10-Minute Mung Bean Sprout Stir-Fry

Quick and easy mung bean sprout stir-fry is the perfect side dish for when you just need dinner to happen ASAP.

Sprouted mung beans are a type of young bean sprout grown in low-light areas. They are crunchy, plump, mild in flavor with a subtle essence of sweetness. They make their appearance in many Chinese recipes.

Virtually anything can be added to them, including cabbage, carrots, tofu, mixed vegetables, edamame, tempeh, and rice. 

As for mung bean sprouts, they can be found at Asian grocery stores – that’s where I purchased mine.

However, big-box grocery stores might sell them too. It’s worth giving your local market a call before heading over to find if they carry mung bean sprouts.

You can grow your own mung bean sprouts, but I just took my quick-and-lazy route and grabbed a bag from the store.

In addition to being quick-cooking and delicious, mung bean sprouts pack a serious a nutritious punch.

According to the U.S. Department Of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of mung bean sprouts have just 30 calories, 3 grams of protein, about 2 grams of fiber, and have a considerable amount of vitamin C and magnesium. 

Prepping Mung Bean Sprouts

Cooking mung bean sprouts is easy and takes a few minutes of tossing over high heat. However, there are a some things to take note.

Drain, Wash, Pat-Dry Sprouts

If you’re purchasing mung beans sprouts from the grocery store, you’ll first want to drain the excess water.

If packaged in a bag, you might notice the mung bean sprouts collect water at the bottom of the bag. Just simply drain.

Then, give the mung bean sprouts a few rinses with cold water and soak for five minutes.

Water and oil do not get along very well, so for this reason, it’s best to dry the mung bean sprouts as much as possible after soaking and draining in a colander.

With my hands, I squeezed any excess water from the sprouts, then I pat dry with paper towels.

Cooking Equipment

Once that’s all done, it’s time to cook. It’s best to use a heavy pan like a cast-iron skillet or a wok. However, if you do not have access to any of these, a basic non-stick pan will work just fine.

High Smoke-Point Oil For Stir-Fry

As for the oil, you want to use a high smoke-point oil. This is true for any stir-fry recipe or recipes that use high heat.

I used vegetable oil, but other high smoke-point oils include:

• Vegetable Oil
• Canola Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Rice Bran Oil
• Peanut Oil
• Corn Oil
• Soybean Oil

More Stir-Fry Recipes 

• Oil-Free Veggie “Fried” Rice 
• Tempeh Stir-Fry With Honey Garlic Sauce 
• Stir-Fried Rice With Vegan “Chicken”

Recipe Notes

1. The mung beans sprouts need to be drained, rinsed, quick-soaked, and pat dry as much as possible. This can be done with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. 
2. Mung bean sprouts might have a slightly bitter flavor profile after a few days or when exposed to too much light. A pinch of sugar can help balance out some of its bitterness. 
3. It’s best to use a wok for stir-fry recipes, however, if you don’t have one, you can use a pan. You’ll just need to be careful about spillovers. 

Did you try out this 10-Minute Mung Bean Sprout Stir-Fry recipe?

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