Learn how to make Oshiruko, a sweet and comforting Japanese dessert soup that will warm your body and soul. This wintertime favorite is fast and easy to prepare at home using fine red bean paste from the store. It’s also lovely when enjoyed as a hot-cold combo year-round!
When the weather gets cool, I crave foods that are warm and comforting. This goes for Japanese sweets, too. It’s no wonder that oshiruko (お汁粉) was a favorite wintertime dessert of mine growing up in Japan. I could never resist this sweet red bean soup, especially during the colder months. A belly full of hot oshiruko always warmed me up on a chilly day.
I now live where the climate is cool much of the year, so I’m happy that I can enjoy this nostalgic and cozy dessert year-round. Luckily, it’s easy to whip up a delicious bowl of sweet azuki bean soup at home with store-bought ingredients. Let me show you how with my Oshiruko recipe!
Table of Contents
What is Oshiruko?
Oshiruko is a traditional Japanese dessert soup made with sweet red bean paste called anko (餡子) and chewy glutinous rice flour dumplings called shiratama dango (白玉団子). For a smooth texture, we use a fine paste called koshian (こしあん). This beloved dish is typically served warm during the colder months.
Its history in Japanese cuisine dates back to the Edo period (1603–1868), when it became more popular among commoners as sugar became widely available. Today, we enjoy oshiruko both in everyday home cooking and for special cultural events like New Year’s Kagami Biraki, Hinamatsuri (Japanese Girl’s Day), and Setsubun (Bean Throwing Festival).
Oshiruko vs. Zenzai
What‘s the difference between Oshiruko and Zenzai (ぜんざい, 善哉)? It depends on the area of Japan! Since my mom is originally from Osaka, I grew up following the Kansai way.
In the Kansai region (Osaka area):
- Oshiruko is smooth red bean soup without whole beans.
- Zenzai is chunky red bean soup with whole beans.
In the Kanto region (Tokyo area):
- Oshiruko is any red bean soup, either the smooth or chunky type.
- Zenzai is not a soup; it’s dry mochi served with chunky red bean paste.
Ingredients for Sweet Red Bean Soup
You only need a few ingredients to make this recipe:
- Anko (sweet red bean paste) — Use koshian (こしあん), a fine and smooth red bean paste; available on Amazon or make my homemade recipe.
- water
- Kosher salt — Optional, to enhance the sweetness
- Shiratama dango — Small, chewy dumplings made from glutinous rice flour called shiratamako; make them in 15 minutes using my recipe.
Substitution Tips and Variations
You can vary the texture and flavor of your soup with these options:
- Use tsubuan, a chunky-type anko, if you want extra texture in the soup. When the soup has whole azuki beans, we call it Zenzai.
- Add chewy mochi pieces in place of shiratama dango. Toast or grill bite-size pieces of dried Japanese rice cake called kirimochi; see how in my Zenzai recipe. It’s a good way to use your old new year mochi or kagami mochi! You can also use freshly made or boiled mochi rice cakes.
- Top it with Japanese flavors. In wintertime, try sprinkling kinako (roasted soybean flour), matcha (green tea powder), yuzu juice or zest, or kuromitsu (black sugar syrup) on your oshiruko. During other seasons, add pickled cherry blossoms in springtime and chestnuts in autumn.
- Serve with ice cream or fruit. For a delicious hot-cold combo, add a scoop of ice cream to your warm oshiruko and serve with a small crispy waffle. For a refreshing twist, top your warm soup with your favorite chilled seasonal fruits like berries and peaches.
How to Make Oshiruko
It could not be simpler to make this soup using prepared red bean paste.
- Mix equal parts of koshian and water in a saucepan.
- Heat until it reaches a gentle boil.
- Pour into individual bowls.
- Add the shiratama dango to the bowls and serve.
Recipe Tips and Techniques
- Add only half the water to dissolve the anko. It’s easier to do if you use less water. Once it’s dissolved, add the rest of the water and heat the soup.
- Add a pinch of salt to the soup to bring out the sweetness of the anko. While this is optional, I recommend it to enhance the soup’s flavor.
- Heat the oshiruko on low heat. The thick soup can swell and erupt suddenly, splattering over the pot.
How to Store
- To refrigerate or freeze: Transfer the soup to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- To reheat: Prepare the shiratama dango or mochi right before you serve the oshiruko.
How to Make Fine-Paste Anko (Koshian)
While I use store-bought anko for convenience, you can also make it from scratch with my Homemade Anko or Pressure Cooker Anko recipes:
- Remove the astringency from the dried azuki beans by boiling them briefly, then drain.
- Simmer the beans in a large amount of water in a pot on the stovetop.
- When a bean mashes easily between your fingers, it’s done. Drain.
- Blend the beans until smooth. Cook them with sugar and salt until thickened.
How to Make Shiratama Dango
It’s very easy to make shiratama dango at home. You can click here for the recipe.
What to Serve with Oshiruko
In Japan, we often serve oshiruko with a salty condiment to balance out the sweetness. It’s typically served with shio kombu (salted kelp) or umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums). You can buy shio kombu on Amazon.
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Oshiruko (Sweet Red Bean Soup)
Ingredients
- 7 oz sweet red bean paste (anko) (use fine red bean paste called koshian; you can buy it on Amazon or use homemade anko; to use chunky anko called tsubuan in red bean soup, see my Zenzai recipe)
- 7 fl oz water (⅞ cup; divided)
- pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt (optional)
- 10 pieces Homemade Shiratama Dango (Mochi Balls) (or use toasted pieces of mochi rice cakes, which you can buy on Amazon)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. See my Shiratama Dango recipe to make these glutinous rice flour dumplings in just 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can toast dried Japanese rice cake called kirimochi (see how in my Zenzai recipe) and use it instead of shiratama dango.
- Put 7 oz sweet red bean paste (anko) in a saucepan and add half of the water.
- Use a spatula to mash and dissolve the anko completely.
- Add the rest of the water and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, cook for 1–2 minutes. You can add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor (optional).
To Serve
- Transfer the oshiruko to individual bowls and add 4–5 shiratama dango to each bowl.
- We typically serve Oshiruko with shio kombu (salted kelp) to balance out the sweetness. You can buy it on Amazon.
To Store
- Transfer the soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to a month.
This dessert dish sounds fascinating and easy to make. As with any recipes from Nami, it promises (and delivers) great results.
Hi, Yvonne! Aww. Thank you very much for your kind words.🥰
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