Red Bean Paste
This earthy and semi-sweet red bean paste is ideal for using to fill pastries, mochi balls, spreading as toast, or molding into your favorite sweet treats and gifts.
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Servings: servings
Calories: 387kcal
Equipment
- pot to boil water
- Wooden spoon
- Wire mesh strainer/sieve optional - for extra smooth paste
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup dried adzuki beans
- ¾ cup granulated sugar - add more sugar to your preference
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Leftover Bean Water as needed
- 1 tsp avocado oil or coconut oil
- Water for boiling the beans
Instructions
- Pick out beans that look shrived, discolored, or broken. Heat a pot of boiling water and add adzuki beans with the water being three inches above the beans so they are fully submerged.Bring to a boil for five minutes, drain the water, and re-add clean water. Bring to a boil again.1 ½ cup dried adzuki beans, Water for boiling the beans
- Cook the beans for one hour and fifteen minutes, checking the tenderness and adding more time as needed. The beans are the perfect tender texture when they easily mash in between your fingers, but are not too mushy/overcooked.
- When the red beans are very tender and soft, drain the water very well. If you want a smooth red bean paste, leave 4 tablespoons of the water.
- Blend the beans in a food processor for the easiest and fastest method. Pulse for a chunky texture red bean paste. For a smooth red bean paste, you can push the beans through a wire mesh strainer with the back of a wooden spoon, or blend until very smooth.Leftover Bean Water
- Over low heat, add the avocado oil to the pot, then add back the mashed red beans and add sugar slowly. Mixing and dissolving the sugar and tasting, adding more sugar if you like. Add the pinch of salt and mix well.¾ cup granulated sugar - add more sugar to your preference, 1 tsp avocado oil or coconut oil, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Very consistently stir the mixture, scraping the bottom of the pot so the red bean paste will thicken as the water evaporates, but not burn and stick to the pot.As soon as the paste is thick and shows that it can stick to the spoon, remove from the heat and transfer to a clean plate or jars, allowing the red bean paste to cool down and further thicken.
Notes
- cool the beans until they are soft enough to easily press between your fingertips
- stir consistently
- keep a little leftover bean water to smooth the paste
- The paste will further thicken when it cools down, so remove from the heat BEFORE it gets dry or too thick.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Red Bean Paste
Amount per Serving
Calories
387
% Daily Value*
Fat
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
0.1
g
1
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.04
g
Sodium
149
mg
6
%
Potassium
927
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
84
g
28
%
Fiber
9
g
38
%
Sugar
37
g
41
%
Protein
15
g
30
%
Vitamin A
13
IU
0
%
Calcium
49
mg
5
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.