Mung Bean Soup (Printable)

Healing mung bean soup with warming spices, ready in 1 hour. Vegan, gluten-free comfort food.

# 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 and 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 (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

# Directions:

01 - Drain and rinse the soaked mung beans thoroughly under cold water.
02 - Heat a splash of oil in a large pot 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 carrot, chopped tomato, green chili if using, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, black pepper, and asafoetida. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
05 - Add the drained mung beans and pour in water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until mung beans are tender and soup thickens.
06 - Add salt and adjust seasonings according to preference.
07 - Stir in fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a warm hug tastes, if warmth had flavor and could actually heal your mood along with your body.
  • Ready in just over an hour, yet it feels like you've been simmering love on the stove all day long.
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free without any fussy substitutions or ingredient hunting that makes you want to quit before you start.
02 -
  • Don't skip the soaking step unless you want to double your cooking time and end up with beans that never quite soften the way they should.
  • Mustard seeds go from perfectly toasted to burnt in about 10 seconds, so stay present and listen for that sizzle rather than wandering away to check your phone.
  • If your soup looks too thin at the end, you can lightly mash some of the cooked beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to release their starch and thicken everything naturally.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half—this soup reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day once all the flavors have gotten properly acquainted.
  • If you're cooking for someone specific, remember that the cilantro and lemon juice are where you can adjust the final flavor to their preference, so taste together before serving.
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