up? The final photos.

Guess how long it took when I finally decided to put my mind to it?

About 10 minutes.

Sheesh. Jesus telling ME that I’ll have tribulation feels embarrassing when we are talking about red beans photos. I just need to get on with things. How about you?

What is Popeyes red beans and rice made of?

RED BEANS SAUCE: WATER, PORK FAT [CURED WITH WATER, SALT, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVORS (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL AND NATURAL WOOD SMOKE FLAVORS), SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SUGAR, BROWN SUGAR, SODIUM NITRITE], RED KIDNEY BEANS, RED BEAN SEASONING MIX (DRIED ONIONS, SALT, SPICES INCLUDING PAPRIKA AND PARSLEY, DRIED GARLIC, ...

Why did Popeyes stop selling red beans and rice?

But Popeyes removed the product from its menu early last year as part of a simplification initiative. That move generated protests among consumers who considered the dish one of the chain's best.

Does Popeyes red beans and rice have meat in them?

Unfortunately, the red beans and rice at Popeye's are not vegan. They are, in fact, cooked with pork which makes them obviously not vegan. What is this? And since they're cooked in the pork, there is no way to even modify them like can be done with some menu items by requesting 'no butter' or something similar.