Red bean paste, sweet or dessert from Japan: what it is and how it is eaten

Red bean paste is a smooth or mashed paste made by boiling adzuki beans, then mashing or grinding them. It is a staple in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean sweets, sometimes sweetened with sugar or honey. The paste ranges from chunky to very smooth, and can be dark red or white depending on whether the bean skins are included. It is used as a filling or topping in many traditional desserts and pastries.

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Made by boiling and mashing adzuki beans
Used as a filling in pastries, buns, and rice cakes
Comes in chunky or smooth textures
Can be sweetened with sugar or honey
Essential in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean sweets

What is Red bean paste?

Red bean paste is made by boiling adzuki beans and then mashing or grinding them into a paste. It can be sweetened with sugar or honey, or left unsweetened. The paste is usually dark red if the bean skins are included, but can be white if the skins are removed before or after cooking. The texture varies from chunky with bits of bean to very smooth, depending on how it is prepared. It is most often used as a filling or topping in a wide range of East Asian desserts and pastries.

Where does Red bean paste come from?

Red bean paste has long been used in East Asian cooking, especially in Japan, China, and Korea. The paste is made from adzuki beans, which are native to East Asia. Over time, different regions developed their own ways of preparing and using the paste, leading to a variety of textures and flavors. In Japan, it is known as anko, while in China and Korea it is called dòushā and patso, respectively. The paste is now a classic ingredient in many traditional sweets.

How is Red bean paste made?

To make red bean paste, adzuki beans are first boiled until soft. They are then mashed or ground. For a chunky texture, the beans are lightly mashed, sometimes with some whole beans added back in. For a smooth paste, the beans are sieved to remove skins, and the resulting paste may be cooked with oil for a silkier feel. Sweeteners like sugar or honey are often added, though some versions remain unsweetened. The color and texture depend on whether the skins are included and how finely the beans are processed.

A scoop of store-bought smooth anko (koshian) in a porcelain dish.. Photo: RudolfSchreier, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rice Dumpling Zongzi; Taken March 10, 2005 by Allen Timothy Chang. Photo: The original uploader was Allentchang at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How and when is Red bean paste eaten?

Red bean paste is most commonly eaten as a filling in sweets and pastries. In China, it appears in mooncakes, steamed buns, and sweet soups. In Japan, it fills buns, pancakes, and rice cakes, and is also served with jelly or fruit. In Korea, it is used in pastries, rice cakes, and even as a topping for shaved ice. It is enjoyed as a snack or with tea, and is especially popular during festivals and special occasions.

Kinds of Red bean paste

There are many types of red bean paste. In China, mashed paste with bits of bean is common, while smooth paste is used in pastries. In Japan, tsubuan is chunky, koshian is smooth and sieved, and ogura-an mixes both. Korea has dark red patso, sweet danpat-so, and white geopipat-so made from hulled beans. Some versions are sweetened, others are plain, and the texture can range from coarse to very fine.

What Red bean paste means

Red bean paste is a key part of East Asian dessert culture. It is essential in festival foods like Chinese mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival and Japanese sweets served at tea ceremonies. The paste is also found in everyday snacks and street foods. Its many forms reflect local tastes and traditions, and it is widely recognized as a symbol of comfort and celebration in the region.

When Red bean paste is on the table

Mid-Autumn Festival

Questions people ask about Red bean paste

What is red bean paste made of?

Red bean paste is made from adzuki beans that are boiled and then mashed or ground. It is often sweetened with sugar or honey, but can also be left unsweetened.

Where does red bean paste come from?

Red bean paste is traditional in East Asian countries, especially Japan, China, and Korea. Each region has its own ways of preparing and using the paste.

How is red bean paste used in food?

It is mainly used as a filling or topping in sweets and pastries, such as buns, mooncakes, rice cakes, and pancakes. It can also be served in sweet soups or with shaved ice.

Are there different types of red bean paste?

Yes, the paste can be chunky or smooth, sweetened or plain, and even white if the bean skins are removed. Each country and region has its own preferred style.

Is red bean paste vegan?

Red bean paste is vegan when made only with beans and sugar or honey. Some versions may use honey, so check the ingredients if you avoid animal products.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Red bean paste", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Red bean paste