MyTastr

Best doubanjiang (chili bean paste), according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Fuchsia Dunlop, Maggie Zhu, Andrea Nguyen, Xueci Cheng and 3 more. Recommendations come from theguardian.com, vietworldkitchen.com, chillcrispbyxueci.substack.com and omnivorescookbook.com and 2 other sources.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Juan Cheng Pixian Doubanjiang

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    “The best brand is Juancheng.” Andrea Nguyen has bought it for years, and it is the go-to Pixian paste for Xueci Cheng and Maggie Zhu.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: theguardian.com ↗
  2. 2

    Yi Feng He 3-Year Aged Pixian Doubanjiang (Juan Cheng’s maker)

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    The hand-stirred, crock-aged premium line from Sichuan Pixian Douban Co., which also makes Juan Cheng. Zhu: “more mellow and more complex than the 1-year, and I love the huge, rounded flavor it gives my dishes.” Reichl: “so so superior… it has absolutely transformed my version of Mapo Tofu.” Bon Appétit’s Maggie Hoffman credits “the exceptional 3-year aged doubanjiang from Mala Market,” and Kendra Vaculin calls three-year-aged doubanjiang the test kitchen’s favorite.
    Where to buy · themalamarket.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: omnivorescookbook.com ↗
  3. 3

    Lee Kum Kee Toban Djan

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    The easy-to-find fallback. Dunlop: it has more ingredients than the traditional paste, “but you can still make delicious dishes.” Nguyen says the current recipe is “more robust than before… I’m much happier using it and would recommend it.”
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: theguardian.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best doubanjiang (chili bean paste), according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Juan Cheng Pixian Doubanjiang, chosen by Fuchsia Dunlop (The Food of Sichuan). “The best brand is Juancheng.” Andrea Nguyen has bought it for years, and it is the go-to Pixian paste for Xueci Cheng and Maggie Zhu. Source: theguardian.com ↗
What are the other top picks for doubanjiang (chili bean paste)?
No. 2 is Yi Feng He 3-Year Aged Pixian Doubanjiang (Juan Cheng’s maker), chosen by Maggie Zhu (Omnivore’s Cookbook); Ruth Reichl. No. 3 is Lee Kum Kee Toban Djan, chosen by Fuchsia Dunlop (The Food of Sichuan). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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