# Kinako -- Japanese toasted soybean flour

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** food-cooking\
**Created:** [April 3, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330 "2021-04-03T16:29:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330/1 "2021-04-03T16:29:20Z")

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I came across this ingredient in a YouTube video today. Anyone familiar with it or know how to use it?

> ## What is Kinako?
> 
> Kinako is one of many Japanese ingredients made from [soybeans](https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-soybeans-1328635). It is dried, milled and roasted soybean flour. It is golden tan in color and has a powdery texture similar to that of [all-purpose flour](https://www.thespruceeats.com/all-about-flour-995124). It has a warm, toasted and nutty aroma, and its flavors are similarly nutty and slightly reminiscent of roasted peanuts.

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**Author:** ![bmoak1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@bmoak1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak1)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330/2 "2021-04-04T00:21:36Z")

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It’s primarily used in Japanese sweets.

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330/3 "2021-04-04T00:36:10Z")

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Kind of like a dusting of powdered sugar, but not a dusting and not sugar. I particularly like mochi based wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) rolled in kinako. Yummy! Flavorwise, similar to rolling something in finely pulverized roast nuts.

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**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330/4 "2021-04-04T00:43:49Z")

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Can you bake with it?

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**Author:** ![bmoak1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@bmoak1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak1)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinako-japanese-toasted-soybean-flour/939330/5 "2021-04-05T01:21:55Z")

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It’s not done in Japanese cuisine, but you can bake with it. It has a strong, nutty flavor, so most recipes recommend kinako as a replacement for maybe 1/4 of regular flour.