What Foods Have Red Yeast Rice in Them? A Culinary Guide

November 28, 2025 •

3 min read

For over a thousand years, various Asian culinary traditions have utilized red yeast rice as a natural ingredient for coloring, flavoring, and preservation. Produced by fermenting rice with the mold Monascus purpureus, this unique ingredient gives a vibrant reddish-purple hue and a subtle, pleasant taste to a wide array of dishes and products. While most commonly known in recent years for its supplemental form due to compounds that can lower cholesterol, its traditional food applications are extensive and diverse.

Quick Summary

A guide to the culinary applications of red yeast rice, detailing its use as a natural coloring, flavoring, and preserving agent in a variety of traditional East and Southeast Asian foods. It also distinguishes between culinary uses and supplemental versions.

Key Points

Culinary Applications: Red yeast rice is used for its red coloring, mild flavor, and preserving properties in many traditional Asian dishes.
Food Examples: Common foods containing red yeast rice include char siu, Peking duck, red fermented bean curd, and certain regional fermented fish and shrimp dishes.
Source of Color: The vibrant reddish-purple hue in products like red rice vinegar and Chinese pastries is often derived from red yeast rice.
Culinary vs. Supplemental: The red yeast rice used in food is different from concentrated dietary supplements and typically contains negligible levels of monacolin K.
Safety Distinction: Concentrated supplements can carry risks and potential contaminants like citrinin, unlike traditional food preparations.
Flavor Profile: Beyond its color, red yeast rice adds a subtle but pleasant umami flavor to dishes, especially in Fujianese and Filipino cuisine.

Introduction to Red Yeast Rice in Cuisine

Red yeast rice, also known as angkak, beni-koji, and hong qu, is a fermented rice product used in East and Southeast Asian cuisine for over a thousand years. It is made by fermenting white rice with the Monascus purpureus mold, resulting in a distinct red-purple color and a subtle, savory flavor. Traditionally, it has also been used as a food preservative. It's important to differentiate between traditional food-grade red yeast rice and dietary supplements, which contain higher levels of monacolin K. This article focuses on the culinary applications.

Culinary Uses of Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is incorporated into various dishes across different Asian cuisines, primarily for its natural coloring and unique flavor.

In Chinese and Taiwanese Cuisine

Meats: It gives the characteristic red color to dishes like Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) and was traditionally used for Peking Duck. The lees from red rice wine, which also utilizes red yeast rice, are used in Fujian Red Wine Chicken.
Fermented Products: Red fermented bean curd (tofunyu) and red rice vinegar get their color and some flavor from red yeast rice.

In Japanese and Korean Cuisine

Beverages: Traditional Japanese Akaisake (Red Sake) and certain Chinese Huangjiu (Shaoxing Jiu) rice wines are colored with red yeast rice.
Other Foods: Tofuyo (Okinawan fermented tofu) uses red yeast rice. Its pigments are also used in some Japanese processed foods like crab-flavored fish cakes.

In Southeast Asian Cuisine

Filipino Fermented Dishes: Known as angkák in the Philippines, red yeast rice is used to color and preserve fermented shrimp (bagoóng alamáng), fermented fish (burong isdâ), and fermented rice and shrimp (balao-balao).

Culinary vs. Supplemental Red Yeast Rice: A Comparison

Understanding the difference between red yeast rice used in food and dietary supplements is crucial due to varying compositions and safety profiles.


Feature	Traditional Culinary Red Yeast Rice	Red Yeast Rice Supplements
Preparation	Used whole or as paste/powder; low-concentration	Concentrated extract in pill/capsule form
Primary Use	Natural coloring, flavoring, and preservative in food	Dietary supplement to lower cholesterol levels
Monacolin K Content	Generally very low or negligible levels	May contain variable, and sometimes high, amounts of monacolin K, similar to the drug lovastatin
Safety and Regulation	Considered safe for consumption as a food ingredient, used for centuries	Safety is not well-established; supplements can be contaminated with a kidney-toxic substance called citrinin
FDA Status	Not regulated as a drug	FDA considers products with significant monacolin K to be unapproved drugs

Finding Foods with Red Yeast Rice

To experience dishes containing red yeast rice, look for them in:

Asian Supermarkets: Check for products like red fermented bean curd, red rice vinegar, or marinated char siu. Look for "red yeast rice" or its alternate names on labels.
Online Asian Groceries: Many online retailers offer a range of traditional Asian food products.
Authentic Restaurants: Regional Chinese, Taiwanese, or Filipino restaurants may serve dishes that traditionally use red yeast rice.

Conclusion

Red yeast rice is a significant traditional ingredient in various East and Southeast Asian cuisines, valued for its coloring, flavoring, and preserving properties. It is crucial to distinguish these culinary uses from concentrated dietary supplements. By exploring traditional dishes, you can appreciate the historical and cultural significance of red yeast rice as a food ingredient. For more information on red yeast rice, including research and safety considerations for supplements, consult the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website.

Key Considerations for Red Yeast Rice in Food

Where to find it: Look in Asian supermarkets or authentic regional restaurants.
Culinary vs. Supplemental: Food products have low levels of active compounds compared to concentrated supplements.
Identifying it: Check ingredient lists for "red yeast rice" (hong qu or angkak).
Safety: Culinary use is generally safe; concerns exist for concentrated supplements due to potential contaminants and interactions.
Flavor: It adds a savory, umami note.

Frequently Asked Questions

In cooking, red yeast rice is primarily used as a natural red food coloring, a savory flavor enhancer, and a preservative, especially in East and Southeast Asian cuisines.

No. The amount of the cholesterol-lowering compound monacolin K in traditional culinary red yeast rice is generally negligible or very low. Significant cholesterol-lowering effects are associated with concentrated supplements, which have different risks and are regulated differently.

Some common foods include char siu (Chinese barbecued pork), Peking duck, red fermented bean curd, red rice vinegar, and certain Filipino fermented dishes like bagoóng alamáng.

No, they are not the same. While both are made from rice fermented with Monascus purpureus, food-grade red yeast rice has low concentrations of the active compounds. Supplements are highly concentrated and can have variable, potent levels of monacolin K.

You can find culinary products like red fermented bean curd and red rice vinegar in Asian supermarkets, specialty food stores, and online ethnic grocery suppliers.

No, you should not use concentrated red yeast rice supplements for cooking. These products are formulated differently and may contain high levels of active compounds or potentially harmful toxins like citrinin, which are not suitable for food preparation.

Yes, when used as a traditional culinary ingredient, it is generally considered safe. The primary safety concerns are related to concentrated supplements, which can have inconsistent levels of active compounds and may be contaminated with toxins.

Red yeast rice imparts a subtle, slightly sweet, and savory umami flavor to foods, in addition to its red coloring.