Nourishing Mung Bean Soup (Printable)

Traditional mung bean soup with warming spices, carrots, celery, and aromatic herbs for digestive health.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 aromatic 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 from the pot. Add salt and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort but feels light enough that you don't need a nap afterward.
  • The spices warm you from inside without any heat or complexity that intimidates.
  • Four servings means you can feed people or have lunch ready for days.
02 -
  • Soaking your mung beans isn't optional—it cuts cooking time in half and makes them actually digestible instead of feeling heavy in your stomach hours later.
  • The lemon juice is the difference between soup that tastes like something and soup that tastes like everything; add it at the very end so it doesn't cook away.
03 -
  • Toast your cumin seeds in a dry pot first—this one step makes your entire soup taste more intentional and less generic.
  • Keep the lemon juice separate until the very end; adding it too early lets it cook away and wastes the brightness you're paying for.
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