CopycatSpices
Copycat Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
Make Popeyes' signature Cajun red beans and rice with smoky andouille sausage, creamy kidney beans, and bold Louisiana-style seasoning.
copycat · popeyes · fast-food · side
🕑Prep10 min
🍳Cook30 min
⏱Total40 min
🍽Serves6
⭐DifficultyEasy
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 oz andouille sausage, finely diced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1.Cook the rice. Combine the rice and chicken broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes until the rice is fluffy and the liquid is absorbed.
- 2.Brown the sausage. While the rice cooks, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced andouille sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned and rendered.
- 3.Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- 4.Simmer the beans. Add the kidney beans, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon to create a creamy texture.
- 5.Combine and serve. Fold the cooked rice into the bean mixture and stir until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot as a side dish or a hearty main.
Popeyes red beans and rice is the ultimate Cajun comfort food side dish. Creamy, smoky, and packed with flavor from andouille sausage and a blend of Louisiana-style spices, it is the perfect complement to Popeyes’ famous fried chicken. This copycat recipe comes together in under 40 minutes and tastes just like the real thing.
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to Popeyes’ version is the andouille sausage — it adds a deep, smoky flavor that plain ground pork or bacon simply cannot match. Mashing a portion of the beans creates that signature creamy consistency while still leaving whole beans for texture. Cooking the rice in chicken broth instead of water adds another layer of savory depth.
Pro Tips
- If you cannot find andouille sausage, smoked kielbasa is a solid substitute.
- For an even creamier result, mash about half of the beans before adding them to the skillet.
- This dish reheats beautifully and actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
- Add a few dashes of hot sauce at the table for extra heat.
