Iced Soybean Milk Recipe

Soak the soybeans

Rinse 1 cup dried soybeans under cold water, removing any debris. Place beans in a bowl and cover with about 4 cups fresh water. Soak for 8–12 hours or overnight at room temperature until beans are plump. For quicker soak, use hot water for 2 hours.

Peel skins (optional but smoother)

After soaking, drain and rub beans between your hands to loosen skins; remove floating skins and discard. This step is optional but yields a smoother milk and reduces beaniness.

Blend

Drain soaked beans and transfer to a blender. Add 4 cups fresh water for a medium-strength milk (use 3 cups for thicker, 6 cups for thinner). Blend on high for 1–2 minutes until mixture is very smooth and frothy.

Strain

Line a large bowl with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag. Pour the blended soybean slurry into it and gently squeeze/press to extract as much liquid as possible. The strained liquid is raw soybean milk; the solids (okara) can be reserved for other recipes.

Cook the milk

Pour the extracted milk into a saucepan. Add 2 tbs sugar (adjust to taste) and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until it comes to a gentle simmer. Maintain a gentle simmer for 6–10 minutes, stirring and skimming any foam. Cooking destroys raw bean flavor and makes the milk safe and tasty.

Cool

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract if using. Let the cooked soybean milk cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold (at least 1 hour) or cool quickly by placing the pot in an ice bath and stirring.

Fill two serving glasses with 1/2 cup ice cubes each (adjust per glass size).

Shake or stir the chilled soybean milk to reincorporate any settled solids. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed — dissolve additional sugar (up to 1 tbs) by stirring a small amount of warm milk in before chilling, or use a liquid sweetener.

Pour about 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) chilled soybean milk into each glass over ice. If you want a subtle aromatic twist, add a tiny drop (1/2 tsp) toasted sesame oil or a dusting of matcha to one glass and stir gently.

Serve immediately with a straw or spoon. Keep any leftover milk refrigerated for up to 3 days; shake before serving.