Popeyes Red Beans & Rice: Price, Calories and Nutrition (2026)

Popeyes Red Beans & Rice is the heartiest side on the menu, the one that eats like a meal. It is a traditional Louisiana recipe: red beans simmered until creamy in a savory gravy with meat, served over seasoned rice. In 2026 a regular order carries 260 calories and 7 grams of protein, with 6 grams of fiber that make it the most filling side on the board. The price starts from $2.49 for a regular. It is not a vegan dish, and it is not a light one, but for comfort food that keeps you full, nothing at Popeyes beats it. Here is the current price, the calorie count, and the full nutrition breakdown.

Popeyes Red Beans & Rice price (regular): from $2.49. Popeyes Red Beans & Rice calories (regular): 260. Prices vary by location because Popeyes restaurants are franchised and set their own menu prices, with most markets landing between $2.49 and $2.99 for a regular. The 260 calorie figure covers one regular order as served.

Last updated: July 29, 2026

Table of contents

• What are Popeyes Red Beans & Rice
• Red Beans & Rice nutrition facts
• Is Red Beans & Rice healthy?
• Red Beans & Rice vs Cajun Rice
• Allergens
• Getting the best value on Red Beans & Rice
• Frequently asked questions

What are Popeyes Red Beans & Rice

Red beans and rice is the classic Louisiana Monday dish, born of New Orleans tradition: red beans slow-cooked with pork and the Cajun trinity until they break down into a creamy gravy, ladled over white rice. Popeyes’ version follows the tradition faithfully. The beans are tender, the gravy is rich and savory, and the whole thing eats like the comfort food it is. Of all the sides, this is the one with the deepest Louisiana roots, deeper even than the Cajun rice.

It is also the most filling side on the menu by a wide margin. The combination of 260 calories, 7 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber means a regular order genuinely satisfies. People underestimate this. A regular red beans and rice with a biscuit is a small meal. A large with a couple of tenders is a big one. When customers say they want something that will keep them full, this is the side the nutrition panel points to.

The important caveat: the traditional recipe includes meat. This is not a vegetarian or vegan dish, and Popeyes does not offer a meat-free version. Vegetarians looking at the sides board should stick with the Cajun fries, the coleslaw, or the mashed potatoes, and confirm preparation details at the restaurant.

Red Beans & Rice nutrition facts

Full nutrition breakdown for one regular Red Beans & Rice, based on Popeyes’ official US nutrition data as reported by 2026-updated nutrition databases.

Nutrient	Amount per regular Red Beans & Rice
Calories	260
Total fat	16g
Total carbohydrates	22g
Protein	7g
Sodium	580mg

The standout numbers are the 7 grams of protein and the 6 grams of fiber. The fiber is the highest of any side on the menu, and it is what makes this dish so filling relative to its calorie count. The 16 grams of fat are the trade-off, the highest fat of any side, a product of the traditional recipe’s meat and cooking method.

Sodium at 580 mg is moderate for the menu, lower than the mashed potatoes with gravy but higher than the Cajun rice. The overall picture is a dish that is calorie-moderate, protein-solid, fiber-rich, and fat-forward. It is not a diet food, but it is a satisfying one, and satiety has nutritional value of its own.

Is Red Beans & Rice healthy?

By fast food standards, it is one of the better choices. The 6 grams of fiber are genuinely good, the 7 grams of protein are solid, and the 260 calories are reasonable for how filling it is. Beans are nutritionally dense food, and this is the only side on the menu that delivers them in a meaningful quantity.

The honest caveats: 16 grams of fat is the highest of any side, the recipe includes meat so it is not vegetarian, and sodium at 580 mg is moderate but not low. Nobody should mistake it for health food. But as comfort food that keeps you full for hours, it is far more nutritious than the fries, and it beats the mashed potatoes on protein and fiber while losing on sodium and fat.

The best framing is value-for-calories. At 260 calories, this side delivers more satiety than anything else on the board. If your goal is to eat less overall because the food actually filled you up, the red beans and rice are your ally.

Red Beans & Rice vs Cajun Rice

Red Beans & Rice (regular): 260 calories, 7 grams of protein, 16 grams of fat, 22 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber, 580 mg of sodium, from $2.49. Cajun Rice (regular): 170 calories, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 530 mg of sodium, from $2.49.

The Cajun rice is the lighter, leaner choice: 90 fewer calories, a third of the fat, slightly less sodium, same protein, same price. The red beans are the heartier, more filling choice: 6 times the fiber, a richer and more complex dish, the one that eats like a meal. There is no wrong answer, only different appetites. Hungry? Red beans. Watching calories? Cajun rice. Want the best of both? Get one of each and share.

Allergens

Popeyes Red Beans & Rice contains soy and is made with meat, so it is not vegetarian or vegan. Wheat is possible from the seasoning base, so check with the restaurant if you have a wheat allergy. The dish does not contain milk or egg in the recipe. As with everything at Popeyes, it is prepared in shared kitchens, so cross-contact is possible. Always check with the restaurant if you have a serious allergy.

Getting the best value on Red Beans & Rice

• At from $2.49, a regular red beans and rice is the most filling side per dollar on the menu. The 6 grams of fiber do real work.
• It substitutes for fries in any combo free of charge. The swap adds 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber to your meal for the same price.
• A regular red beans and rice with a biscuit is a legitimate small meal at about 490 calories. It is one of the cheapest ways to eat at Popeyes.
• The large at $4.99 to $5.29 is a big portion, roughly double the regular. It runs about 520 calories with 1160 mg of sodium, so it is a sharing size.
• The dish holds its heat well, which makes it one of the better sides for takeout and delivery. It reheats well too.
• Vegetarians should note the meat in the recipe and choose from the fries, coleslaw, or mashed potatoes instead. Confirm preparation at the restaurant.

Frequently asked questions

ManuBite Team. We track fast food prices and nutrition across the USA so you always know what your meal really costs, in dollars and in calories.

Craving more Popeyes favorites? Read our Cajun Rice guide, Cajun Fries guide and our Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy guide for prices, calories and nutrition facts.