During the summer, Korean bakeries serve a refreshing treat called patbingsu. This delightful dessert is crafted using shaved ice combined with chunks of fruit, sweet red beans, a touch of milk, and sweetened condensed milk. The name “patbingsu” comes from “pat,” which means “red beans” (adzuki beans), and “bingsu,” which refers to “shaved ice” in Korean. While modern Korean bakeries compete with innovative bingsu creations each year, my favorite is the traditional style featuring red beans and injeolmi rice cakes. Today, I’m excited to share this classic recipe with you.
When I lived in the city of Gwangju, in the southwest corner of Korea, a popular bakery downtown was well known for its patbingsu. The shaved ice was like a mountain of snow, filled with delicious morsels like sweet red beans, colorful fruits, and chewy rice cakes. I can still picture my children’s big smiles when I suggested we go for patbingsu, served in one big portion with spoons. We usually shared 1 bowl of patbingsu together.
We were filled with so much excitement for patbingsu that we often got a “brain freeze,” a sensation that now always reminds me of summer. It was such a joyful brain freeze lol!
Canned sweet red beans are readily available in any Korean grocery store, making it incredibly convenient to create this delightful treat if you have an ice shaver. Nowadays, blenders have become more powerful and versatile, often equipped with functions to crush and shave ice cubes.This makes preparing patbingsu at home even simpler.
If you feel exhausted from the heat in the summer, make this. You’ll feel energetic again and your body temperature will cool down. Add your favorite toppings to your patbingsu and enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients
Serves 1 or 2
- 3 cups shaved ice (from about 2 cups water)
- 1 cup sweet red beans, canned or homemade (see the recipe below)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 4 or 5 small strawberries (about ½ cup), cut into small pieces
- 1 small mango, deseeded, skinned and cubed
- 6 or 7 small bits of injeolmi rice cake (see the recipe below)
- 3 tablespoons cold sweetened condensed milk
For sweet red beans
Makes a little more than 2 cups
- 1 cup small dried red beans (Adzuki beans: pat in Korean)
- 4½ cups water
- 1 cup white or brown sugar (cane sugar or zero calorie swerve)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For injeolmi rice cakes
- ¼ cup glutinous rice flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- a pinch of kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons roasted soybean powder
Directions
How to make sweet red beans
- Pick out any broken or brownish beans and discard them. Put the good beans in a strainer. Rinse them under cold running water, then transfer them to a large, heavy saucepan.
- Add 4½ cups water and cover. Place over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes until the water is boiling.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beans are tender but not mushy.
- Remove from the heat and drain.
- Return the beans to the pot and add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Stir with a wooden spoon for about 4 to 5 minutes over low heat, until the beans are drizzle-able.
- Allow the beans to cool thoroughly. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
How to make injeolmi rice cake
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the rice flour, sugar, salt, and water. Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a spoon until it becomes smooth.
- Cover the bowl with heat-resistant plastic wrap, making sure to leave a small gap for steam to escape. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute.
- Carefully take the bowl out of the microwave and uncover it. Hold the bowl steady with a kitchen cloth to protect your hand from the heat, then use a small wooden spoon to vigorously stir the mixture until it becomes elastic.
- Prepare a cutting board and sprinkle soybean powder on it. Transfer the hot rice cake onto the soybean powder. To prevent sticking, lightly wet your fingertips with cold water.
- Now, flip the rice cake over with your hands, pressing and shaping it into a square shape. Use a kitchen knife to cut the square into small pieces.
How to put the patbingsu together!
- Begin by refrigerating a 2- to 3-cup serving bowl until it becomes cold. This will help keep the patbingsu chilled while serving. Once the bowl is cold, place 2 cups of shaved ice in the bowl as the first layer.
- Gently drizzle the whole milk over the sweet red beans.
- Add ½ cup of sweet red beans over the shaved ice.
- Add the mango and strawberry pieces (or fruits of your choice).
- Take the remaining 1 cup of shaved ice and build it up on top of the fruits, creating a mountain-like appearance.
- Add a ½ cup of sweet red beans over the shaved ice mountain.
- Place the rice cakes on the top layer.
- Drizzle the condensed milk over the entire patbingsu, adding a touch of sweetness and flavor.
Serve
- Serve the patbingsu immediately with a spoon. Mix and eat the different layers together.
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This is very much like halo-halo in the Philippines. Halo-halo literally means mix and mix. There are many different varieties of halo-halo but basically, it needs to have shaved ice and some fruits. Some add milk or sweetened condensed milk and usually, we even add sweet red beans! Same as in Patbingsu.
Dear maangchi,
I got canned red beans. It has sugar in it.
so can we make red bean paste with that? :(
Dear maangchi
Can we use red kidney beans instead of red beans /azuki beans . will it taste the same? :/
See full size image
I’m afraid to say that you need azuki beans. https://www.maangchi.com/ingredient/red-beans
Ohk thank you maangchi
This looks so delicious!!!!! Ii want sprinkle shredded coconut on top of it too!!!!
It sounds great to me!
I always ate this dish at my local Korean Spa in K-Town Los Angeles and now I can make it at home! Thank you!
I’m wondering if I wish to make the sweet bean paste in advance, though I am sure it is best fresh, what is the best way to store it and how long will it keep before spoiling?
HI :) I want to ask if we could use the canned red bean? Do we still have to put the sugar? And is the rice cake needed or optional ?
I am so happy that I found your site. I have been looking at your videos and drooling watching all the delicious dishes you’ve made. I have question regarding the rice cake for this recipe. Can I use the regular rice cake (used for DukkBokki) and cut it in to smaller pieces? I’m having a birthday party for my son on Sunday and I don’t have the time to get to the store to buy the rice cake for the dessert. Thank you so much!!!! :)
Hi Imjoo, rice cake for tteokbokki is not the one for patbingsu. If you cant find that rice cake for patbingsu at your local grocery store you can make it at home. Buy a box of mochi flour, mochiko is a Japanese brand of mochi flour, mix flour with sugar and water then either steam or microwave. Then dust the dough with potato starch and roll out, cut into cubes and u can use them for your patbingsu. I always make patbingsu rice cakes at home because its kinda expensive if we buy it out from grocery store
Hi Maangchi! The best patbingsu I have ever had was in Korea. The patbingsu was huge, creative, tasty, and beautiful!! I was craving some the other day, so I made some. It hit the spot. http://www.behgopa.com/2013/07/patbingsu-shaved-ice-with-red.html
I heard that back in the Josun Dynasty, patbingsu was only available to the upper class. It was very interesting to learn about.
hello Maangchi! i tried your patbingsu recipe, it’s really awesome. i had a leftover red bean feeling from the rice cake that i made, although its a little mushy and wet. still, i though it would be great to use for patbingsu it turned out perfectly. I love your website, truly! and it also inspires me to learn hangul, we’ll try more of your recipes. :)
You made delicious patbingsu! That’s wonderful!
Anyeonghaseyo, Maangchi!
I made my first patbingsu yesterday for dessert. It was wonderful! It was refreshing, sweet, and different. I used my Ninja food processor to shave the ice and it turned out just like snow!
I followed your recipe exactly but added cubes of dragon fruit on top along with the banana, kiwi, and strawberries. I also made injeolmi to finish it off…it was very yummy!
Thank you for your awesome recipe!
Kamsahamnida,
Whitney
Whitney
Yours sounds like very colorful and delicious!
hai Maangchi….
my red bean become a litle bit crunchy (not soft). is it supposed to be like that? before i put the sugar, i try it and it soft and can crushed easily like you said….hmmm… is it because the sugar effect?
No, it should be very soft. Add more water to the red beans and boil longer over low heat until you can smash it easily with a wooden spoon.
This dessert is good for summer. Three ingredients for a one delicious recipe. Red beans is the main ingredient for Patbingsu. I will try this at home. Better for a nice glass, it will add more attraction to eat. Thanks for posting.
yeah I agree with you!
I can’t wait to make this for my mother grandmother and sister tomorrow it will be my first time making this and i hope it goes well the only thing is my mother and grandmother don’t like beans is there anything i can substitute it with that will still make it taste as good as it looks
yay, let me know how yours turns out! Sweet red beans are very important for me for patbingsu. Pat is red beans. : ) But you can replace it with your favorite fruit. Add some ice cream and fruit. yum!
Thank you so much they loved it i can’t wait to make more of your recipes i bet there all going to become family favorites
This blog and post has been featured on Tasting Korea. Please check it out :)
similar to our Filipino dessert called “Halo Halo” but its not tropical fruits but the difference is with mochis, red beans, temperate fruits and condensed milk. i love this kind of dessert.
Hey maangchi! will you ever show us how to make “Dalgona” ? i’ve seen it once in a Korean variety show and it seems so good!
Hello Maangchi!!!
I have been one of your follower for 2 years now and I only registered on your website only now. My bad.
I was just curious if I can make my own rice cake for the patbingsu, because I cannot find it anywhere in my town. I was thinking of making it with the sweet rice flour mochiko, then pound it just like the injeolmi. Do you think it will work?
Thank you!
Hi Maangchi! What rice cakes do you use for the topping? Thanks, love you!
This is the rice cake for patbingsu. https://www.maangchi.com/ingredients/rice-cake-for-patbingsu
Thank you so much! I am going to make this for our son’s baek-il next week, we are so excited!! You’re the best.
wow, let me know how the party goes! : )
I am so excited to find this recipe. We ate it several times while on a trip to Korea a few years ago…and have been trying to learn how to make it ever since. Can’t wait to suprise my husband this week. Thank you!
Great! Let me know how your patbingsu turns out later.
I am planning to make this for our cook out tomorrow :D *drooling*
I’m SO glad I found this recipe! Last summer I remember making PatBingSu, but everyone in my family loved it so much I used all of the sweet red beans I had bought. I haven’t been able to find any of the sweet red beans since, and after reading your recipe for homemade sweet red beans I’m excited I finally get to have PatBingSu again!
너무 감사합니다!
Maangchi 화이팅!
Great! Let me know how your patbingsu turns out. Happy cooking!
In high school, my friends and I would go to a little shop in Hawaiian Gardens in California called Ice Keki and they served this in HUGE portions. It was usually four or five of us that would split an order. They put cereal on theirs, Captain Crunch, Fruit Loops (my favorite), or Fruity Pebbles (my second favorite). They also had a chocolate version with chocolate shavings all over it. Oooo, I have to make it now; it brings back good memories!
I’ve been dying to make this since you posted it. Maybe even before since you teased us on Facebook saying you were going to make it a week before the YouTube Creators Camp!
I have no electric or manual ice shaver though!
I bought the red beans today so I will just make the beans up and then get vanilla ice cream and some bananas! Not traditional but I’m just excited because I love sweet red beans!
This looks great i love red beans, i love the fish on top :)
What a fun dessert. I made the beans using small red beans I found in Harris-Teeter. The beans and fat-free condensed milk make a healthy dessert and very refreshing. Thanks for the recipe.
I love the dduk that you put on pat bing soo so much that sometimes the kids and I eat it up before we even make pat bing soo. We call the rice mallows. I am looking forward to making my own red beans for pat bing soo now. I will have to make a really big batch to have on hand for whenever we feel like eating this delicious treat.
rice mallow, cute thinking! I know you would be interested in making your own sweet red bean. I made danpatjuk with the leftover sweet red bean yesterday. I will post the photo soon. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/danpatjuk
Maangchi, me and wifey have been enjoying patbingsu since we were dating and I would love to make her some from scratch. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely give this a try!
Latest on Simply Good Eating Blog:
http://www.simplygoodeating.com/2011/06/homemade-chinese-rice-dumplings/
oh, u guys were patbingsu couple! : ) I love your blog, too! Let me know how your patbingsu turns out. Upload the photo on my website if you want. Have a great day!
Maangchi We love your blog also :) We will definitely be in touch. I will be ordering the ice shaver machine soon from amazon along with some red beans from the Korean market by us in long island. Once we make our patbingsu, you will see it for better or worse.. lol hopefully it comes out as nice as your. Enjoy your day!
Latest on Simply Good Eating Blog:(Uh-Mook Jorim)
http://www.simplygoodeating.com/2011/06/korean-stir-fry-fish-cakes/
Maangchi! Your recipes are great as always! Ooh, now I’m craving this dessert dish! I’ll have to try it out soon. Thanks!
Out of all your recipe videos this was the most fun to watch. And let me say, wow, you have met some really good looking friends helping you to shave the ice – lol!
I am definitely going to impress my guests with your patbingsu recipe this summer. Delicious!
Jimin
You are one of those who requested this recipe, is it very easy, isn’t it? If it is too difficult for you to make sweet red bean, you can get a can of sweet red bean at a Korean store. I will post the photo soon. It’s very cheap less than $3.00 and you can make 2~3 servings. Anyway homemade sweet red bean is better though. : )
Onni,,love this dessert..lol.We have this same concept dish from the Philippines we called it Halo-halo.Definitely,reminds me of summer..:-))Thank you for posting it!Your plating is always fabulous looking!
haha, you left the same comment on YouTube? halo halo? : ) It sounds like hello hello. Do you add sweet red beans in it, too?
Yes,lol..I apologized i get carried away sometimes..:-))
I really wanted to make this the other day and now I can! Thank you 8)!
Good luck~!
Maangchi this looks delicious! I especially like the little fish candy :) The video shows us how much fun you had at Creator Camp! In the picture under number 3 it looks like there is piece of butter in the pot with the beans – is that right? Also, in number 5 you say “1/2 cup of the 1 ts vanilla” but you don’t say what the 1/2 cup is meant to be of :) Do I need special rice cakes for this or do I just cut up the tube ones?
Jamie, thank you for pointing out the typo. And it’s not butter. It’s light reflecting on the water. I should post a better photo soon. I’m glad you like the small fish looking jelly. : )