“Anko” refers to a sweet red bean paste that is made using Japanese azuki beans. Here are the 5 best anko desserts I’ve tried so far:
Whether you’re at a convenience store or a supermarket in Japan, you’ll find delicious anko delicacies made with the nutritious goodness of Japanese azuki red beans. These 5 treats are the best sweet red bean feeds I’ve had since moving to Japan in 2023.
1. Doriyaki
An absolute classic of the Japanese dessert palette, doriyaki is a simple dessert featuring two small pancake slices with a sweet red bean paste filling. They’re typically eaten at room temperature and the anko filling delivers a slightly sugary flavor with the slight nutty aftertaste of red beans.
2. Shiroko (Red Bean Soup)
One of the most soothing drinks during cold weather is shiroko otherwise known as red bean soup. Made using azuki beans it’s best enjoyed hot and sometimes with chewy pieces of mochi too. You can purchase hot cans of shiroko from vending machines in Japan and they often come with edible azuki beans inside too.
3. Anko Bread
For something that’s a little more filling, anko bread offers a higher volume treat with delicious red bean paste filling inside a soft bun with sesame seed topping. You can pick these up from any combini or supermarket, but for the best ones, you’d best get it fresh at a bakery or specialist store!
4. Azuki Ice Cream
Given the beans are not crushed into a paste, this ice cream technically doesn’t qualify as “anko” but is certainly made using the same azuki red bean ingredients. Smooth vanilla ice cream topped with sweet red beans makes for a dessert that just screams “Japanese delicacy.” Indeed, it’s the type of ice cream that’s not only delicious but somehow leaves a feeling of nutritional value due to the health benefits of whole azuki beans.
5. Taiyaki
Last but not least is my personal favorite of the anko dessert range – taiyaki. This iconic Japanese dessert consists of two toasted waffles shaped like fish (not sure why) with a hot filling of sweet red bean paste stuffed between (also available with custard filling). It’s super delicious and can be bought at any food stall, typically popular in street food areas such as Osaka’s Dotonbori.
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