One-Pot Coconut Mung Bean Stew
One-Pot Coconut Mung Bean Stew- made with creamy coconut milk, this healthy mung bean stew is simple to make and packed full of comforting flavor.
Mung beans seem to be the forgotten legume in western society. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on a menu here in the U.S.
However, they are well known in the Ayurvedic community as one of the most nutrient dense sources of plant-based protein. Not only are they high in amino acids but they also offer an immune-boosting punch of antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, B vitamins, folate and fiber. They’re like little green power houses.
Coconut Mung Bean Stew Ingredients
- Mung Beans– I usually buy mung beans in the bulk section at my local health food grocery store. They are most affordable that way, but if you don’t have a health food store nearby, you can also buy them online. I highly recommend soaking the beans overnight to help break down the phytic acid so that they are easier to digest and absorb nutrients from.
- Onion, Garlic and Carrots– This trio creates a base for the stew, providing savory flavor and a subtle hint of sweetness from the carrots.
- Jalapeno and Ginger– To some people jalapeños have a reputation for being spicy but if you remove the seeds and sauté them then they are very mild and add more depth than spice. Fresh ginger also adds a touch of flavor while also increasing the anti-inflammatory properties of the stew.
- Ground Cumin and Sea Salt– Between the carrots, coconut milk and ginger the stew lends a little towards the sweet side. Ground cumin and fine sea salt add more savory to help balance the sweet.
- Coconut Milk– Full fat coconut milk is what gives this recipe it’s rich and creamy texture. I wouldn’t make it without it but if you’re absolutely opposed to coconut milk you could replace it with homemade cashew or almond milk instead. I say homemade because you’ll want milk that isn’t watered down so that it still has a nice creamy texture.
- Lime or Lemon Juice– Added at the end of cooking, fresh citrus adds just a bit of sour to balance out the sweetness from the coconut milk.
How to Make Coconut Mung Bean Stew
I know you guys hate doing the dishes as much as I do so we’re keeping things simple by cooking everything in just one pot! Hallelujah.
- The base vegetables get cooked in warm coconut oil with salt and ground cumin for about 5- 10 minutes, just until they are tender.
- Next we add the soaked and rinsed mung bean along with the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the mung beans are softened.
- To finish we squeeze in fresh citrus juice, garnish with cilantro (totally optional for the cilantro haters out there) then serve warm and enjoy!
This mung bean stew is perfect for the lingering cool days we have left of spring. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Want more cozy one-pot meals? Try on of these:
- One-Pot Golden Lentil Curry
- One-Pot Vegan White Bean Shakshuka
- One-Pot Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew
- One-Pot Spinach Dal
- One-Pot African Peanut Stew
- One-Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala
- One-Pot Vegetable Thai Red Curry
One-Pot Coconut Mung Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2- inches fresh ginger, minced
- 2 jalapeños, cored and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup dried mung beans, soaked overnight
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 13.5oz canned coconut milk
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- juice of 1 lime or lemon
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, ginger, jalapeño, salt, and cumin. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion is soft.
- To the pot, add the soaked mung beans (after straining them). Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, until mung beans are softened. Squeeze lime juice over top. Serve warm with cilantro and/or rice and enjoy!
I’ve never made mung beans. I will have to give this one a try next week. We have lingering cold rainy days happening a lot lately so this will be perfect.
I tried mung beans once and really enjoyed them but unfortunately my stomach didn’t quite so much! haha I need to give them another go to see if it was a fluke thing! This stew sounds delicious!
That’s why it’s necessary to add cumin:) then you don’t have problem in your stomach;) same with hummus and a lots of arabic and Indian dishes
What happened to the cummin? Why was it soaked?
I’m sorry that was a typo! The soaking is only for the mung beans.
This came out great. I did serve it on rice just to make it go further. Camryn ate her whole bowl and wanted seconds — haha! Thanks for introducing me to a new ingredient. In the directions I didn’t see where it said to add cumin but I knew where to add it. Just wanted to let you know! ;)
She’s such a good eater! Thanks for the note on the cumin- I’ll be sure to update it! :)
Yum! This dish so delicious! A year ago when my doctor told me to go plant based because of my non-alcoholic fatty liver I was confused. No meat, no dairy, no cheese, no butter, no eggs! Then what am I supposed to eat! I was athletic and not over-weight but I loved all that my German heritage brought on with it’s baking and cooking!
Then I discovered your blog site. You are a life saver! You have such a nice variety and I am always trying something new … which my family loves! We are all so much healthier! My husband no longer has the childhood asthma that has stayed with him until this change in diet. So happy that we no longer need any prescription drugs!
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Karen! I’m so happy you are enjoying my recipes and that you are able to improve your health through diet. So many people think they have no other option than prescriptions but a healthy lifestyle truly can make all the difference!
Just made this tonight. Turns out my coconut milk was expired so I used an extra two cups of water and an extra tablespoon of coconut oil. It was DELICIOUS!! My husband went crazy for it! I think the lime juice really made it special. So much flavor! Thank you!
I’m happy to hear it worked out for you! Thank you for the review!
Do you think this would work in the slow cooker on low if I sautéed the onions and garlic first?
Yes I think that would work!
I made the recipe 11/04/19 to try mung beans for the first time. I have made it several times since and wanted you to know that I appreciate you posting it! We are addicted! Excellent recipe, highly recommend giving it a try!
Thanks for the review, Donna!
Delicious – full of flavor and very fulfilling! I’m not the best cook and this turned out great for a non-cook :). Will make again for sure!
So happy you enjoyed it, Anne!
This is the first time ever that I am leaving a review after following an online food recipe. This was fantastic. I love its simplicity and the delightful pairing of flavors. I wanted my beans-to-liquid ratio to be heavier on the beans and less on the liquid, so I simply mixed in another 3/4 C cooked mung beans at the end. Next time I’ll use 1 & 3/4 C from the start. But that’s simply a matter of preference. This will be a staple for me and inspired me to look at your other recipe offerings. Thank you!
Can you freeze this?
I haven’t tried it but I can’t think of why it wouldn’t work!
Do you simmer for 15-20 or leave it on full boil? It would be unusual to leave boiling for that long but as I’m unfamiliar with mung beans I’m not sure.
Sorry for the confusion! Just a low boil. I’ll correct that in the instructions.
I’m never sure how to use simple coconut milk. Am I to incorporate the solid into the recipe too or just use the liquid portion?
You want to incorporate the liquid and the solid! If it feels solid when you shake it before opening, try running the can under warm water for 10-15 seconds then shake again to see if you feel it liquefied. :)
Delicious! In addition to cumin I add some cinnamon and tumeric powder. We make this several times a month!
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made this tonight and loved it. couple of slight modifications worth noting though which aren’t criticisms in the slightest, but i wanted to add seitan to the recipe to make a more protein-heavy dinner so…
first i used a pressure cooker for the beans, because it’s silly easy and takes only 5 minutes of pressure to get them perfect with no overnight soak necessary. i used a whole can of coconut milk, a bit more ginger, and i did a whole package of seitan for a bit of extra protein and what not. i also used the liquid from the seitan as part of the broth, so you can reduce a bit of salt accordingly. and i didn’t have fresh jalapeno so put in some gochujang as substitute.
i sauteed the carrots and onions for a bit in evoo, added the ginger and garlic a few minutes later.
also chopped up the seitan and did a quick sear on the bits in evoo in a separate pan so it’d have a nice texture.
anyway, this plus some lovely crusty flax seed oat sourdough bread that i made as toast made a slamming meal.
really delicious and so happy to have found this recipe!
Your version sounds delicious! Thank you for the review!
This was my first time using mung beans (had some in the pantry but never used), so this sounded like the ideal recipe to try them out. I was not disappointed. This was a lovely meal. I did forget I needed to soak the mung beans overnight though, and only did them for a few hours, which is probably why I needed to cook a bit longer and lost some of the liquid by doing this, so will not make this mistake next time.
This recipe is delicious and perfect! It’s a favorite and has become my go-to comfort, but healthy meal. I do wish I felt comfortable adapting it for the slowcooker though. Anyway, my question today is what would you suggest replacing the mung beans with if you cannot get them in current times? None of the stores are doing bulk foods at the moment, and the ones that are, are packing up certain ones for sale, but not mung beans. Green lentils maybe? Chickpeas? I can’t decide.
I think lentils would be a great option! The cooking time should be about the same too. :)
I liked this stew a lot. I usually make the recipe on the Bob’s Red Mill bag of mung beans but I like your recipe even better. I only used one jalapeno since I’ve not eaten extremely hot food for quite awhile. I didn’t have coconut oil. I used avocado oil instead. I’m a 78 year old grandmother and have always loved trying new ways to cook and eat. My granddaughter is a vegan so I’m always looking for recipes I can share with her, with samples, of course.
I love that you are so open minded to try new recipes and share with your granddaughter. You sound like a wonderful grandmother!!
Congratulations, great recipe and great taste. Easy to prepare and kids love it with or without lemon juice. I have prepared it once a week since when I discovered it, and we still enjoy it as we enjoyed the first time. Thanks Sarah
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for the review!
Super delicious – thank you!
I have sprouted mung beans from the store.. the package says “ready to cook”, so do I still need to soak them overnight?
Wow amazing. I will be making this recipe all the time.
This recipe is so delicious i wanted to lick the bowl. It is now one of my favorite winter meal.
This recipe is amazing! My husband was not excited at trying mung beans, and I was a bit hesitant, but after my daughter’s naturopath suggested I try it in her diet I’m thankful I did! This recipe is easy and I’m excited to have it in my meal rotation.
Oooopppsss didn’t mean to have my entire name in my comment, do you mind altering it to just show my first name? Or if you need to delete i can re-write it!
I just deleted your last name! Thank you for the review :)
I made this and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you. I also regularly eat a basic mung bean soup with Indian spices. This one with coconut milk is the “special occasion” version of mung beans. Thank you for sharing it!
Can you make this with red mung beans
If you’re referring to adzuki beans then yes, they’re similar enough it should be fine!
Made this recipe today and loved it!
Thank you!
Loved the soup. The coconut milk gave it that wonderful touch of sweetness. It was delicious and I will surely make it again. A lot of flavor in an easy to make soup.
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I made this today for my lunches. It’s really good. I will definitely make again. I did not soak mung beans overnight but did them in the Instant Pot (3 to 1 ratio with water, 3 mins on high, 10 natural release, drained). First time for that too.
Many thanks!
Maureen
Hi there, i just wanted to check how long you can keep extras for in the fridge? Also, does this freeze well?
Absolutely love this recipe and would like to make an extra batch!
I’m so glad to hear you like it! I’ve kept it up to 7 days without any issues but I haven’t tried freezing it. My suspicion is that the mung beans will lose their shape when it’s reheated after defrosting so while it will likely still taste good the texture might be strange. :)
DELICIOUS! A new fave of ours! As an East-Asian gal, I’m familiar with green mung bean recipes, both savory and sweet. However , this recipe took me on a new path and allowed me to use up some ancient (4+years old!!) mung beans of my fiance’s! I made the recipe per instructions with the exceptions of using avocado oil and 1 whole serrano pepper (we love spice). Cooked 10+ min more for the old beans and it was perfect. We served it with brown jasmine rice. It’s now in our rotation.
Whoa those are some old beans, lol! I’m so glad you were able to make it work. Thank you for the kind review!
Hey there,
Sounds delicious! How would mung dahl work in this recipe?
Cheers
Leanne
This is such a wonderful meal with a great balances of spices and coconut milk. I’m cooking a lot of vegan meals and this one satisfies the entire family. I love it! My local grocery store has an ethnic foods section and I picked up a 2 lb. bag of mung beans. I saw how nutritious they were and searched for a recipe when I came upon this website. I’ll definitely try more after the stew came out so well.
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This has become one of my go to soups for my family. I usually double the recipe and swap one can of coconut milk for vegetable broth so it’s less heavy but otherwise the proportions are perfect. It’s absolutely delicious, wholesome and nutritious! Thanks so much for posting!!