The red beans and rice I make at home every Monday night is the best recipe I’ve ever found. It’s hearty. It’s smoky. This is comfort food at its finest. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has some excellent red beans, but it does not compare to my amazing homemade version.
On a Monday, there’s something special about a pot of creamy, comforting red beans slowly cooking on the stove. Red beans and rice have been served in New Orleans for more than a hundred years. You can find them in almost any restaurant, bar, or home that serves food.
Monday was traditionally when one would do the laundry back in the day. The woman needed a dish that could be put on the stove and left alone while they washed the clothes. A pot of beans slowly simmering was the perfect answer.
The Sunday supper usually consisted of a ham. The following day, the ham bone that was left over had to be used, and beans were a cheap and easy way to do that. It was Monday, so there was plenty of time to do something like the laundry since the beans had to be cooked slowly.
I talked about how I learned to make red beans by making mistakes in a previous post called Red Beans and Rice with New Orleans Heart and Soul. I didn’t have a family member here to show me how to use the kitchen and give me advice on how to make perfect beans. Everyone who knows me, forums, magazines, books, and cooking and messing around with ingredients are how I’ve learned everything. Over the years, I’ve developed what I think is an amazing recipe.
At some point I want to start doing those Monday night get together Pableaux Johnson does. Johnson is a writer and photographer from New Orleans who is famous for having lunch with everyone on Monday nights with red beans and rice as the main dish. Friends arrive and you talk and you eat red beans.
On occasion, he even travels the country doing a Red Beans and Rice Roadshow. He will be in your area soon, so make sure you find him and go. But hurry, they sell out quickly! That would be the red beans and rice recipe I’d serve if I ever did something like that (not the roadshow part), since it’s what I make every Monday.
In the past, Mondays were the day I caught up on housework and laundry. Now, they’re not, but the tradition of cooking the beans is still important to me. The dish isn’t about laundry now -if it ever really was- but more about a community food. People gather for red beans. You don’t make a single bowl of red beans, you make a pot. It’s about people coming together and celebrating as one.
Red beans and rice is a special meal to me. This recipe is special to me. These are the beans that I sit over on a Monday night. They seem to make everything better, at least for that moment. They are hearty, spicy, and have that smoky flavor that sticks with you well after that last bite.
That’s why I think this recipe for Amazing Homemade Red Beans and Rice is better than Popeye’s. It’s made with love for my family. These beans are made to be apart of a tradition.
Please pull up a chair and join me at my table while the red beans cook.
Why is Popeyes Red Beans and Rice So Good?
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is famous for its spicy, crispy fried chicken, but another menu item that is a huge hit is their red beans and rice. This classic Creole dish has a complex robust flavor that keeps fans coming back for more. But what makes Popeyes version of red beans and rice so crave-worthy and delicious? Let’s break it down.
Flavorful Seasonings
The base of great red beans and rice is, of course, the seasoning. Popeyes adds a perfect blend of spices and flavorings to give their beans tons of depth. Onion and garlic powders provide an aromatic backbone. Black pepper and cayenne pepper add a touch of heat. The salt boosts and balances the other flavors. And the crowning touch is a hit of smoky liquid smoke, which gives the beans their signature smoky flavor.
Combination of Textures
Another reason why Popeyes red beans and rice is so good is the contrasting textures. The beans are creamy and soft. Some of the beans are mashed to thicken the broth. Yet there are still whole beans in the mix, providing a pleasing bean texture. The rice soaks up the flavorful broth while remaining light and fluffy. The texture combo is comforting and satisfying.
Smokey Bacon Flavor
Real bacon adds immensely to the taste of the beans. The rendered bacon fat used to cook the beans imparts a subtle smokiness. And the crumbled bacon sprinkled on top provides little bites of savory pork flavor. The bacon accentuates the cozy, homestyle essence of this Louisiana Creole recipe.
Just Spicy Enough
Unlike some other menu items, Popeyes red beans and rice isn’t blow-your-head-off spicy. But there’s enough heat from the blend of cayenne pepper and hot sauce to keep things interesting. The mild spiciness pleases fans who want some kick without overpowering the other flavors. The level of spice is just right for this dish.
Traditional Cooking Method
Cooking dried beans from scratch and low and slow infuses them with more flavor. Many restaurants use canned beans for convenience, but not Popeyes. Their red kidney beans are soaked and simmered for hours to develop their creamy tender texture and marry all the seasonings. This traditional technique results in beans with superior flavor.
A New Orleans Classic
Red beans and rice is a Monday tradition in New Orleans, dating back centuries. Locals see it as comfort food, perfect for stretching out the taste of Sunday’s leftover ham bone. Popeyes version captures the spirit and flavor of this Creole classic. Their hearty, highly seasoned take on red beans and rice evokes the cuisine of Louisiana.
The Perfect Side
Some may enjoy red beans and rice as a meatless main dish, but it’s most popular as a side at Popeyes. The flavorful beans pair perfectly with their famous fried chicken. The spicy, creamy beans balance and complement the hot, crispy chicken. Together they provide a one-two punch of flavor and spice thatChicken has never tasted better than with a side of Popeyes red beans and rice.
Carefully Controlled Flavor
Popeyes expertise shines through in their red beans and rice recipe. Every component – the beans, rice, bacon, seasonings – works in harmony. It’s affordable without cutting corners or compromising on ingredients. Their culinary team put thought into executing the classic flavors that their customers crave. The result is a crowd-pleasing side with premium flavor that outshines competitors.
Creamy and Comforting
Some restaurant bean dishes can turn out overly dry or mushy. But Popeyes gets the texture just right. Their beans maintain a luscious creaminess from the starch of the simmered beans and mashed beans. Each spoonful is smooth and comforting. The broth has body without being pasty or gluey. And the grains of fluffy white rice absorb the sauce beautifully. Every bite of this winning combo satisfies.
Familiar yet Special
Popeyes red beans and rice has a taste of home. Their version captures the comforting, filling quality that diners expect from this classic recipe. Yet they manage to make it special enough to stand out from what you could make at home. Popeyes red beans and rice warms you up with nostalgic flavor, elevated with the signature Popeyes touch.
Consistency You Can Count On
Patrons keep coming back to Popeyes for their red beans and rice because they can trust its quality. The flavor and preparation remain consistently delicious with each visit. Despite how many locations they expand to, Popeyes manages to replicate their signature red beans and rice with expertise. Familiarity and dependability give the dish an even greater appeal.
Restaurant-Quality Flavor for Less
Diners would pay far more for red beans and rice of this caliber at a fine dining restaurant. But Popeyes offers these top-notch beans at fast food prices. Their red beans and rice delivers complex flavor comparable to upscale establishments for just a couple dollars. It’s a bargain for the incredible homemade taste.
Frequency of Entities:
Popeyes – 16 times
red beans and rice – 12 times
beans – 8 times
rice – 7 times
flavor/flavored/flavorful – 7 times
texture/textures – 3 times
spicy – 3 times
smoky – 3 times
side – 3 times
Louisiana/Creole – 3 times
seasoning/seasoned – 2 times
bacon – 2 times
comforting – 2 times
fried chicken – 2 times
classic – 2 times
Amazing Homemade Red Beans & Rice that is Better Than Popeyes
The red beans and rice I make at home every Monday night is the best recipe I’ve ever found. It’s hearty. It’s smoky. This is comfort food at its finest.
- 6 pieces of smoked bacon, cut up into little chunks. Don’t throw away the bacon fat!
- 2 cups smoked ham chopped into small pieces
- 2 small sweet onions diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup green onions diced
- 1/4 cup garlic minced
- 1 lbs smoked sausage cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 pound of dried red beans that were put in water overnight and then drained
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 lbs smoked ham hocks
- Water to cover beans about 8 cups
- I used 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to season.
- 1 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce
- green onions for garnishment
- 1 cup hot cooked jasmine rice
- Put the chopped bacon in a large pot over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the fat is rendered out and the bacon starts to brown.
- Add the garlic, smoked ham, onions, bell pepper, celery, green onions, and green onions. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are clear and the trinity is soft.
- Season the smoked sausage with the parsley, thyme, basil, sage, cayenne pepper, and white pepper. Then add the sausage to the pot. Stir everything together making sure the seasoning is spread around. You should add the red beans to the pot and keep stirring until everything is well mixed. Keep stirring for about 3-minutes.
- Fill the pot with water until the beans are about two inches above the water. I used 8 cups of water. Put the bay leaves and ham hocks in the pot.
- Over MEDIUM heat, bring the pot to a rolling boil. Let it cook for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom.
- Lower the heat and let the beans simmer until they’re as creamy as you like them. I cooked my red beans for about 2 1/2-hours.
- About 30-minutes before serving, season to taste. I used about 1 1/2-teaspoon salt and 1/2-teaspoon black pepper. Pour in the tablespoon of Louisiana hot sauce or any other hot sauce that mostly has vinegar in it.
- I like to mash some of the red beans against the side of the pot as I stir them to help them get creamy.
- When the beans are creamy enough and the seasoning tastes good, they are ready to be served with hot rice that has been cooked. Lately, Ive been using jasmin rice. I like the added flavor that that rice brings. I put green onions on top and add some Creole Seasoning to the beans and rice. Serve more hot sauce at the table. Dont forget the warm French bread! Enjoy! .
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
FAQ
Are Popeyes red beans and rice good for you?
Why is red beans and rice so good?
How much sugar is in Popeyes red beans and rice?
|
Nutrient
|
Value
|
|
Sugar
|
0g
|
|
Protein
|
21g
|
|
Calcium
|
–
|
|
Iron
|
–
|