Mung Bean Soup (Printable)

Nourishing soup with mung beans, warming spices, and fresh vegetables for digestive health.

# What You 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 to release spice flavors.
05 - Add soaked mung beans, chopped tomato, and vegetable broth or water to the pot. 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 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 -
  • It's the kind of soup that actually makes you feel better, not just full, with warming spices that seem to settle into your bones.
  • Ready in under an hour, which means you can have comfort food on the table without spending your whole evening in the kitchen.
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free, so it works whether you're cooking for yourself or feeding a table full of people with different needs.
02 -
  • If you skip soaking the mung beans, they'll take nearly twice as long to cook and might never get quite as creamy—those two hours of soaking really do matter and make the process faster.
  • The lemon juice at the end isn't just garnish, it's essential—it brightens the whole soup and makes all the spices taste more alive and present.
03 -
  • If your broth is store-bought, check the ingredient list because some brands sneak in allergens or sodium you might not be expecting, and homemade broth will always taste more vibrant.
  • Don't be tempted to skip the toasting of cumin seeds—that single step elevates the entire soup from nice to something people will actually ask you to make again.
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