Mung Bean Soup (Print Version)

Healing mung beans cooked with cumin, turmeric, and fresh vegetables for a nourishing meal.

# 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

# How To:

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. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon if using, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute to release flavors.
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 tender.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Add salt and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The earthy mung beans create this magical silky texture that somehow feels like a warm hug from the inside out.
  • Its that rare combination of deeply nourishing and incredibly simple, making it perfect for those evenings when you want something that feeds both body and spirit.
02 -
  • I once rushed and skipped the bean soaking step, resulting in a soup that took twice as long to cook and never achieved that perfect creamy consistency.
  • Adding the lemon juice at the end rather than during cooking preserves its brightness while magically bringing all the other flavors into sharper focus.
03 -
  • For an even richer flavor profile, toast the mung beans in a dry pan for a few minutes before soaking them—this one small step unlocks a nutty depth that elevates the entire dish.
  • The soup naturally thickens as it cools, so if youre serving it the next day, have extra broth on hand to adjust to your preferred consistency.
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