Mung Bean Jujube Sweet Soup

Name: Mung Bean Jujube Sweet Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) dried mung beans, picked over and rinsed, rinsed thoroughly until water runs clear; ¾ cup (120 g) dried jujubes (red dates), pitted, halved and pitted; ½ cup (100 g) rock sugar (yellow or clear); 10 cups (2400 ml) water; 2 tablespoons (20 g) goji berries (optional garnish) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A delicate, subtly sweet Chinese soup combining tender mung beans with chewy jujubes, gently sweetened with rock sugar. This nutritious drink is traditionally enjoyed warm and is prized for its cooling and nourishing properties. The long, slow simmer allows the beans to soften completely and release their earthy flavor while the jujubes add natural sweetness and a fruity note.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Makes: 6 servings (about 1 cup each)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the mung beans thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear
Pit the jujubes if using fresh ones; dried jujubes can be used whole
Measure all ingredients before beginning to simmer
Have a slotted spoon or mesh strainer ready for skimming

1
Bring water to boil
- Pour 10 cups (2,400 ml) of water into a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, about 10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Water is at a rolling boil with large bubbles breaking the surface rapidly
2
Add mung beans
- Carefully pour the rinsed mung beans (1 cup / 200 g) into the boiling water.
- Stir once to distribute.
- Return the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Water returns to a gentle simmer with occasional small bubbles rising
Tip: Adding beans to boiling water helps them cook evenly without flouring (clouding the liquid)
3
Skim foam and impurities
- After the first 5 minutes of simmering, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove any white foam and impurities floating on the surface.
- Skim gently for about 2 minutes until the liquid is relatively clear.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Surface is mostly clear with minimal foam
Tip: Skimming prevents a cloudy, bitter broth and improves the soup's texture and flavor
4
Simmer beans until tender
- Continue simmering the mung beans over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The beans should be completely soft and beginning to break apart, and most of the starches will have thickened the broth slightly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beans are completely tender when pressed between thumb and finger; broth is slightly thickened and creamy
Tip: Stir every 10–15 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent the beans from settling and scorching on the bottom
5
Add jujubes and rock sugar
- Add the halved jujubes (0.75 cup / 120 g) and rock sugar (0.5 cup / 100 g) to the pot.
- Stir well to combine.
- The sugar will slowly dissolve and the jujubes will soften further.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rock sugar is mostly dissolved and distributed throughout the soup
Tip: Rock sugar dissolves slowly and adds a cleaner, less cloying sweetness than refined white sugar
6
Simmer until jujubes soften
- Continue simmering over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes until the jujubes are very soft and have released their flavor into the broth.
- The soup should smell fragrant and slightly fruity.
- Taste and add more rock sugar if desired, stirring to dissolve.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Jujubes are tender and collapse easily; broth is warm (about 160–165°F / 70–74°C) and fragrant
Tip: Taste the soup before fully finishing; you can add a touch more sugar if the natural sweetness of the jujubes isn't enough for your preference
7
Finish and serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each serving has some mung beans and jujubes.
- Garnish with goji berries if desired.
- Serve hot or warm.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: If the soup becomes too thick on standing, gently reheat and add a splash of hot water to loosen it to a pourable consistency

Good to know

Tips

Use dried jujubes (red dates) from an Asian market for the most authentic flavor and texture; they are sweeter and more complex than other date varieties.
Rock sugar (yellow or clear) is essential for its clean sweetness and crystalline mouthfeel—it's not just a substitution for white sugar but a key ingredient that affects the final taste.
This soup thickens as it cools because the starch released by the mung beans continues to gelatinize; reheat gently with added water to reach your preferred consistency.
Traditionally served warm rather than hot (around 140–160°F / 60–70°C), which allows the subtle flavors to shine without the bean flavors being masked by heat.

Make ahead

This soup is best made and served fresh, but it can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and gently reheat in a pot over medium heat, adding a little hot water if needed to thin the thickened broth.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 1 month (the mung beans may become very soft upon thawing, but the soup will still be delicious). Reheat gently over medium heat with added water to reach desired consistency.

Substitutions

rock sugar (yellow or clear) → Honey or light brown sugar. Use 1/3 cup (85 g) honey or 1/3 cup packed brown sugar. Add only in the last 2 minutes of cooking to preserve delicate flavors; brown sugar will darken the broth slightly.
dried jujubes (red dates), pitted → Dried longan (dragon's eye) or dried goji berries. Use the same weight (120 g). Longan is slightly earthier; goji berries are more tart. The soup's character will shift but remain delicious.
dried mung beans, picked over and rinsed → Split mung beans (peeled and hulled). Use 3/4 cup (150 g) split beans; they cook in 30–35 minutes instead of 45. The soup will be thicker and creamier with less whole bean texture.
water → Part chicken or vegetable broth. Replace up to half the water with unsalted broth for deeper flavor, but reduce salt awareness since broths contain sodium.