Oh Hey, Mung Bean! 16 Unique Recipes to Cook With the Trendiest Legume
Pulses recipes have been a *huge* health food trend so far this year, and that’s not going to be changing anytime soon. The aquafaba recipe obsession is still going strong and it seems like black bean desserts are going to be around forever. That means it’s time to embrace a new player to the pulse recipe team: the mung bean. Like other legumes, the mung bean has a mild flavor and can be used in sweet and savory applications. If you’re interested in learning more about cooking with this unusual bean, keep reading for 16 delicious and healthy recipes.
1. Korean Mung Bean Pancakes: These savory pancakes are chewy in the middle and crispy on the outside. Plus, they’re as easy as blending the ingredients together and giving them a quick pan fry. Serve them with a spicy sesame soy sauce and eat up! (via Lands and Flavors)
2. Mung Bean Hummus: If you can make hummus from chickpeas, why not mung beans? Just give your dried beans a quick boil and prepare your hummus the way you normally would. The flavor possibilities are totally endless. (via 101 Cookbooks)
3. Mung Bean and Kale Soup: If you have recipes that you love that use split peas or lentils, you can easily interchange them for mung beans. They’re great in this spiced soup that’s also *full* of nutritious kale. (via Skinny Ms.)
4. Braised Mung Bean Noodles With Shrimp: Mung bean noodles are a quick and easy way to cook with the legume. They look similar to rice noodles and all you have to do is soak them for 15 minutes before incorporating them into this braised shrimp dish. (via China Sichuan Food)
5. Mung Bean Oatmeal Protein Pancakes: Talk about a healthy and hearty breakfast. Mung beans are packed with protein and fiber, so these pancakes will keep you full and satisfied all morning. (via Watch What You Eat)
6. Mung Bean and Cilantro Falafel Tacos: This Middle Eastern meets Mexican fusion is a treat for the tastebuds. Soaked mung beans act like the garbanzo beans in traditional falafels and add a unique flavor and texture. (via Dolly and Oatmeal)
7. Mung Bean Popsicles: The top portion of these popsicles are filled with whole cooked mung beans, while the bulk of them are sweetened mung bean soup. The combination might sound a bit odd, but trust us… it’s delicious! (via Betty Liu)
8. Mung Bean Salad With Butternut Squash and Grated Coconut: How can so much flavor be packed into one little salad? Pomegranate adds a juicy tartness while butternut squash lends their sweetness and heartiness. Try boiling a big batch of mung beans at the beginning of the week so you can have them ready for recipes like this one. (via Kitchen Repertoire)
9. Mung Bean Soup: With the exception of a few aromatics for flavor, mung beans are the only main ingredient in this soup. Think of it as your basic split pea soup but with mung beans instead of peas. Make this for a vegan in your life and they may never leave. (via Sips and Spoonfuls)
10. Sprouted Mung Bean Burgers: Beef burgers, be gone! This vegan version is much less messy, has tons of vitamins and nutrients and is even kid-friendly. (via Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes)
11. Mung Bean, Mushroom and Vegetable Strudel: This definitely isn’t your grandma’s strudel recipe. This version is savory and full of body-nourishing veggies, beans and mushrooms for a healthy snack any time of the day. (via Win Win Food)
12. Summer Veggie Mung Bean Salad: This fresh mung bean salad is simply dressed and loaded with corn, tomatoes and avocado. All of the flavors work beautifully together and perfectly highlight the star ingredient — Mung beans. (via The Kitchen Paper)
13. Sweet Potato Canapes With BBQ Mung Bean Sprouts: Every dinner party needs a knockout vegan appetizer and these canapes are it. You might want to make extra because even the carnivores will love them. (via Vegan Richa)
14. Tangy Raw Cauliflower Salad: There’s so much delicious crunch to this raw salad. Along with the grated cauliflower, there are boiled mung beans, walnuts and bell pepper. AKA, the perfect NOT #saddesklunch weekday meal. (via Give Recipe)
15. Chinese Vegan Potstickers: The texture of mung bean noodles, eggplant and mushrooms mimic the ground pork typically found in potstickers. Serve these as a first course to a full-on Chinese feast. (via China Sichuan Food)
16. Vegetable Stir Fry Mung Bean Noodles: Incorporating mung bean noodles into your stir fry is probably the simplest way to get started with them. Stock up on the noodles at an Asian market or online and you can have amazing stir fry whenever you fancy. (via Healthy Nibbles and Bits)
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