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Are you interested in learning how to make a traditional Korean sweet treat used in many desserts? If so, try making ‘pat-anggeum’ (팥앙금)! In English, you can translate ‘pat-anggeum’ (팥앙금) to ‘red bean paste.’ This sweet, creamy, and nutty ingredient is used in many Korean sweetened dishes (such as pat-bingsu, chapssal-tteok, and bungeoppang).

What Is Korean Red Bean Paste?

As I stated above, in English, you can translate ‘pat-anggeum’ (팥앙금) to ‘red bean paste.’

To make this dish, cook down your dried adzuki beans by simmering them until they are soft. Then, blend the softened red beans into a paste before mixing in sugar and salt. As the sweetened mixture continues to cook, you can add water to thin it. Or, for thicker paste let it cook down further without adding more water. While this process takes a few hours, you can make a large batch and freeze some of it to use for a later date!

While you can buy pre-made Korean red bean paste, I prefer making my own as the manufactured version contains many additives and preservatives.

A side shot of Korean red bean paste in a grey bowl. A spoon sits in the bean paste. The bowl sits on a yellow tray.

Korean Red Bean Paste Ingredient List:

Below, I list the ingredients used to make this recipe:

Red Adzuki Beans (Learn more about this ingredient here)
Sugar
Salt
Water

Korean Red Bean Paste Tips & Tricks:

Here, I list some helpful tips & tricks to help you make this easy Korean red bean paste recipe. If you have any questions, comment below or email me at [email protected]! I hope these tips help!

For this recipe, you should use the adzuki (aka azuki or atzuki) variety of red bean. This red bean has a slightly sweet flavor that is often enhanced by adding sugar when making red bean paste. Learn more about this ingredient via my recipe article on the subject.
As I stated above, you can have either a smooth paste or a chunky paste with bits of bean still intact. Both are delicious and how you make it is personal taste. I prefer having bits of beans in my paste. To make it smooth, use a regular or immersion blender.
If you have leftovers, store this bean paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week (it can last a few days past a week). If you plan on storing it for longer, I recommend freezing it to maintain the freshness. Then, you can thaw it and use it for your sweet treats!
Serve this sweet bean treat over bingsu or inside other sweet treats!

Korean Red Bean Paste Frequently Asked Questions:

Now that we learned about some tips & tricks, I want to answer some questions you may have about this recipe! If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].

How Do I Use Red Bean Paste?

Korean red bean paste is typically used in dessert dishes! I list a few famous ones below!

Korean Red Bean Paste Desserts:

Pat-Bingsu (팥빙수): Korean shaved ice topped with sweet red beans. This is a common dessert in South Korea!
Bungeoppang (붕어빵): Fish-shaped bread filled with sweet red beans. Often, you can find bungeoppang food stalls at street markets.
Chapssal-Tteok (찹쌀떡): This is a variety of Korean rice cake made with glutinous rice flour. Often, this type of tteok is filled with sweet red bean paste.

Note: Other countries, such as China and Japan, also use red bean paste in their cuisine. You can use this red bean paste recipe when trying to make Chinese and Japanese desserts as well. I recommend checking to see how sweet the paste needs to be for each dessert though! The sweetness can be a personal preference as well!

An overhead shot of pat-anggeum in a grey bowl. A spoon sits in the bowl. The bowl sits on a yellow tray.

Does This Recipe Contain Major Allergens? (Gluten, Soy, Etc.)

Before listing all of the major allergens, I want to state that all of my recipes are naturally gluten-free. On this blog, I only use and recommend gluten-free ingredients and brands. That being said, I list gluten as a potential allergen when necessary– this is because many Korean ingredients (such as soy sauce, gochujang, and doenjang) contain gluten unless you specifically buy gluten-free versions. Not only is this true for gluten, but it is true for other major allergens as well. As such, I always list allergy substitutions in the next section of my post.

This recipe does not contain 9 of the 9 major allergens. It does not contain:

Peanuts
Fish
Crustacean Shellfish
Milk (Dairy)
Tree Nuts
Sesame
Wheat (Gluten)
Eggs
Soybean

This recipe does contain 0 of the 9 major allergens.

Allergy Substitutions or Omissions:

While this recipe does not contain any major allergens, always check the packaging of your red beans. Beans are often processed on the same machinery as other major allergens. For those with severe allergies, I always recommend avoiding products that are processed on the same machines as your allergies. You never know how well they handle cross-contamination!

Is This Recipe Vegetarian or Vegan?

Excitingly, this recipe is naturally vegetarian and vegan!

How Do I Store Homemade Korean Red Bean Paste?

To store red bean paste, place it in an airtight container. Then, store it in the refrigerator. You can store the red bean paste in the refrigerator for 1 week to 1 ½ weeks.

If you do not plan to use all the paste within a week, place it in a freezer-safe container (such as a ziplock bag). Then, store it in the freezer.

Where Can I Buy the Ingredients for This Recipe?

When making this recipe, I recommend shopping at your local family-owned Korean grocery store or an Asian grocery store chain (such as H-Mart) for adzuki beans. You can also order these beans online!

If you decide you do not want to make red bean paste at home, you can buy pre-made versions as well. I prefer making mine at home as there are often allergens or additives in imported red bean paste.

Where to Buy Korean Ingredients Online?

Nowadays, there are many online options to choose from when ordering Korean food online. These websites are not limited to but include:

Amazon
H-mart
Hanpoom
Wooltari
Seoul Mills

I Hope You Enjoyed Learning How to Make This Korean Red Bean Paste Recipe!

In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning how to make this Korean red bean paste recipe. If so, let me know in the comment section!

If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find recipes as well as further Korean ingredient articles on my blog. I listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.

Further Carving A Journey Recipes:

If you have any questions or comments, you can also email me at [email protected]. And, finally, I would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow me at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also started a vlog YouTube channel with my husband! Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to the blog by joining the mailing list. Let me know if you try making red bean paste. Thank you so much for stopping by!