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Soybean Sprouts Side Dish (Kongnamul Muchim) - Not Spicy

Classic soybean sprouts side dish that's not spicy. Most popular banchan in Korea. Great for kids too! Soybean sprouts also has great health benefits - more in my post.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 156 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

Cooking Sprouts
  • 14 oz soybean sprouts (Kongnamul, 1 bag)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp sea salt
Seasoning
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1.5 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp green onions
  • 1 dash black pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp garlic (chopped)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add soybean sprouts into a bowl of cold water. Rinse and pick out any rotten sprouts with black beans or brown stems. Drain. Rinse and drain again.
  2. In a pot, add 1 cup water (for 14 oz sprouts), sea salt and soybean sprouts. Cover with a lid.
  3. Cook at medium high for 7 minutes. Do NOT open the lid during cooking because it will make the sprouts taste fishy.
  4. While sprouts are cooking, chop green onions and garlic. Drain cooked sprouts and let it cool.
  5. In a bowl, add sprouts then season with chopped green onions, garlic, salt, sesame oil, sesame seeds and black pepper. Mix lightly with your hands making sure the seasoning is evenly coated.
  6. Serve warm or cold as a side dish to any Korean meal.

Notes

  • Sodium amount is high but that's because it accounts for the whole 1 tsp of salt that goes into the boiling water, most of which is discarded along with the water once it's cooked. Actual sodium level should be much lower.
  • Keep lid closed - When cooking soybean sprouts, keep pot covered with a lid and DO NOT open it during cooking. 
  • How to store leftover kongnamul muchim - store in the fridge. It tastes good cold too so no need to reheat when you eat it next time.
  • Root ends: Traditionally Korean moms always broke off the root ends of the sprouts. Root ends contain a lot of good nutrients so I don't take off the root ends. But you are welcome to do it if you like it better that way.
  • Which soybean sprouts to buy - I like using Natto Soybean Sprouts as you see in the picture below. They are tender and nutty.
  • Do not buy sprouts with a lot of black spots on the bean part and/or when root ends are brown. 
  • ** Note about scaling this recipe. The cooking time will vary depending on how much you are cooking.

Nutrition Information

Calories 156kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 514mg (21%) Fiber 1g (4%) Vitamin A 30IU (1%) Vitamin C 24.2mg (27%) Calcium 5mg (1%) Iron 0.1mg (1%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 156

% Daily Value*

Calories 156kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 514mg 21%
Fiber 1g 4%
Vitamin A 30IU 1%
Vitamin C 24.2mg 27%
Calcium 5mg 1%
Iron 0.1mg 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.