Red Bean Soup

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 02/3/23
Red Bean Soup

ThamKC / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Soak azuki beans: 12 hrs
Total: 13 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Red bean soup is both a popular snack and a sweet dessert soup. Azuki beans are a "yang" or warming food. Tangerine peel, used in many recipes, is thought to aid digestion.
Azuki beans, dried lotus seeds, and dried tangerine peel are sold in plastic bags in Chinese or Asian markets.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried adzuki beans

  • 6 to 8 cups water

  • 1 strip dried tangerine, or fresh orange peel

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried lotus seeds

  • 6 to 8 tablespoons brown sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Soak the azuki beans in water overnight to soften. (While the beans won't have completely softened, they will have expanded considerably). Drain.

  3. About 2 hours before making the soup, place the dried lotus seeds in a bowl with enough water to cover.

  4. In a medium saucepan, bring the 6 cups of water with the tangerine peel to a boil. (The soup can be thicker or thinner as desired. We usually start with 6 cups of water, and then add more boiling water at the end with the brown sugar if we want to thin it a bit.)

  5. Turn the heat down, add the adzuki beans and lotus seeds and simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are softened to the point where they are just beginning to break apart.

  6. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if desired. (We usually start with 1/3 cup and then add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Thin the soup by adding boiling water if desired.

  7. Remove the dried tangerine peel before serving.

  8. Serve the red bean soup hot or cold.

  9. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

  • Use white instead of brown sugar.
  • Other versions of this dish are made with longan seeds, lotus roots or lily bulbs.

Tips

  • Make sure to soak the beans overnight to soften them and prep them.
  • The soup can be thicker or thinner as desired by adding more or less water.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
92 Calories
0g Fat
21g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 92
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 32mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 221mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)