Provided is an indirect paddle heater and method for heating asphalt. In one example, the paddle heater may include a control system, a pump to pump heating fluid, a trough that may include an inlet to receive a feed of asphalt mixture and an outlet for exiting the asphalt mixture after heating, and one or more rotational agitators disposed in the trough and comprising paddles attached to shafts that rotate to move the asphalt mixture from the inlet to the outlet, wherein at least one of the trough and the one or more rotational agitators may include hollow channels, and the control system is configured to control the pump to pump heating fluid into the hollow channels when the asphalt mixture is included within the trough.