Mung Bean Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty mung beans simmered with warming spices and fresh vegetables for a nourishing, digestible meal ready in 1 hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 2 hours

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 1 medium tomato, chopped

→ Spices

08 - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
09 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
13 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

14 - 6 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Seasoning and Garnish

15 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
02 - Add onion, garlic, and ginger to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until onion becomes translucent.
03 - Add carrots and celery to the pot. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon if using, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add soaked mung beans, chopped tomato, and vegetable broth or water to the pot. Stir well to combine.
06 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until mung beans are tender.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Add salt and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The mung beans create this magical silky texture that feels like a warm hug from the inside out, especially when youre feeling run down.
  • Its incredibly forgiving - Ive made this soup when my cupboards were nearly bare and still created something delicious that my family raved about.
02 -
  • Never add salt until the mung beans are fully cooked, or theyll remain tough no matter how long you simmer them - I learned this the hard way during a dinner party disaster.
  • The soup thickens considerably as it cools, so dont worry if it seems too thin when you first turn off the heat.
03 -
  • For a thicker, more stew-like consistency, mash about a quarter of the cooked beans against the side of the pot with your wooden spoon before serving.
  • Adding a parmesan rind to the simmering soup creates an unexpected depth of flavor without compromising the vegetarian integrity of the dish.
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