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Chinese

Fujian Peanut Soup

Fujian Peanut Soup slowly cooks soaked peanuts with rock sugar until buttery-soft in a pale, lightly creamy dessert broth.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Fujian Peanut Soup

10 hrtotal

30 min hands-on9 hr 30 min hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
None
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Allow 8 hours for peanut soaking, then about 90 minutes of mostly inactive gentle simmering so the peanuts turn buttery-soft.

Method

  1. Rinse the peanuts and place them in a large bowl with the measured baking soda. Add enough of the measured water to cover them by about 5 cm, then soak for 8 hours.

    8 hr

  2. Drain the peanuts and rinse them several times under cool water until they no longer feel slippery. Discard the soaking liquid.

  3. Place the rinsed peanuts in a saucepan with most of the remaining measured water, keeping a small portion in reserve. Bring to a boil and skim away any foam that rises to the surface.

  4. Partially cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to the lowest steady simmer. Cook for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peanuts crush easily between a spoon and the side of the pan. Add reserved water only as needed to keep them submerged.

    1 hr 30 min

  5. Press a small spoonful of the softened peanuts against the side of the saucepan and stir them back into the broth. This gives the liquid a light creamy body while leaving most peanuts whole.

  6. Add the rock sugar and salt. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the broth is lightly creamy but still pourable. Serve warm.

    10–15 min

How to tell it's done

The peanuts should be buttery-soft and easy to crush with a spoon while mostly retaining their shape. The broth should be pale, lightly creamy and pourable rather than thick like a paste.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the soup at a very gentle simmer after the initial boil. Vigorous boiling breaks the peanuts unevenly and reduces the liquid before their centres become buttery-soft.

What to serve it with

Serve the soup warm in small dessert bowls, with plenty of softened peanuts and enough broth in each serving.

Common mistakes

The peanuts stay chalky in the centre.
Soak them for the full time and simmer gently after the first boil. Hard boiling reduces the liquid before the peanuts soften evenly.

Substitutions

  • Peanuts — Raw skin-on peanuts may replace blanched peanuts. Briefly blanch them, rub away as much skin as possible and then soak them; the finished broth may be slightly darker.
  • Rock Sugar — Sugar may replace rock sugar by weight. It dissolves more quickly but gives a slightly more direct sweetness and a less traditional finish.
  • Baking Soda — The baking soda may be omitted. Rinse and soak the peanuts as directed, then expect them to require approximately 30 to 45 additional minutes of simmering before becoming tender.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate Fujian peanut soup in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it thickens; freezing is possible for up to 2 months, though the broth may look less creamy.