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With over 50 five-star reviews and packed with protein and fiber, this mung bean soup is a quick dinner that the entire family will enjoy. We’ll cover everything you need to know to make it virtually foolproof!
save this recipe!What are mung beans?
Mung beans, also known as marsh or moong, are little green beans that resemble peas. They’re actually legumes and are commonly found in Asian and Indian cuisine.
Like most types of beans and legumes, mung beans are individual little powerhouses, providing many vitamins, nutrients, and benefits in each bite. They provide lots of plant-based protein in addition to fiber, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc. They’re also filled with antioxidants and are great for cholesterol, digestion, and blood sugar.
Reader rating
“I made this soup a while back and my whole family loved it. I think my 2.5 year old loved it the most. This recipe is definitely a keeper!” —Marissa
you don’t need much to make this soup
The ingredients in this soup are chewy, savory, and just… perfect. (This is an overview, and you can jump to the recipe card for exact measurements!)
- Mung Beans: Can’t have mung bean soup without the mung beans! These can usually be found in your local grocery store or online.
- Vegetable Broth: Using broth in place of water adds so much savory flavor!
- Coconut Milk: A can of coconut milk will add a creaminess that will make it all the more cozy.
- Flavor Makers: We’ll lay down the base flavors by sautéing white onion, garlic, ginger, and celery in a splash of oil and finishing with salt. Helloooo, flavor town.
- Spinach: Finally, spinach adds a pop of bright green nutrition! Traditional Filipino-style monggo beans are made with malunggay leaves (moringa oleifera), though these may be difficult to find, depending on where you are.
where to find mung beans
These are generally found near other dried beans in the store or in the international aisle. If you can’t find them there, you can also try your local Asian supermarket.
Let’s make it!
Jump to the recipe for full printable instructions.
Step 1: Prepare The Beans
First, rinse the mung beans with cold water in a colander, picking out any bad-looking beans or pebbles. Add the beans to a larger pot along with the vegetable broth. Set the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to reach a gentle simmer, and then cook the beans, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 2: Add The Flavor
While the mung beans cook, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and celery. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Create The Soup
Finally, stir the sautéed veggies into the pot of mung beans, along with the can of coconut milk and the chopped spinach. Let it gently simmer until the coconut milk is hot and the spinach has wilted. Serve warm.
What nutrients are in mung beans?
As a nutritionist, I’m always keeping an eye out for nutrient-dense ingredients, and mung beans are one of the best. 1 cup of cooked mung beans has:
- 14g of protein
- 15 grams of fiber
In addition, they are rich in folate, manganese, magnesium, thiamine, phosphorous, iron, copper, potassium, and zinc. They also have a good portion of your daily intake of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
How To Make Mung Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried mung beans, 400 g
- 8 cups vegetable broth, 2 L
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 cup diced white onion, about 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk, 414 mL
- 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Beans: Rinse 2 cups dried mung beans with cold water in a colander, picking out any bad looking beans or pebbles. Add beans to a large pot along with 8 cups vegetable broth. Set heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to reach a gentle simmer, then cook the beans, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes. They are finished when they are soft and some have burst. Most of the broth should be absorbed, though a little is okay.
- Flavor Makers: While mung beans cook, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced white onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger, and 1 cup diced celery. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Soup: Add sauteed veggies into the pot of mung beans, along with 1 14-oz can coconut milk and 3 cups fresh spinach. Let gently simmer until coconut milk is hot and spinach has wilted. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Hi Sarah,
This looks like a great recipe. Someone gave me some mung beans awhile ago and I thought it was time I cooked them up. I saw your recipe and thought I’d give it a try.
By the way, what is the correct carbohydrates in a serving? (You put the calorie number in for the carbohydrates.)
Thanks!
Thanks for pointing that out, Gwen! There are 51.1g carbs 😀
This soup was DELICIOUS! So warming and full of flavor. Absolutely a winter staple!
So happy to hear it, Jen! Enjoy! 😀
SO DELICIOUS! I made it yesterday and I’m making another batch this morning. Apparently I cannot get enough LOL I am wondering if this soup can be frozen? Thank you, Lisa
So happy to hear it, Lisa! I’m not sure if this can be frozen, but think probably yes (I’ve frozen pea soup with success, and this is quite similar).
My Chinese foster son cooks Mung beans and puts quite a lot of sugar because that was his family recipe, also lots of water which makes great soup.
I look forward to making your receipe. I grew up eating my mom’s mung bean soup. She didn’t use coconut milk so I am excited to try it with coconut milk. Last night I was craving this soup and instead of calling my mom I decided to look online for a receipe. I will let you know how it turns out! I am sure yummy! P.S. My Costco carries organic mung beans. I was shopping last night and pick up a bag and that’s why I am craving this soup. =)
Enjoy! This is such a cozy dish for this time of year. Would love to hear how it goes for you!
Yum! My husband and I really enjoyed it! I used red onion and frozen spinach because that’s what I had on hand and it worked well!
Lovely! I adore mung beans and this sounds wonderful except celery. So I have used baby bok choy in place and it tastes and looks as if it was meant to be! Wonderful! Yummy!
Sarah
This is so delicious and filling. This is my second batch but i omitted the garlic as my daughter cannot tolerate garlic. It is still delicious but it is missing the garlic kick. You must try it
I tried the soup for the first time and it was awesome. I did not have spinach nor celery but I added broccoli and it was great. I cut up the stems to simulate celery
That sounds delish! Happy you liked it, Sara! 😀
This was a first time recipe with mung beans. I have been trying different experiments with the yellow split (dal) beans for about three days. This soup recipe is delicious and so healthy. It was simple to make and is now a go-to recipe for the regular soup maker that I am. Thank you!
This is on my fortnightly menu, but I mixed it with chop pumpkin and sweet potato leaves instead (which I can only pick from my backyard), and yes always with coconut milk and bit of chicken breast.