What's the difference between soybean paste and bean paste?

First of all, they have different ingredients. Soybean paste is mainly made from soybeans, while bean paste is mainly made from fava beans or soybeans, along with tunes, salt, and fermented bacteria.

Secondly, they have different tastes. Soybean paste has a salty-sweet flavor with a strong sauce aroma and tastes fresh. While the bean sauce has an overall spicy taste because of the addition of some chili peppers, making it suitable for those who like to eat spicy food.

Finally, their production process and serving methods are different. Soybean paste is made by grinding fried soybeans and then fermenting them. And bean sauce is a sauce condiment made by removing the outer skin of broad beans after soaking them, putting them into a pot to cook, then fermenting them and adding chili peppers and a variety of spices. Soybean paste can be used to cook a variety of dishes and is also a traditional choice for making fried noodles. Douban sauce, on the other hand, is mainly used to flavor stir-fry dishes and soups.