{"id":110397,"title":"Bean sprouts: what are they?","modified":"2025-10-29T17:07:35+01:00","plain":"What people generally call bean sprouts are actually young mung bean shoots\u2014often mislabeled as \u201csoy sprouts\u201d\u2014hence the common confusion.\n\n\n\nTo grow them, mung beans are soaked and sprouted in water. Once germinated, the water is drained and the sprouts are kept in a cool, dark place to develop.\n\n\n\nWhat do bean sprouts taste like?\n\n\n\nMung bean sprouts are very crisp with a fresh, clean flavor, making them ideal for a wide range of dishes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBetter yet, because of how they\u2019re produced, they\u2019re essentially available year-round. You\u2019ll find them in most supermarkets, usually in the produce section.\n\n\n\nHealth benefits of bean sprouts\n\n\n\nNutritionally, bean sprouts are made mostly of water and are therefore very low in calories.\n\n\n\nEven so, they\u2019re rich in beneficial nutrients. They provide a generous amount of protein\u2014up to 40% of their makeup\u2014as well as omega-3s, which are often lacking in our diets.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re also a good source of vitamins B and C, minerals, and fiber. You can consult a detailed table of their nutritional value here.\n\n\n\nThis nutritional profile gives bean sprouts a host of health benefits, including helping reduce hypertension, supporting cancer prevention, and aiding digestion. It\u2019s amazing how much goodness is packed into sprouts that seem mostly water!\n\n\n\nHow to use bean sprouts in recipes\n\n\n\nBean sprouts are used across Asia, with each country adapting them to its own culinary traditions.\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll find them in Chinese cuisine (fried rice, Peking-style soup, \u2026), Indian (to balance curries), Japanese (stir-fries, soups), Korean (namul, bibimbap), Thai (stir-fries like pad Thai, soups), Indonesian (soups, salads), and Vietnamese (Spring rolls (nem) and other sides)\n\n\n\nA gorgeous pad Thai generously topped with bean sprouts\n\n\n\nBean sprouts can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Raw, they\u2019re great in salads with other crunchy vegetables like carrots and bell peppers, or tucked into sandwiches for extra crunch and freshness.\n\n\n\nCooked, they\u2019re delicious stir-fried with noodles or in a wok alongside sliced vegetables like zucchini, leeks, carrots, and bell peppers.\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re also essential for spring rolls, so don\u2019t skip them if you plan to make some. You can briefly blanch them to gently mellow the flavor, then use them to whip up tasty Korean-style salads.\n\n\n\nDelicious Sichuan caramelized chicken, loaded with bean sprouts\n\n\n\nBean sprouts are wonderfully versatile and slip easily into a wide variety of recipes. They add refreshing crunch along with a wealth of nutritional benefits.\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t hesitate to try them in different preparations to discover all the ways to enjoy them and make the most of their nutritional perks. Since they\u2019re available year-round, it\u2019s easy to add them to your regular routine and enjoy both their flavor and their benefits.\n\n\n\nI also use them in my Chinese noodles with vegetables\n\n\n\nWhere to buy bean sprouts?\n\n\n\nThese days, there\u2019s no need to go to an Asian supermarket\u2014unless you want the best value for money. You can find them in most supermarkets in France or Belgium.\n\n\n\nHow to store mung bean sprouts?\n\n\n\nThey usually keep for up to 3\u20134 days in the fridge; they\u2019re quite perishable.\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tHow to Grow Bean Sprouts\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t1 handful mung beans500 ml water (approx.)\t\n\t\n\t\tAdd the mung beans to a large bowl.Rinse 3 to 4 times in plenty of fresh, clean water. Drain.Cover with freshly filtered water and soak for 9 to 12 hours. For best results, use boiled\/dechlorinated water cooled to room temperature.If soaking lasts longer than 9 hours, discard the water and refill with fresh water. This helps prevent the bean sprouts from developing a musty smell.When you are ready to sprout the mung beans, discard the soaking water. Rinse at least 3 times with clean water. Drain in a colander.Transfer the soaked, drained mung beans to a jar or container. Make sure there is no water left; you don't want them to mold.Cover loosely with a lid or cloth.Place the bowl\/jar in a warm, dark spot away from sunlight.Leave undisturbed until the beans sprout. Sprouting time depends on temperature; some mung beans sprout in a few hours, while others take up to a day or two.After 12 hours, check if they have sprouted. If you prefer longer sprouts, sprinkle with clean water and let all excess water drain from the batch or the jar\/bowl. Excess moisture can cause them to rot.Refrigerate the mung bean sprouts in a clean, dry, airtight jar and use within 2 to 4 days.\t\n\t\n\t\tUse liberally to top all your favorite Asian dishes!\nWithin 24 hours, the mung beans should begin to sprout; if not, they were likely not viable.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tAsiatiquegermes de soja, Haricots mungo, pousses de soja","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110397"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110599,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110397\/revisions\/110599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}