February 17, 2023
Ginisang Munggo (Filipino Mung Bean Soup)
This Ginisang Munggo, or Filipino Mung Bean Soup, is a delicious and comforting soup flavored with rich tomatoes, ginger, and tons of fresh garlic! Serve with rice for a hearty, savory, and budget-friendly meal that the entire family is sure to love!
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ingredients jump to recipe video step-by-step instructions tips and faqsGinisang Munggo
In case you’re new to this dish, ginsang munggo (roughly translated to ‘stir-fried legumes’) is a Filipino mung bean soup. It kind of reminds me of a Filipino version of lentil soup – which makes sense because mung beans and lentils are both legumes. Typically, it is made with garlic, tomatoes, onions, a variety of vegetables. Depending on the region or access to ingredients, it can also be made with or without a protein, such as poultry, pork, seafood, or tofu.
Growing up, my mom and aunt always made this dish, and they always added lots of ginger and coconut milk, so now that I’m older, that’s how I make it, too! It’s savory, and garlicky, and gingery, and honestly … it just reminds me of home every time I make it. So if you’re looking for a cozy, hearty, and budget-friendly recipe, this is for you!
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the most delicious ginisang munggo!
Ingredients for Ginisang Munggo
I love this dish because not only is is delicious, but the ingredient are simple and affordable! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Aromatics: tomatoes, white or yellow onion, ginger, garlic, and fresh jalapeño (for a little bit of spice)
- Vegan Chick’n Bouillon: You can buy this in powder, cube, or paste form. I find artificial chick’n powder or bouillon at my local Asian market, specialty health food stores such as Whole Foods and Sprouts, or on Amazon. If you can’t access it, you can substitute it with mushroom powder, or vegetable bouillon. If using vegetable bouillon, I highly suggest using a powder or paste, as these are highly concentrated and will produce a much more flavorful broth.
- MSG: MSG gives this ginisang munggo (and any other dish that it’s added to) a kick of umami! If you have sensitivity to MSG, you’re more than welcome to leave it out, but if you’re under the impression that MSG is bad for you, please do your research on its history. There are several scientific, peer-reviewed studies that have debunked this age-old myth that’s rooted in racism. I recommend this study done by Harvard with tons of great references, and this article by Medical News Today, which also thoroughly cites all of its sources.
- Mung Beans: make sure they’re raw, uncooked mung beans.
- Coconut Milk
- Soy Sauce
- Vegan Fish Sauce: the brand I buy is from Ocean’s Halo, and I usually purchase it on Amazon or Whole Foods. You can also check your local Asian markets for vegan or vegetarian (which is also vegan) fish sauce! If you’re unable to find vegan fish sauce, you can sub it out for an umami-rich sauce like this Yondu vegetable umami sauce or coconut aminos.
- Baby Spinach Leaves: traditionally, ginisang munggo is made with mullangay leaves, but I don’t have easy access to it. If you do, I recommend adding that instead of spinach, but if you’re like me and have limited access to it, baby spinach is a great substitution!
- Crispy Tofu: while it’s certainly not necessary, I like to add some crispy air-fried tofu to my ginisang munggo for a little extra protein!
How to Make Ginisang Munggo
As simple as the ingredients list is for this dish, so are the steps to make it! Here’s how:
1. Sauté:
First, heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic, and jalapeno. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper, the msg, and the bouillon and sauté, stirring often, until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Simmer!
Then, add the mung beans and 6 cups of water, stirring to combine. Increase the heat to high and once it reaches a light boil, reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer until the mung beans are cooked through, about 1 hour.
3. Coconut Milk & Spinach Join the Party:
Next, add the coconut milk, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, and another 1 to 2 cups of water (I like my ginisang munggo on the soupier side, so I always add an additional 2 cups). Stir until the coconut milk is thoroughly combined, then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
4. Garnish and Enjoy!
Garnish your ginisang munggo with crispy tofu (optional), and serve immediately over rice, and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
What do I serve with it Ginisang Munggo?
I love to serve it over a bed of freshly cooked white rice. You can also add your protein of choice, such as crispy air-fried tofu, prepared soy curls, or vegan chick’n pieces. It’s also often garnished with chicharron or pork rinds, so sometimes I’ll top it with vegan pork rinds if I can find them!
Do I have to soak the mung beans?
Not at all! It’s recommended that you cook the ginisang munggo according to the directions, without soaking them!
How will I know the mung beans are cooked through?
You’ll know when the mung beans are cooked through when much of the liquid has absorbed and the mung beans are puffy, yet still hold share. If there is any bite or crunch to the mung beans, they need additional time to cook.
Leftovers, storage, and reheating:
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 7 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl or over the stovetop. To reheat from frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight prior to reheating it.
More Filipino-Inspired Dishes to Try
If you love this Ginisang Munggo, make sure to check out these Filipino dishes as well!
Filipino Mung Bean Soup: Your New Favorite Dish
I hope you love this Ginisang Munggo soup as much as I do! If you try this dish and enjoy it, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
Til next time, friends!
XO!
Ginisang Munggo (Filipino Mung Bean Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 ½ pounds tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 onion diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about ¼ cup)
- 12 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno thinly sliced, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon artificial chick’n bouillon
- ½ teaspoon MSG optional
- 4 cups raw mung beans
- 1 13.5 ounce can of full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
- 6 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic, and jalapeno. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper, the msg, and the bouillon and sauté, stirring often, until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the mung beans and 6 cups of water, stirring to combine. Increase the heat to high and once it reaches a light boil, reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer until the mung beans are cooked through, about 1 hour.
- Next, add the coconut milk, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, and another 1 to 2 cups of water (I like my ginisang munggo on the soupier side, so I always add an additional 2 cups). Stir until the coconut milk is thoroughly combined, then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with crispy tofu (optional), and serve immediately over rice, and enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious! Best munggo I’ve ever had. I think next time I make it, I may omit the coconut milk or reduce it to 1/2c because the umami flavor was slightly neutralized by the sweetness if the coconut milk. Regardless though it’s was sooo yummyyy!! Served it with fried tofu, purple rice, and roasted Brussels sprouts.