Red Bean Soup Recipe Oshiruko

Served with a soft, chewy piece of mochi, this soul-soothing soup is satisfying enough to make for a light meal or a filling snack.

Why This Recipe Works?

By starting with anko (instead of dried adzuki beans), this red bean soup comes together in under 5 minutes. Toasting the mochi creates a crisp crust on top with the nutty fragrance of rice crackers while the center gets soft and chewy.

Ingredients for Red Bean Soup

Anko - Anko is a Japanese sweet red bean paste made by cooking adzuki beans with sugar. I have a homemade anko recipe here if you need one. I like using tsubuan for Oshiruko because the chunky texture gives the soup more substance, but it can also be made using smooth koshian. Sugar - Depending on the sweetness of your anko, you may need to add some sugar to the soup. My recipe for homemade anko is relatively low in sugar, so I usually add about two tables of sugar. However, if you use a store-bought anko, I recommend tasting the oshiruko before adding any sugar. Mochi - Mochi is a rice cake made from mochi rice (glutinous short-grain rice). There are several styles of mochi, but I recommend using mochi that has been made by pounding steamed mochi rice for this red bean soup. It should be available at Japanese supermarkets shaped into round patties or cut into rectangles, and it will be rock hard because the starches in the rice have retrograded. The rice cakes get soft and chewy when they’re heated. I do not recommend using mochi made from rice flour as this softer style will not hold up well in the soup.

How to Make Red Bean Soup

If you already have anko (sweet red bean paste), making Oshiruko is as simple as heating the anko with water and sugar. If you don’t have any anko, you can use my tsubuan recipe to make it in under 1 hour using a pressure cooker. Make the soup by adding the anko, water and sugar to a pot and bringing it to a boil. Stir periodically to keep it from burning. Once the soup comes to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer to keep it warm. While the red bean soup heats up, you’ll want to heat the mochi by toasting it in a toaster oven or broiler until it’s puffed up and golden brown on top. I prefer the extra texture and flavor this adds, but some people prefer to reheat mochi in the microwave, which makes the whole thing soft and gooey. If you’re going to do it in the microwave oven, just wet the surface of the mochi, set it on some parchment paper, and microwave it on high until you see it puff up like a balloon. To serve your red bean soup, divide the Oshiruko between two bowls and then top each one with a piece of mochi.