Red Bean Milkshake

Name: Red Bean Milkshake
Prep time: 8 min
Total time: 8 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: ¾ cup (180 g) sweet red bean paste, plus 2 tablespoons (30 g) set aside for topping, at room temperature so it blends smoothly; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, very cold, straight from the fridge; 2 cups (280 g) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened for 5 minutes, scooped into 4 balls; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, adjust to taste depending on sweetness of the bean paste (optional); ⅛ tsp (¾ g) fine sea salt, a small pinch; ½ cup (30 g) whipped cream, freshly whipped or from a can (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, thick Chinese-inspired milkshake made with sweet red bean paste, cold milk and vanilla ice cream. It tastes like a classic red bean dessert soup in frosty form, with a subtle earthy sweetness and a smooth, spoonable texture.

Prep: 8 min
Cook: —
Wait: 10 min
Total: 18 min
Makes: 2 milkshakes (about 12 oz / 360 ml each)

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Steps

Before you start

Put two tall serving glasses in the freezer for at least 10 minutes so the milkshakes stay thick and cold.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer 5 minutes before blending so it is scoopable but still very firm.
Use ready-made sweetened red bean paste (smooth or chunky, from a can or Asian market). Taste it first: brands vary in sweetness, and you can adjust the sugar later.
Measure everything before you start, because blending takes less than a minute.

1
Chill the glasses
- Place two tall 12–14 oz (350–400 ml) glasses in the freezer.
- Take the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter.
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Ready when: Glasses feel frosty and ice cream gives slightly when pressed with a spoon
Tip: Don't let the ice cream melt; soupy ice cream makes a thin shake.
2
Measure the bean paste
- Spoon 3/4 cup (180 g) red bean paste into the blender jar.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons (30 g) in a small bowl for topping.
- If the paste is stiff, stir it with a spoon to loosen it first.
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Ready when: Paste is spreadable and not stuck in a hard clump
Tip: Cold paste straight from the fridge can clump; let it sit out while the glasses chill.
3
Add milk and seasoning
- Pour 1 cup (240 ml) cold whole milk over the bean paste.
- Add the pinch of salt and, if your paste is mildly sweet, the 1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar.
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Tip: Salt in tiny amounts deepens the bean flavor; don't skip it.
4
Blend the base
- Blend the paste, milk, salt and sugar on medium-high speed for 20–30 seconds, until the mixture looks like a smooth, uniform tan-purple liquid with no visible lumps of paste.
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Ready when: No clumps of paste remain when you stop the blender and look at the sides
Tip: If clumps stick to the sides, stop, scrape with a spatula and blend 10 seconds more.
5
Add ice cream
- Add the 4 scoops (2 cups / 280 g) of vanilla ice cream to the blender.
- Blend on low for 10 seconds to pull the ice cream down, then increase to medium-high for 15–20 seconds.
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Ready when: Shake forms a thick, swirling vortex and slowly falls off a spoon in a ribbon
Tip: Over-blending warms and thins the shake. Stop as soon as it is smooth.
6
Taste and adjust
- Taste a spoonful.
- If you'd like it sweeter, add 1 more teaspoon sugar and pulse 5 seconds.
- If it is too thick to sip through a straw, add 1–2 tablespoons milk and pulse 5 seconds.
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Ready when: Shake is sweet enough and thick but sippable
7
Pour and top
- Take the glasses from the freezer.
- Divide the shake evenly between them, about 12 oz (360 ml) each.
- Top each with a dollop of whipped cream (if using) and 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the reserved red bean paste.
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Ready when: Glasses are filled, with a visible mound of beans on top
Tip: Serve right away; the shake separates and thins within 10–15 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Pre-chilled glasses and very cold milk keep the shake thick for longer.
Add the ice cream last and blend briefly; long blending melts it and thins the shake.
Sweetness of red bean paste varies a lot, so taste before adding extra sugar.
For a more textured shake, stir the reserved paste in by hand at the end rather than blending it.

Make ahead

Portion the bean paste into the blender jar and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Blend with milk and ice cream just before serving, because the finished shake does not hold its texture.

Storage & reheating

Best served immediately. Leftover shake can be poured into a freezer-safe container and frozen for up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge for 20 minutes and re-blend with a splash of milk. At room temperature, do not leave out for more than 30 minutes. Leftover bean paste keeps 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container, or 3 months in the freezer.

Substitutions

whole milk → oat milk or unsweetened soy milk. Gives a dairy-free-leaning shake; use dairy-free vanilla ice cream too. Result will be slightly thinner.
vanilla ice cream → coconut or milk ice cream. Coconut adds tropical richness that pairs well with red bean.
sweet red bean paste → canned sweetened adzuki beans, drained. Use 3/4 cup (180 g); the shake will be chunkier and may need an extra 1–2 tablespoons sugar.
whipped cream → crushed ice or a drizzle of condensed milk. Condensed milk adds extra sweetness, so skip added sugar if using.