Desserts & BeveragesEasy 45 min serves 4 Vegetarian-ok

Red Bean Soup (Hong Dou Sha)

Name: Red Bean Soup (Hong Dou Sha)
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Dessert & Beverage
Ingredients: dried adzuki beans; granulated cane sugar; rock sugar (optional, for gloss); water (for soaking and cooking)

红豆沙 · hóng dòu shā

家庭快手版 · Home version: This is the slow-simmered, unthickened version Grandma Li made in Foshan — no cornstarch, no canned beans, just patience and a clay pot.

My aunt in Foshan still stirs red bean soup every Sunday morning while listening to Cantonese opera on the radio. She says her mother taught her to soak the beans overnight in rainwater — now she uses filtered water, but insists the beans must ‘breathe’ for 8 hours before cooking.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Quick & Easy Comfort Food Make-Ahead

Ingredients

dried adzuki beans赤小豆（非红豆）🏮 asian200 g
granulated cane sugar白砂糖🛒 local80 g
rock sugar (optional, for gloss)冰糖（可选，增亮）🏮 asian30 g
water (for soaking and cooking)清水（浸泡及煮制用）🛒 local1200 ml

dried adzuki beans: True hong dou are small, dark red, and split easily — not the larger, pale 'red beans' sometimes mislabeled in US bulk bins.

granulated cane sugar: Do not substitute brown sugar — it clouds the color and adds molasses notes that clash with the clean bean flavor.

rock sugar (optional, for gloss): Adds subtle sweetness and a translucent sheen; omit if unavailable — regular sugar works fine.

water (for soaking and cooking): Use filtered water for best clarity and mild taste.

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Instructions

1Rinse adzuki beans under cold water until runoff runs clear. Place in a bowl, cover with 800 ml (3½ cups) cool filtered water, and soak overnight (at least 8 hours) at room temperature.
浸泡是关键一步
🔍 Look for 8 小时 · 8 hours
Visual: 豆粒胀大近一倍，表皮微皱Beans plump and nearly double in size, skins slightly wrinkled
You know it's right when: 咬开无硬芯，完全软糯No hard center when bitten — they should yield fully
Soaking reduces cooking time and prevents splitting during simmering.
2Drain soaked beans and transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot or clay pot. Add 400 ml (1¾ cups) fresh filtered water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to low heat.
沸后即转小火
🔍 Look for Low heat 1–2 分钟 · 1–2 minutes
Visual: 水面仅见细密小泡，蒸汽如轻烟升起Tiny bubbles barely breaking surface, steam rising in thin wisps
You know it's right when: 飘出淡淡豆香与甜气A faint, sweet, beany aroma begins to rise
Never stir vigorously after boiling — gentle folding only preserves whole beans.
3Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, gently folding beans every 8–10 minutes with a wooden spoon. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
勤撇沫，保清亮
🔍 Look for Low heat 30 分钟 · 30 minutes
Visual: 汤汁呈淡粉褐色，豆周略显浓稠Liquid turns pale pinkish-brown and slightly thickens around beans
You know it's right when: 豆子沿缝隙自然绽开，露出细腻豆沙瓤Beans begin to burst open naturally at seams, releasing creamy insides
4Add sugar and rock sugar. Stir gently until dissolved, then continue simmering uncovered for another 10 minutes. Do not boil rapidly — maintain a bare simmer.
糖后小火续煮
🔍 Look for Low heat 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 汤色转为暖琥珀色，有光泽，勺面薄挂一层Soup deepens to warm amber, glossy and lightly clinging to spoon
You know it's right when: 稍冷却后表面浮现薄薄一层油润膜A thin film forms on surface when cooled slightly
5Turn off heat. Let cool slightly, then use a potato masher or fork to lightly crush 1/3 of the beans — just enough to thicken the broth without making it pasty. Cool to room temperature before serving chilled or warm.
保留部分整豆口感
🔍 Look for 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汤体丝滑，可见整豆与碎沙共存，无结块Broth is velvety with visible whole and crushed beans, no lumps
You know it's right when: 勺起微阻，不稀薄也不黏滞Ladle reveals gentle resistance, not watery or gluey

Tips

· Serve warm in winter, chilled in summer — never ice-cold, as it dulls the bean fragrance.
· For smoother texture, pass half the soup through a fine-mesh sieve — but keep some whole beans for authenticity.
· Leftovers keep 5 days refrigerated; reheat gently — do not boil again.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine