Mung Bean Sprouts (Moong Sprouts) | How to Sprout Mung Beans - with Instant Pot Option
detailed guide on how to sprout mung beans, sharing 3 methods for getting good moong sprouts, including the quickest way, using Instant Pot, to get mung bean sprouts
Servings 2 cups
Calories 180kcal
Equipment
- Tall Trivet
- Steamer Insert
Ingredients
- ½ cup mung bean whole
- 1 cup water optional
Instructions
Soaking Mung Beans
- Properly wash and rinse the mung beans (preferably with hot water) at-least 2-3 times, till the water runs sort of clear.
- Soak the mung beans in fresh water (preferably hot), till the outer shell breaks open.
- Keep the mung beans covered in a dark, warm place, while it's soaking. This will help retain the heat from the water for longer. Depending on the weather of the place you live in / season, you can cover it with a regular lid or a mesh lid or keep it to sprout in a dark warm space like an oven (turned off) or just the counter. (see notes)
- When the outer shell cracks open, the mung beans are ready for sprouting. It usually takes about 12 hours for this, if I follow all the steps listed above, using hot water and keeping it covered in a warm dark place. Else it can take about 18-24 hours.
Sprouting Mung Beans
- Mung beans require a warm and moist, yet ventilated and dark place to sprout. There are many ways to achieve this. I am listing my go-to method to sprout mung beans using Instant Pot, along with two other alternative methods.
Sprouting Mung Beans in Instant Pot (my go-to method)
- Pour ½ - 1 cup water in the main steel pot of the Instant Pot. I usually add 1 cup of water, but adding any water at all is optional. The reason I add water is that when the Instant Pot mildly heats the water, the light steam from the water will give it a continual warm & moist environment. But you can choose to skip the water (see notes).
- Place a tall trivet in the main pot of the Instant Pot. I prefer and recommend a taller trivet instead of using the shorter one that comes with the Instant Pot, so as to be able to raise the mung beans from the base and the water, as much as possible.
- Rinse and strain off all the excess water from the soaked mung beans. This is very important to ensure to not have any excess water to avoid any kind of rot or foul odor.
- Transfer the beans to the Instant Pot steamer insert, or something that works like that. The holes in the steamer insert will ensure proper ventilation, which is required for the mung beans to sprout well.
- Place the steamer on top of the trivet, and cover the Instant Pot with a regular lid. No need to use the Instant Pot lid here. But covering it is important, as it also helps to seal in the heat (see notes).
- Start Instant Pot on Yogurt Mode Normal for 24 hours. Yogurt mode (normal) will provide the required amount of moderate heat to lightly heat the pot, and the water in the pot (if you have chosen to add), and create a warm moist environment required for sprouting.
- I set the Instant Pot for 24 hours, but it usually takes only 12 hours for the mung beans to sprout in the Instant Pot, and 18 hours if you want really long sprouts.
Traditional Method to Sprout Mung Beans (using muslin cloth)
- Rinse and strain off any excess water from the soaked mung beans, because excess water can cause the beans to rot, and release a foul odor.
- Moisten a muslin cloth, so that it is moist but not dripping wet. Some moisture will ensure the mung beans will not dry out, but like mentioned above, excess water can cause the beans to rot and release a foul odor.
- Tightly wrap the mung beans in the muslin cloth, and set it in a warm dark place, till it sprouts.
- This method usually gives thicker mung bean sprouts.
Sprouting Mung Beans in a Jar / Pot / Tray
- Rinse and strain off all the excess water from the mung beans before setting it to sprout, as excess water can cause the beans to rot, and release a foul odor.
- No matter which container you go with, ensure you provide a warm and moist, yet ventilated and dark environment.
- For instance, if you are sprouting in a colander, the holes will provide required ventilation, but this also might dry out the beans, so it's ideal to cover it with a moist cloth. And set it in a warm and dark place to sprout, away from harsh lights.
- When sprouting in a jar / container like that, ensure to keep the lid partially open for ventilation, and sprinkle water every few hours to keep it moist, if it starts to dry out. And ensure to keep these in a warm and dark place too, away from direct sunlight.
- This method is especially ideal and convenient if you want small quantities of sprouts on a daily or regular basis, then it's simple to sprout in small mason jars. Or even if you need a really large batch, then you can sprout in a large colander or tray.
Video
Notes
Additional notes on soaking mung beans
- Hot water helps cut down the time it takes to break the shell of the mung beans.
- I live in a cool dry place, so I usually cover with a regular lid to keep it warm, and place it inside my oven (turned off), to let it stay in a warm place (this is specially helpful in winters). But if you live in a hot & humid climate, then you can just keep it on the counter & cover it with a mesh lid to have some ventilation (especially in summers), to avoid any mold growth.
- In some cases using filtered water to soak the beans instead of hard water is helpful.
Additional notes on sprouting in Instant Pot
- I prefer to add a cup of water in the main pot of the Instant Pot, but you can just go with just ¼ - ½ cup water (that will be enough too), or even choose to not add any water. The reason I add water is that when the Instant Pot mildly heats the water, the light steam from the water will give it a continual warm & moist environment. Some prefer to not add any water, to avoid the mung beans sprouts from getting sticky. And this might partly depend on the quality of the beans. But I personally have never faced this issue, and so I always add water.
- Ensure that the steamer insert (or whatever you are using instead) fits well inside the main pot, and that you are still able to cover the Instant Pot with a lid. Because it's important to keep this in a covered environment to seal in the heat. Though there is no need to use the Instant Pot lid, a regular one will work. I personally prefer a glass lid, to be able to check on the sprouts.
Key Recipe Notes
- It's best to use fresher stock of mung beans, as much as possible. Because moong beans that were harvested a very long time back might not give the best sprouts.
- Organic mung beans can take longer time to soak and sprout, so account for that, while planning to sprout organic moong beans.
Notes on Storing Mung Bean Sprouts
- It's best to consume moong sprouts fresh. But if you need to store them, then transfer the sprouts to a sealed glass container, preferably lined with paper towel, and refrigerate.
- It's best to use the sprouts within the first 1-2 days, but it will last for a total of 3-4 days in the fridge, if stored well.
Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 645mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg