Shiruko (Sweet Red Bean Soup with Mochi)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Easy

Shiruko (Sweet Red Bean Soup with Mochi)

A warm dessert soup of sweet, soft azuki beans ladled over toasted, stretchy mochi. It is simple, cozy and not too sweet. Makes 4 bowls in about 1 hr 40 min.

Prep 10 min

Cook 90 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Yield 4 bowls

Ingredients

Adjust yield

bowls

7 oz (200 g)dried azuki beans, rinsed
6 cups (1400 ml)water, divided
¾ cup (150 g)granulated sugar
1 pinchfine sea salt
7 oz (200 g)kiri mochi (dried rice cake blocks), about 4 pieces

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Put the beans in a pot with 600 ml of the water, bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Drain and discard the water, which tastes bitter.
Return the beans to the pot with 800 ml fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently with the lid slightly ajar for 60 to 75 minutes. Add splashes of water if it dries out.
Test a bean: it should crush easily between two fingers.
Stir in half the sugar and the salt, cook 5 minutes, then add the rest of the sugar and simmer another 10 minutes until the soup is thick and glossy.
Toast the mochi in a toaster oven or dry skillet, turning until puffed and lightly browned with soft insides, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Put one piece of mochi in each bowl and add the hot beans and soup.

Tips

Add the sugar in two stages so the beans stay tender instead of tightening up.
For a smoother Kansai-style soup, mash half the beans.
Cut each mochi in half before toasting if you want it easier to eat.
Cook the beans until completely soft and reheat leftovers to steaming hot; toast the mochi and cut it into small pieces to lower the choking risk, especially for children and older adults.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make shiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi)?

Plan on 10 minutes of prep and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 4 bowls.

How should I store shiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi)?

Refrigerate the soup for up to 4 days and reheat fully; toast mochi fresh each time.

Can I make shiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Serve it with roasted barley tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 4 servings this recipe makes.

490 Calories / serving

0.6g Fat

108.5g Carbs

13.3g Protein

37.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (4 servings): ~1960 cal · 2g fat · 434g carbs · 53g protein · 150g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.