What is Bean Sauce Made From? Understanding Fermented Pastes

Bean sauce is not one single product but a broad category of fermented pastes used across Asian cuisines, primarily made from legumes like soybeans. While the core ingredients often include fermented beans, salt, and water, regional variations introduce different elements that create distinct flavors, aromas, and applications.

Quick Summary

Bean sauce is made from fermented legumes like soybeans or broad beans, combined with salt, water, and other ingredients depending on the regional variety, such as Chinese black bean sauce, Japanese miso, or Sichuan doubanjiang.

Key Points

• Core Ingredients: Most bean sauces are made from fermented legumes, primarily soybeans or broad beans, combined with salt and water.

• Fermentation Process: The complex umami flavor comes from a fermentation starter, often koji mold, which breaks down starches and proteins over time.

• Diverse Varieties: "Bean sauce" is a general term encompassing many regional products, such as Japanese miso, Sichuan doubanjiang, and Chinese fermented black bean sauce.

• Unique Flavor Profiles: Added ingredients like chilies, garlic, sugar, and grains like wheat or rice significantly alter the final flavor, from salty and spicy to savory and sweet.

• Misleading Naming: Some sauces, like sweet bean sauce (tianmianjiang), are primarily made from fermented wheat flour, not beans, despite the name.

The Core of Fermentation: Beans, Salt, and Koji

At its heart, what is bean sauce made from comes down to a fundamental process: fermentation. The foundation is a paste created from cooked and mashed legumes, most commonly soybeans or broad beans, which is then combined with a fermenting agent and salt.

The fermentation agent, often a mold spore called Aspergillus oryzae (known as koji), breaks down the proteins and carbohydrates in the beans. This enzymatic process develops the complex, savory umami flavors that define these condiments. Salt is crucial not only for flavor but also for controlling the fermentation and preserving the paste. The duration of the fermentation can range from a few months to several years, with longer periods typically resulting in deeper, more complex flavors and darker colors.

Popular Varieties and Their Unique Ingredients

While the core principle is consistent, the specific ingredients used vary dramatically by region and type, creating a rich tapestry of flavors.

Chinese Fermented Black Bean Sauce (Douchi)

Chinese black bean sauce is made from fermented, salt-preserved black soybeans (douchi). The fermentation process turns the soybeans dark and gives them a powerful, pungent, and savory flavor. To create the final sauce, the fermented black beans are typically combined with aromatics like finely minced garlic, ginger, green onions, and seasonings such as Chinese rice wine, soy sauce, and sometimes sugar and hot peppers.

Japanese Miso Paste

Miso is a Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, and koji—a culture cultivated on grains like rice or barley. The type of grain used for the koji and the fermentation time primarily determine the color and flavor profile:

• White Miso (Shiromiso): Fermented for a shorter period, often with a higher proportion of rice koji. It is light in color with a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor.
• Red Miso (Akamiso): Aged longer than white miso, with a higher salt content. It has a deeper, more pungent, and complex umami taste.
• Yellow Miso (Shinshu miso): Falls between white and red miso in both color and flavor intensity, offering a balance of mild sweetness and umami.

Sichuan Chili Bean Paste (Doubanjiang)

Known as the "soul of Sichuan cuisine," doubanjiang is a spicy, savory paste made from a mixture of fermented broad beans, soybeans, and red chili peppers. The authentic Pixian variety is known for its multi-stage, lengthy fermentation process that can last from months to years, developing an intense, salty, and savory-spicy flavor profile. Other ingredients like salt, water, and wheat flour are also part of the recipe.

Chinese Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang)

Despite its name, Chinese sweet bean sauce is often made primarily from fermented wheat flour, sugar, and salt, sometimes with soybeans as a secondary ingredient. The fermentation of the wheat gives it a distinctive sweetness and complex flavor. It is a thick, dark brown sauce with a savory-sweet profile, commonly used in dishes like Peking duck. This can be a source of confusion due to inconsistent labeling, as its Chinese name, tián miàn jiàng, translates more accurately to "sweet flour sauce".

Common Additional Ingredients

Beyond the core beans and fermenting agent, many bean sauces incorporate additional ingredients to define their final flavor and texture. These can include:

• Rice Wine: Used in various Chinese sauces to add a complex, fragrant aroma and slightly sweet flavor.
• Garlic and Ginger: Essential aromatics that add pungency and warmth, especially in Chinese black bean sauce recipes.
• Chili Peppers: Provide varying levels of heat, from the mild warmth of some Korean chili pastes (gochujang) to the fiery spice of Sichuan doubanjiang.
• Sugar: Used to balance saltiness and add sweetness, particularly in hoisin sauce and sweet bean sauce.
• Sesame Oil or Paste: Adds a nutty richness, found in some versions of ground bean sauce and hoisin sauce.

A Comparison of Popular Bean Sauces

Feature	Chinese Black Bean Sauce (Douchi)	Japanese Miso Paste	Sichuan Chili Bean Paste (Doubanjiang)	Chinese Sweet Bean Sauce (Tianmianjiang)
Primary Fermented Base	Black Soybeans	Soybeans + Grains (Rice/Barley)	Broad Beans + Soybeans	Wheat Flour (sometimes soybeans)
Flavor Profile	Pungent, salty, deep umami	Salty, savory umami (varies from sweet and mild to intense)	Savory, salty, and spicy	Savory and sweet
Texture	Often chunky from the beans	Smooth or chunky, depending on variety	Thick, chunky paste from beans and chilies	Thick and smooth
Common Uses	Stir-fries, braises, steaming fish	Soups, marinades, glazes, dressings	Stir-fries, ma po tofu, hot pots	Peking duck, dipping sauce, noodle dishes
Key Additional Flavors	Garlic, ginger, rice wine	Koji-driven flavor	Chilies, salt	Sugar, sesame paste

Conclusion

At its core, what is bean sauce made from is a story of fermentation, harnessing the power of microbial activity to transform simple legumes and grains into complex, flavor-packed condiments. The answer is not a single list of ingredients, but a collection of distinct preparations, each with a unique culinary identity shaped by specific beans, fermentation agents, and regional flavorings. From the deep umami of black bean sauce to the savory heat of doubanjiang and the balanced profile of miso, these versatile pastes are essential to their respective cuisines. Knowing the ingredients helps in choosing the right sauce for your dish and appreciating the craft behind these global staples. A useful resource for exploring specific varieties is The Woks of Life, which details many different types of Asian pastes and sauces.

A Note on Substitutions

While knowing the ingredients helps with identifying different sauces, substituting one for another can be tricky due to their unique flavor profiles. For instance, using a sweet tianmianjiang in place of spicy doubanjiang will drastically alter a dish's intended taste. For best results, it's recommended to use the sauce specified in a recipe whenever possible, or to find a dedicated substitution guide. For those unable to find a specific bean sauce, homemade recipes are also an option and can be found in online resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of beans are used to make bean sauce?

The type of beans used varies depending on the sauce. Soybeans are the most common, used for miso and Chinese black bean sauce, while broad beans are used in Sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang).

Is all bean sauce fermented?

Yes, the defining characteristic of most traditional bean sauces is the fermentation process. This process is what creates the deep, umami-rich flavor.

What is the difference between Chinese black bean sauce and sweet bean sauce?

Chinese black bean sauce is made from fermented black soybeans and has a pungent, salty umami flavor. Sweet bean sauce (tianmianjiang) is often made primarily from fermented wheat flour and has a savory and sweet profile.

Can bean sauce be made at home?

Yes, many recipes exist for making various bean sauces at home, from Chinese black bean sauce to miso paste. The process can be time-consuming, but the result offers superior freshness and flavor.

Is miso a type of bean sauce?

Yes, miso is a Japanese fermented bean paste typically made from soybeans, salt, and koji (a mold culture). It is a key example of a bean sauce.

What is *koji* and why is it used in bean sauce?

Koji is a mold spore (Aspergillus oryzae) used as a fermentation starter. It produces enzymes that break down the proteins and starches in the beans, developing the distinctive umami taste.

Is bean sauce spicy?

Some bean sauces are spicy, while others are not. For example, Sichuan doubanjiang is known for its spice from chili peppers, while Japanese miso can be mild or savory, but not spicy.