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    Home » Cooking Basics

    How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts

    Published: Mar 1, 2017 · Updated: Mar 15, 2021 · 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts

    Do you love adding sprouts to your soups, sandwiches, and salads?  This easy food tutorial will show you How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts!

    Sprouted Mung Beans in small bowls with chopsticks on the side.

    First of all, what are mung bean sprouts? 

    Sprouts are formed when seeds start to ‘sprout’ into a full vegetable.  Mung bean sprouts are… (wait for this)… sprouts from mung beans! 

    They’re a delicious, vegetarian source of plant-based protein.

    You’ve probably eaten them (or at least seen them) if you’ve eaten Pad Thai or the Vietnamese soup Pho. 

    If you’ve seen an Asian or Asian-inspired recipe that calls for ‘bean sprouts,’ it probably meant mung bean sprouts. 

    These tasty veggies are crunchy, delicious, and incredibly easy to grow at home.

    Bean Sprout Safety

    I am not a doctor and if you’ve been advised by a doctor to avoid bean sprouts, please follow their advice, not mine.

    When I was growing up, I loved adding bean sprouts to my sandwiches.  I’d pile them high, and dig in.  I loved the crunchy texture and the delicate flavors.

    In the late 90s, however, bean sprouts began disappearing from grocery stores.  Let’s call this, “The Case of the Disappearing Sprouts.”

    I searched high and low, near and far– but could NOT find sprouts.  Why not?

    Sadly, bean sprouts are not always safe to eat, and major grocers pulled them off their shelves (although you can still find them in some international markets or health food stores).

    What’s the problem?

    If the seeds aren’t treated correctly, or the sprouts are grown incorrectly, you can end up getting sick and regretting your food choices.  However, since I love the flavor, and a lot of meals seem incomplete without them, I wasn’t ready to give up on bean sprouts.

    Can you solve all your bean sprout health woes by growing your own sprouts at home?  No, because the problem can start with how the seed itself has been treated.

    That’s why it’s extra important to buy mung beans that are SPECIFICALLY meant for sprouting or eating raw. 

    These seeds will be inspected more carefully with FDA regulations than seeds meant for planting.

    Sprouted Mung Beans in small bowls with chopsticks on the side.

    How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts

    To grow mung bean sprouts, you need mung beans, a glass jar, and either a piece of cheesecloth with a rubber band or a sprouting jar lid.  Your jar needs to be at least 16 ounces in size.  (I use a standard Mason jar.)

    Start by sanitizing your glass jar.  I do this by putting it in the oven at 225 degrees for at least 20 minutes.  Leave the jar in the oven until you’re ready to start.

    Next, rinse your mung beans. 

    Set the beans in the jar, and add 2-3 times more water than beans. 

    Secure the cheesecloth over the top of your jar with a rubber band (or attach the sprouting jar lid), and set your jar in a dark space at room temperature (like in a cabinet).

    Soak the seeds overnight (or for about 8-12 hours), and then drain the water. 

    Soak Mung Beans
    Soak Mung Beans

    Rinse the beans, drain all the water out, and store the jar on its side. 

    Rinse the beans twice a day for about 3 days, and then set the sprouted beans (still in the jar) where they can get some sunlight. 

    Leave them in the sun for about one day, and then refrigerate the sprouts and use them up within 3-5 days.

    Tips for growing Mung Bean Sprouts

    Once you’ve finished the final rinse, keep your sprouts as dry as possible. 

    Don’t wash them until right before you’re using them, and do not continue to rinse the sprouts each day.

    If you live in a very cold or hot climate, and your home isn’t climate controlled, that will affect the growth time of your sprouts.  It may be impossible to grow sprouts in very cold rooms.

    Some sources recommend adding citric acid to your sprouting water to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.  I haven’t tried this– but it is an option.

    Have you tried growing your own sprouts?  Let me know in the comments!

    Quick Tip: If you love growing bean sprouts, you might also love this tutorial on How to Make Kombucha!

    How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 4 votes

    How to Grow Mung Bean Sprouts

    Cook time is an estimation of the initial time involved, but does NOT include 4 day sprouting period or rinsing the beans each day.  Makes approximately 2 cups of sprouts. 
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time25 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 11kcal
    Freezer Friendly?

    No

    Will It Keep?

    3-5 Days

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon mung beans (whole beans meant for sprouting- check the packaging label)

    Equipment Needed:

    • 1 glass mason jar, at least 16oz
    • cheesecloth + rubber band

    Instructions

    Sanitize Jar:

    • Place a clean glass jar in the oven at 225ºF for at 20 minutes.  Leave the jar in the warm oven until you’re ready to use it.

    Sprout Mung Beans:

    • Rinse beans.  Put beans in mason jar, and fill with 2-3 times more cool water than beans (2-3 TB).
    • Cover jar opening with cheesecloth, and secure with a rubber band.  Place jar in a dark, cool space (like a cabinet), and soak beans for 8-12 hours.
    • Drain beans, rinse, and drain out the water.  Store in dark space again.  Continue to rinse and drain twice a day for about 3 days, until the sprouts have grown out as long as you like them.
    • Set beans in daylight for one day without rinsing.  
    • Refrigerate in an airtight container and use within 3-5 days.

    Notes

    Nutrition information assumes ¼ cup of sprouts per person.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 11kcal (1%) | Carbohydrates: 2g (1%) | Potassium: 40mg (1%) | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.2mg (1%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      March 01, 2017 at 10:07 am

      So cool! I’ve never attempted growing mung beans before, but I do love them, especially in Pad Thai! And I bet they would taste extra good knowing that I grew them myself 🙂 Nothing like homegrown! Great post, Sarah!

      Reply
    2. Meg | Meg is Well

      March 01, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      How come I never knew this?! Yikes, I’m one of those at risk people too ????. That explains a lot though. I’ll sometimes go to the Asian market to get some and there won’t be any and I never knew why. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        March 01, 2017 at 12:20 pm

        Yup they’re super hard to find now! And I’m a little nervous about buying them since I don’t know how old they are

        Reply
    3. Pretty

      March 01, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      my mum always grew mung bean in muslin cloth when we were younger and made the best curry. I need to get into the habit to doing it more because the results are amazing and they are so versatile. Thanks for sharing your tips on how to grow mung beans.

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        March 01, 2017 at 12:30 pm

        Aw that’s awesome! They’re great in curry!!

        Reply
    4. Jasmin

      March 01, 2017 at 12:39 pm

      Wow this looks so neat! I love the texture of mung beans too, and I especially love adding them to my pho. I tried growing broccoli sprouts before and they turned out all mouldy. Hopefully I’ll have better luck with these!

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        March 01, 2017 at 12:40 pm

        Try and put them somewhere without a ton of moisture, and make sure to rinse them twice a day, and you should be good!

        Reply
    5. Meeta

      March 01, 2017 at 12:42 pm

      I often sprout many different types of legumes/lentils/ beans – always great to cook with them and for toppings. It’s been a while since I did mung beans – thanks for reminding me!!

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        March 01, 2017 at 12:43 pm

        They’re so tasty and crunchy right!? 🙂

        Reply
    6. Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes

      March 01, 2017 at 12:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great tutorial. Growing my own sprouts would be a lovely way to add a different ingredient to a few dishes.

      Reply
    7. Megan Marlowe

      March 01, 2017 at 1:05 pm

      Wow, never thought to grow my own mung beans! What an awesome tutorial! I happen to love mung bean sprouts! It amazes me what you can really do in your home kitchen!

      Reply
    8. Jenni

      March 03, 2017 at 7:29 am

      What a great tutorial! I have never grown bean sprouts before, but it seems like its pretty easy!

      Reply
    9. Sia | Monsoon Spice

      March 03, 2017 at 9:32 am

      I love this detailed post. I make sprouts almost every week and use it a lot in salads, stir fries and even for Indian dals.

      Reply
    10. Jessy @ The Life Jolie

      March 03, 2017 at 1:36 pm

      Very cool! I love to eat sprouts but I’ve never thought to grow them. I have an unfortunate knack for killing plants 🙁 But you really make this look foolproof. I should probably try this 🙂

      Reply
    11. michele

      March 05, 2017 at 11:22 pm

      5 stars
      I knew they were pulling them of the shelf often, but I didn’t know how easy they would be to grow at home! Such great information here …. thanks!

      Reply
    12. Amanda

      March 06, 2017 at 7:45 am

      I had no idea it’s so easy to grow mung bean sprouts! Thanks for the great tutorial. I used to love them on sandwiches, and then, as you said, they kind of disappeared. Definitely going to try this, I miss that lovely crunch!

      Reply
    13. Donna

      March 06, 2017 at 11:11 am

      I LOVE this!! I stopped eating mung beans years ago because my mother in law was always going on at me about the dangers of eating them. But I love the flavor and always stare longingly at those sandwiches in the deli piled high with them 🙂 I definitely need to try growing my own – it would be a fun project for the kids as well.

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        March 06, 2017 at 11:12 am

        Oh yay! Yesss do it yourself!!! Enjoy!!

        Reply
    14. J @ Bless Her Heart Y'all

      March 06, 2017 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      It is so hard to find sprouts sometimes at stores and I love them so much…. so that makes me sad. What makes me happy again is this tutorial! I never thought to grow my own! Thanks so much for your tips on how to do this safely.

      Reply

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