Nourishing Mung Bean Soup (Printable)

Nourishing mung beans with warming spices, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs in a comforting bowl.

# 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 & Garnish

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

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like care in a bowl, the kind of comfort food that actually makes you feel better instead of just full.
  • Once you master the spice blooming technique, you'll find yourself making this on nights when you need grounding and clarity.
  • The prep is genuinely simple, which means you can focus on the meditative part of cooking instead of scrambling through complicated steps.
02 -
  • Never skip the soaking of the mung beans, because it's not just about texture, it's about digestibility and how the soup will make your body feel afterward.
  • The blooming of the spices for just one minute makes an enormous difference between a soup that tastes like health food and one that tastes like something you actually want to eat.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in portions, so you have comfort waiting for you on mornings when you don't have the energy to cook.
  • The cilantro and lemon juice are finishing touches that shouldn't go in during cooking, because they lose themselves completely if simmered, but shine brilliantly when added at the end.
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