Red Bean Tangyuan

Tangyuan is a Chinese dessert of filled glutinous rice balls served in a gingery sweet syrup. This recipe has a homemade red bean filling and is perfect for Lunar New Year.

By
Frank Tiu
Frank Tiu
Frank Tiu
Frank joined the food world as a full-time food video producer at BuzzFeed Tasty NY and is currently a contributor to Simply Recipes.
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Published December 15, 2022
Frank Tiu
Three Bowls of Red Bean Tangyuan with Soup Spoons and a Pot with More

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

In Chinese, tangyuan translates to “soup balls.” The mounds of glutinous rice flour look like little white snowballs nestled in a sweet, melty puddle. Coincidentally, the words “tangyuan” are also a homonym for the Chinese phrase “getting together.” Many Chinese families make this recipe together during big holiday gatherings like Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year.

Red bean tangyuan is a deliciously warm and lightly sweet Chinese dessert. The soft and chewy balls have a mochi-like texture and the adzuki red bean filling adds creamy sweetness. Tangyuan can be made with a variety of fillings like sesame or peanut, and are commonly served with a gingery soup that adds a warm brightness.  

Bowl of Red Bean Tangyuan, and in the Background, a Pot and a Bowl with More

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

The Red Bean Filling

Red bean, also known as adzuki or azuki bean, is a small and smooth bean with a reddish skin and white interior. It is usually sold dried and can be easily found at most Asian supermarkets and online retailers. The beans are often eaten in paste form, which is lightly nutty, earthy, and often sweetened. The texture is similar to mashed sweet potato.

Soaking allows the red beans to hydrate thoroughly so that heat can penetrate and cook the beans properly. It also shortens the cooking time. If time is an issue, you can use store-bought anko (red bean paste). It is also readily available in most Asian markets. 

Note that azuki red beans are very different from red kidney beans and they cannot be used interchangeably.

Use Glutinous Rice Flour

Glutinous rice flour is made from glutinous rice, which is a short-grained rice known to be on the sweeter side. It is completely different from rice flour, which is made from medium and long-grain rice. Glutinous rice flour will give you that light chewy texture like mochi. With the addition of hot water, glutinous rice flour will transform into a thick sticky paste.

Glutinous rice flour can be found in the flour aisle of your Asian supermarket or online. Sometimes it is sold in clear square bags from either Vietnam or Thailand, and you’ll often find Japanese glutinous rice flour labeled as mochiko.

Bowl of Red Bean Tangyuan with One Tangyuan Dumpling Sitting on a Raised Soup Spoon with a Bite Missing, and in the Background, Another Bowl and More in a Pot

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

How to Make the Best Tangyuan Dough

Ensure that you’re using boiling hot water to mix up the tangyuan dough. The heat from the water helps activate the adhesive bonds in glutinous rice flour and allows the strands to stick together. 

This is what gives tangyuan and mochi their soft yet chewy texture. Cold water will fail to activate the stickiness and will instead turn the dough into rice milk. 

Adjusting the Sweetness

I prefer to use dark brown sugar when making the sweet ginger syrup. The molasse-y sweetness complements the ginger notes so well. Dark brown sugar is available at supermarkets, but feel free to use traditional brown rock sugar. 

For this recipe, the gingery soup’s sweetness is on the lighter side since there is also sugar in the red bean filling. If preferred, add more sugar to taste. 

Three Bowls of Red Bean Tangyuan with Soup Spoons, and on the Left, a Pot with More and on the Right, a Tea Kettle Sitting on Napkins

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Celebrate Lunar New Year

Red Bean Tangyuan

Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Soak and Chill Time 10 hrs
Total Time 13 hrs
Servings 10 servings

Although making the red bean paste might feel labor-intensive, it is worth the hassle and time. You can double or triple the red bean paste to use in other Asian desserts.

Store excess red bean paste in an airtight container in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed against the surface for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

For the red bean filling

  • 2 cups water, to soak

  • 1/4 cup dried adzuki red beans

  • 3 cups water, to boil

  • 1/2 cup sugar

For the dough

  • 4 cups (470g) glutinous rice flour, plus more for dusting and rolling

  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water

For the gingery sweet syrup

  • 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, or to taste 

  • 12 cups water

Method

  1. Soak the red beans:

    Add the red beans and water to a medium bowl. Cover the bowl and let soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. 

    Adzuki Beans Soaking in a Bowl of Water for Red Bean Tangyuan Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  2. Cook the red beans:

    Drain the beans and discard the water. In a saucepan, add the soaked beans, 3 cups of fresh water, and sugar. 

    Bring the water to a vigorous boil over high heat before lowering the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours while occasionally checking to replenish with water if needed (the beans should never be poking above the water).

  3. Mash and chill the red beans:

    Pierce the red beans with a fork to check for doneness; they should be super soft. If they’re not, add more water if needed and replace the lid and continue cooking. Once the beans have completely softened, turn the heat up to medium and simmer with the lid off to evaporate the excess moisture. 

    Once almost all of the water has evaporated, smear the beans on the sides of the pot to mash the red beans into a paste. Let cool before transferring to a container and pressing plastic wrap directly against the red bean paste to prevent a skin from forming. 

    Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.

    Red Beans Boiled Down and Squished Using a Spatula for Red Bean Tangyuan Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Red Bean Paste on a Lifted Spatula to Show Consistency for Adzuki Bean Tangyuan

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  4. Make the dough:

    In a large bowl, add the glutinous rice flour and boiling water. Stir until it becomes a shaggy dough and is just cool enough to handle. If the dough is too dry, add boiling water a teaspoon or two at a time as needed.

    Dump the shaggy dough out onto a clean surface and knead it together to form a soft and round dough.

    Bowl of Glutinous Rice Flour Mixed with Hot Water for Tangyuan Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Shaggy Glutinous Rice Flour on a Counter for Tangyuan

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Glutinous Rice Dough Ball on a Counter for Tangyuan

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  5. Divide and shape the dough:

    Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half with plastic wrap and set it aside to prevent drying out. Roll the other half into a ball and divide into 8 equal pieces (I like to use a bench scraper to divide the dough). 

    Grab one piece and cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap.  Roll out into a log and divide in half. Roll both halves into a ball and place one under the plastic wrap. Use your thumb to make an indent in the remaining dough ball.

    Tip

    If the dough balls feel sticky, toss in excess glutinous rice flour and roll with your hands until it is easier to work with. If they become dry, lightly wet your hands with water.

    Dough Ball Cut into Eight Pieces Using a Bench Scraper

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Two Pieces of Dough Rolled into Balls and Placed on the Counter, and to the Right, the Divided Dough Ball Rests under Plastic Wrap

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Filling the Tangyuan (R to L): Thumb Used to Create Indents on Both Small Rolled Dough Balls and the Rest of the Divided Dough Ball under Plastic Wrap

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  6. Fill the dough:

    Scoop out about 1/2 teaspoon of red bean filling and place it in the center of the indent. Press the red bean filling into the center and roll the dough edges to create a small wall around the filling. Pinch the walls to seal in the filling and roll until it becomes a smooth ball. 

    Roll the tangyuan in excess glutinous rice flour to prevent it from sticking and place on a baking sheet. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel.

    Repeat these steps with the other piece of prepared dough, then with the rest of the tangyuan dough.

    Filling the Tangyuan: Indented Dough Ball Placed on One Hand (Between the Index Finger and Thumb) and Indent Is Filled with Red Bean Paste

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Filling the Tangyuan: Hand Carefully Clenching around the Rice Ball to Close It

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Filling the Tangyuan: Hand Showcasing a Successfully Closed Tangyuan with Red Bean Filling Inside

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Tangyuan on a Sheet Pan after Coated with More Rice Flour

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  7. Freeze or cook the tangyuan:

    At this point, you can freeze the tangyuan or cook them. 

    To freeze: Dust a baking sheet with glutinous rice flour to prevent sticking. Spread the tangyuan apart into a single layer. Freeze for 4 hours, or until they are fully frozen, before transferring them to a freezer bag. You can cook them directly from frozen, just add a few minutes to the cook time.

    To cook and serve: In a pot, add the ginger, dark brown sugar, and water. Stir over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the tangyuan and cook for 5 minutes or until they float to the top, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick to the pot. For a clear soup, use a spoon to skim off any foam from the top.

    Tip

    This recipe makes enough gingery sweet syrup to cook and serve all of the tangyuan. If you are cooking less at a time, adjust the soup accordingly.

    Rice Balls Added to Pot of Boiling Gingery Syrup

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
    Spoon Used to Skim Off Foam from Red Bean Tangyuan

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  8. Serve and enjoy:

    Use a ladle to scoop the tangyuan and soup into bowls. Serve warm.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    Ladle with Two Rice Balls Raised, and in under It, a Pot Filled with More Red Bean Tangyuan

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
207 Calories
0g Fat
49g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 25mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 32mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 78mg 2%
*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. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.