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How To Cook Red Adzuki Beans?

Small red beans or adzuki beans can be cooked easily on stove top, which makes an easy side dish with rice, pasta etc or you can use the beans to make soup, stew etc!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Indian
Keyword adzuki beans, how to cook red beans, red beans
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 298kcal
Author PA

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups red adzuki beans dried small red beans
  • salt adjust to taste
  • 4 cups water or you may use broth
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup dried minced onions
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons oil

To make soup (optional):

  • 6 oz spinach leaves
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon paprika or red chili powder
  • ½ cup heavy cream optional
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or use 1 cup fined chopped fresh tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato based sauce

Instructions

  • Wash the beans very well and soak in water for at least ½ an hour.
  • Discard the water used for soaking, rinse the beans again and place in a large or medium sized saucepan.
  • Add water, salt, garlic, onion powders and minced onion.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, stir the contents well.
  • Cover the pan with lid, reduce the heat and simmer the beans in medium to low heat for about 50 to 60 minutes until the beans is well cooked and soft. It is a good idea to check the beans after about 40 to 45 minutes time if you do not want very soft beans.

To make soup (optional)

  • Add washed spinach leaves to cooked beans, cover and cook in medium heat for another 5 to 6 minutes (you may add one more cup of water or as needed, if there is little water left in the pan).
  • Once the spinach is also cooked, remove the lid and add spices and lemon juice (or tomatoes or tomato based sauce) too, simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes until ingredients are all well combined.
  • Add heavy cream (if using), gently mix in to combine with the soup, turn off the heat and serve the soup while it's still hot, enjoy!

Pressure cooker method:

  • Add all ingredients (not the optional ingredients for soup) to a large sized pressure cooker (5 quart or 6 quart).
  • Close the pressure cooker with the safety valve in position and correctly following the instructions based on the manual.
  • Cook in high heat until the steam begins to release, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Once it is done, turn off the heat and allow the pressure cooker to cool down.
  • Once the cooker is cooled enough, carefully open the lid and stir the contents, simmer if necessary. If you need more water, you can add and simmer to your preference.
  • Also, if you want to make the soup, you can add the optional ingredients and cook for another few more minutes to the preferred consistency (without using lid) and stir in the heavy cream also at the end to make it more creamy.

Instant Pot Method:

  • Add all ingredients to instant pot pressure cooker (not the optional soup ingredients).
  • Close the instant pot with lid in sealing position, cook in high pressure for 9 minutes.
  • Once cooking is done, press cancel button and wait for a natural pressure release.
  • Once the pressure is all released, carefully open the lid and stir the contents.
  • If needed, you may add little more water, press saute button and simmer the contents for aother 1 to 2 minutes.
  • If you want to make the soup, you can add the ingredients for the soup, press saute and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes and then stir in the heavy cream once it is done (press cancel button to stop sauteeing) !

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 891mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2985IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3mg