Patbingsu Red Bean Shaved Ice Classic

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Patbingsu is a beloved Korean shaved ice dessert built on a fluffy mountain of finely shaved ice and crowned with sweet red beans, chewy rice cakes, fresh fruit, and a generous drizzle of condensed milk. The contrast of cold, snowy ice against warm, comforting toppings makes it the ultimate warm-weather treat in South Korea.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 340 kcalCalories
• 4 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 70 gCarbs
• 5 gFiber
• 38 gSugar
• 7 gProtein
• 75 mgSodium
• 450 mgPotassium
• 100 mgCalcium
• 2 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 35 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Ice Base

• 8 cups ice cubes (about 2 L)
• 1 cup whole milk or evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

For the Toppings

• 2 cups sweetened red beans (canned patbingsu beans, lightly drained)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 ripe banana, sliced into coins
• 1 kiwi, peeled and diced
• 1 cup Korean rice cake cylinders (tteok), thawed
• 1/2 cup condensed milk, for drizzling
• 2 tbsp roasted soybean powder (kinako), optional
• 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds, optional

Directions

1. If using a shaved ice machine, freeze the milk, sugar, and 1 cup water together into a block; otherwise use plain ice cubes and shave finely in batches until fluffy and snow-like, keeping the shaved ice in the freezer.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the rice cake cylinders, and simmer for 3-4 minutes until they soften and become chewy; drain and briefly rinse under cold water to cool.
3. Prepare the fruit: hull and slice the strawberries, peel and slice the banana, and peel and dice the kiwi; set aside in small bowls for assembly.
4. If using canned red beans, gently warm them in a small saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes until they loosen and become glossy; this keeps them from freezing the ice on contact.
5. Pile the shaved ice generously into four wide chilled bowls, mounding it high above the rim to mimic the classic Korean cafe presentation.
6. Spoon warm red beans into the center of each ice mountain, then arrange the rice cakes, strawberries, banana slices, and kiwi artfully around the top.
7. Dust lightly with roasted soybean powder and scatter the toasted nuts over the surface for nutty aroma and texture.
8. Finish each bowl with a slow, generous drizzle of condensed milk just before serving and eat immediately while the ice is still fluffy.
9. Stir everything together at the table so the melting ice, condensed milk, and red beans combine into a sweet, soupy dessert as it melts.

Cook’s Notes

• For the fluffiest texture, use a dedicated Korean or Taiwanese shaved ice machine; blender ice becomes coarse and watery.
• Warm the red beans slightly before adding so they don't shock the ice and create hard frozen clumps on contact.
• Swap fruit with the season: mango and peach in summer, tangerine segments and persimmon in autumn, and canned yellow peach for winter.
• Freeze milk with a splash of sugar into a block for richer, creamier ice that holds its shape longer than plain water ice.
• Assemble right at the table so the ice stays pristine and fluffy; patbingsu melts quickly, especially in warm weather.

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