Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert)

Patbingsu is a popular Korean red bean shaved ice dessert. This easy recipe uses milk and canned sweetened red beans, making it simple to prepare at home with or without an ice shaver.

Patbingsu adorned with fresh fruits in a serving bowl. — Korean shaved ice known as patbingsu is a must-try Korean summer dessert.

There’s nothing like shaved ice to beat the summer heat. In Korea, we call it bingsu, which means frozen shaved ice.

Among the many types of bingsu, Patbingsu is the most popular. “Pat” (팥) means red beans, so Patbingsu is shaved ice with sweet red beans.

Korean shaved ice dessert in a bowl with a spoon. — Make Patbingsu at home for a fraction of the cost compared to Korean dessert shops.

In the old days, people used plain ice for bingsu. But tastes have evolved, and now we use milk instead of water. When frozen, it shaves into snowflake-like ice, hence the name “snowflake bingsu” (눈꽃빙수).

I love milky shaved ice so much that I bought an inexpensive ice shaver. Now, I can make patbingsu at home anytime, saving money since a bowl at a bingsu shop can be quite expensive.

With my easy patbingsu recipe, you can make this delightful Korean dessert at home without much effort. Plus, you can customize it with your favorite toppings.

What you’ll need

Ice shaver for making Korean shaved ice. — Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert) 78

Ice Shaver (Optional)

An ice shave machine is a great kitchen tool if you make shaved ice often. While electric shaving machines can be costly, I found an inexpensive manual ice shaver that works like a charm.

You might wonder, “Do I need a shaving machine?” Not really. If you want to invest a few bucks in one, go for it. If not, I’ll share alternative methods at the end of this post, so you can still enjoy the great taste.

Sweetened Red Beans for Patbingsu

canned sweet red beans. — Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert) 80

The key ingredient is, of course, the red beans. Known as adzuki beans, these sweetened beans (dan-pat, 단팥) are common in many Asian desserts, such as danpatjuk (sweet red bean porridge).

While you can make dan-pat from scratch, it requires a long cooking time since red beans need to be cooked at a low temperature. Who wants to stand next to a hot stove in the summertime?

For convenience, I always use store-bought canned sweetened red beans. They taste just as good as homemade and have an excellent texture. Look for whole red beans, not red bean paste, at Korean or other Asian markets or online.

Milky Shaved Ice

I recommend using whole milk instead of low-fat for the best taste. Add a little sweetened condensed milk to make it even better.

How to make patbingsu

Make shaved milky ice

Milk mixture in a mixing cup to make milky shaved ice. — Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert) 81

Mix milk and sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture into a container and freeze until solid (about 4 hours to overnight). For multiple servings, use several containers.

Frozen milk mixture in a container. — Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert) 83

Once frozen, place the milk in the ice shaver, shave it, and collect the ice in serving bowls.

Garnish with Toppings

A bowl of Korean shaved ice with red beans and fruits. — Sweetened red beans, misugaru, injeolmi, and summer fruits make this bingsu unique.

Besides red beans, classic Patbingsu includes misugaru (roasted grain powder) and injeolmi (sticky sweet rice cake) for extra nutty flavor and chewy texture. You can also drizzle it with sweetened condensed milk and add fresh fruits like watermelon, berries, or other summer fruits.

Serve your bingsu right away to prevent it from melting. Enjoy the freezing sweetness of the milky ice, the delicious sweet red beans, and all the other toppings. The summer heat will be a distant memory.

Alternative Methods for Shaved Ice

Using Food processor or blender

If you don’t own an ice shaver, a food processor or blender will work. Pour the milk mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. When the milk is frozen, transfer the cubes to a food processor or heavy-duty blender and blend until smooth. Avoid over-processing.

Using Freezer zip bag

If you don’t own any small appliances, try a freezer zip bag. Your ice will be like slush instead of shaved ice, but it will still make an equally great Korean dessert. Here’s how you make it:

A plastic zip bag filled with frozen milk. — Patbingsu (Red Bean Shaved Ice Dessert) 85

Pour the milk mixture into a zip bag and freeze it flat.
Take it out and let it thaw a bit, or run it under cold water for a minute to soften the surface.
Use a meat hammer or rolling pin to break the ice into small pieces.

Helpful Tips

Be Creative with Toppings: Korean bingsu is versatile. Add any toppings you like, such as summer fruits (watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mango), crunchy sweet cereals, or ice cream.
Try Mango Bingsu: If you love mango, try my mango shaved ice recipe that uses mango puree in the ice.
Freeze Your Serving Bowl: This will keep the shaved ice cold longer.

Korean shaved milky ice with red beans and fruits in a bowl. — Shaved milky ice is refreshingly creamy and tastes much better than plain shaved ice.

Love this recipe? Rate it and share your experience in the comments below! On Instagram? Tag me to showcase your creation. For more delicious recipes, subscribe to our newsletter!