Mung Bean Soup (Printable)

Comforting mung beans with warming spices and vegetables.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 4 hours or overnight

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 medium carrot, diced
06 - 1 medium tomato, chopped
07 - 1 small green chili, finely chopped (optional)

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
10 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
13 - 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing), optional
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Liquids

15 - 6 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Garnishes

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

# How-To Steps:

01 - Drain and rinse the soaked mung beans thoroughly under cold water.
02 - In a large pot, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the pot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in diced carrots, chopped tomato, green chili if using, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, ground black pepper, and asafoetida. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
05 - Add the prepared mung beans and pour in the water or vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the mung beans are tender and the soup thickens to desired consistency.
06 - Add salt and adjust all seasonings to your preference, tasting as you go.
07 - Stir in fresh lemon juice and garnish each serving with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like it took hours but actually comes together in under an hour, leaving you feeling like you actually have your life together.
  • Mung beans are gentle on the digestive system and packed with protein, so you're nourishing yourself without any heaviness afterward.
  • The spices create this layered warmth that makes you want to wrap both hands around the bowl and just sit for a moment.
02 -
  • Add the salt at the end, not the beginning—salt can prevent the beans from ever becoming truly tender, and nobody wants to bite into a hard mung bean hiding in their soup.
  • The soup will thicken as it sits and cools because the beans continue releasing starch; if you reheat it, you might need to add a splash more liquid to get back to your preferred consistency.
03 -
  • Make this on a Sunday and you'll have nourishing meals waiting for you all week—it reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day as the spices deepen and marry together.
  • If you forget to soak your beans, you can quick-soak them by boiling for two minutes, then letting them sit covered for an hour, though the overnight method is worth planning for when possible.
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