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Homemade Japanese red bean paste — anko made with adzuki beans

Homemade Anko (Red Bean Paste) — Smooth or Chunky

by Vegin Vegan Vegun!
A simple adzuki bean paste recipe with lightly sweet flavor, made from cooked adzuki beans and sugar.
This recipe shows two styles: a smooth, spreadable koshian-style paste and a chunkier tsubu-an with whole beans.
Both start the same way, but the texture changes depending on how you cook and handle the beans.
You can also use store-bought cooked beans for convenience.
5 from 1 vote
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Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese, Washoku

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

  • approx. 650 g cooked adzuki beans unsweetened, from 200g dried
  • 100 g beet sugar or raw cane sugar about 15% of the cooked bean weight
  • bean cooking liquid or water  as needed

Instructions
 

Before you start

  • Check that the adzuki beans are fully cooked. Press one between your fingers — it should mash without resistance. If still firm, add some cooking liquid or water and simmer until tender.
    approx. 650 g cooked adzuki beans, bean cooking liquid or water 
    • This step really matters: once sugar is added, the beans will not soften further.

Add the sugar

  • Add the cooked beans to a saucepan.
  • Add a portion of the sugar and stir to combine.
    100 g beet sugar or raw cane sugar
  • Place over high heat until the sugar dissolves, then taste.
  • Add more sugar as needed, letting it dissolve each time, and adjust to your preference.
    • Keep in mind the sweetness mellows as the paste cools — aim for slightly sweeter than you want in the finished result.

Pattern A: Cheat Koshian (for ohagi, mochi, fillings)

  • Once the sugar has dissolved, keep the pan on high heat.
  • When the mixture begins to bubble, reduce to medium heat and continue stirring, running the spatula along the bottom of the pan.
  • When the paste starts to splatter, reduce to low and keep stirring continuously. The beans will mash naturally as you go.
  • When the spatula leaves a clear trail through the paste, remove from the heat.
    • Stop just before it reaches your desired consistency — the paste will firm up as it cools, so it should still feel slightly softer at this stage.
  • Once cooled, transfer to a container and refrigerate.

Pattern B: Chunky Tsubu-an (for anmitsu, crepes, toppings)

  • Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble, reduce to low to medium-low heat.
    • At this stage, stir only once or twice from the bottom — just enough to prevent scorching, without breaking up the beans.
  • As the paste reduces, stir occasionally from the bottom of the pan, handling the beans as gently as possible.
  • When you begin to hear a light sizzling sound, reduce to very low heat and switch to continuous stirring, keeping the spatula against the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove from the heat just before it reaches your desired consistency — the paste will firm up as it cools, so stop while it still feels slightly softer.
  • Let the paste cool, then transfer to a container and refrigerate.

Notes

▶︎ Sugar Ratio

Traditional anko often uses 70–100% sugar relative to the weight of dried beans.
This recipe uses 100 g of sugar for 200 g of dried beans (about 50%), which gives a lightly sweet result — a level that feels balanced to me, as someone who doesn’t usually eat very sweet foods.
If using store-bought cooked beans, use about 15% of the drained weight as a starting point.

▶︎ Keep a Record

The final texture and flavor can vary depending on the beans and their moisture content.
It helps to keep track of the beans you use, how they were cooked, and the sugar and ratios each time.
Over time, you’ll find a balance that feels right for you.
Keyword adzuki bean dessert, adzuki bean paste, adzuki beans, anko, homemade anko, red bean paste, tsubu-an, vegan Japanese sweets, wagashi