Mung Bean Dip

Love it! I purchased some mung beans from our Asian grocery store a while back, and via a failed sprouting experiment, never did end up eating them. This looks like a fantastic use for them, though; I’ll definitely have to go pick up another bag of mung beans!

After buying a pound of beautiful green mung beans from Whole Foods, I couldn’t wait to make this recipe. I soaked them overnight, and then cooked the beans the following day on the stovetop until they were smooth and tender. Boy, I was disappointed by the end result. The pale green goo was thick, pasty, and very unappetizing. Not that it tasted so bad, but the consistency was very off-putting. I’ll go back to using chickpeas when making hummus from here on.

HS: Oh no Scott – sorry to hear that. I don’t soak my mung beans before cooking, and I cook them until just tender (not falling apart)…they still look like little green beans. Not sure if this helps at all. Maybe yours just needed a thinning of a bit more water? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I’ve made a version with red lentils as well – that I very much like.

Hi Heidi,
Thanks for your response above, I’m from London and my fave is the one Ottolenghi recommends – Al Yaman which is roasted and hulled – for middle eastern recipes, but I make raw tahini from both hulled and unhulled in my food processor. I would definitely suggest getting a good Lebanese one though!
h x

Wow, this actually took me by suprise a bit. I never really saw the appeal of mung-beans, I’ve been growing my own sprouts from them – but was never really taken with them, that’s why I’m left with a pretty big bag of tiny green beans in my shelf.
I never thought of using them in such a dish, you might just have rocked my culinary world a bit. This is why I love your blog – always something new and inspirational awaiting here.
I’ll make sure to give this a go as soon as I get home. Thanks.

Fantastic idea! I keep mung beans around for kitchuri but don’t really know what else to do with them. I also have a little bag of za’atar that’s sitting around from another recipe, so this is perfect.

I LOVE YOU! and i love mung, so wow!!

Thanks for another inspiring and beautiful post. I happen to have a jar of sprouting mung beans on my counter and wonder if it would be possible to use them? If so, should I boil them a bit first?

HS: They’ll definitely be a different texture compared to mung beans that have been cooked from dried….I think I might cook them a bit, until just tender? And then puree.

Who would have thought? Hummus has never been my fave because I can’t get over the pastiness of the chickpeas. I like it from dried chickpeas better. But this sounds totally intriguing!

That sounds so good to me right now! Anything I can dunk a homemade pita chip into, I make. This now tops the list.

Ooh this sounds delicious, what a fab way to use mung beans!

For those of us who find Chickpeas to be almost indigestible (embarrassingly so), Mung Beans – the king of beans in Ayurvedic Kitchens for their easy-to-digest, protein-packed, fiber-rich, nutrient dense, royal flavor – this recipe restores plain old hummus to its rightful place in the kingdom or heavenly meals. Thank you!

Excited about this one! I just bought a bunch of mung beans on sale for one of your recipes (with tempeh), but have way too much leftover. And one can only eat so many mung beans at a time. This is the perfect way to use them without thinking, mung beans, again? Thanks!

what an awesome idea. i love the idea of drizzling shallot oil and shallot crisps on top!

Looks amazing, absolutely love mung beans! Officially introduced to them via your recent cookbook. Thanks for linking us up…we will have a lasting relationship I’m sure!!!

Love the look and sound of this (as well as the stunning bowl). I am all for making hummus with different legumes.
I noticed you used water to mix your hummus – something I have been doing for years because it produces the lightest and smoothest hummus ever just like the tubs you can buy in delis (only better because it is homemade)! Had never seen it as part of a recipe though before your post!
And yes to the za’tar, just recently stocked up on this as well and it’s currently being scattered on top of homemade flatbread that’s been drizzled with olive oil, grilled watermelon and feta salads and fresh tomatoes. Yum!

I’m fascinated. Going after the mung bean for my next batch of hummus, then. Thank you again, Heidi!

I’ve gotten my favourite hummus-esque recipe from you (hummus en fuego which I’ve made countless times to rave reviews) and am very intrigued by this one. Cannot wait to try it!

What a lovely idea – I must try this. Incidentally, from making my latest batch of hummus, which I did yesterday, I have discovered that if you use toasted sesame oil instead of, or as well as, olive oil, it is even more delicious than usual! Try it.

and why not? white beans make a fantastic dip, blitzed with rosemary and garlic-spiked olive oil.
and to think i’ve been using mung beans only as pie weights, all these years… (well, and as sprouts. doh. it’s time.)

We just ran out of chickpea hummus and I forgot to soak more chickpeas last night. This is DEFINITELY on today’s menu. It looks simply divine!

Just finished making this. I’d given up on homemade hummus, but this works – fantastically! Yum, thanks for sharing your experiment.

This sounds like the best possible plan for the mung beans I’ve had kicking around my freezer for the last 6 months! A super interesting take on hummus.

Any tips on cooking mung beans? Mine never quite turn out or get mushy so I just usually sprout them….

I like to experiment with different shades of hummus but it never occurred to me to use mung beans.
Can’t wait to try this!

What’s the rationale behind letting them cool? For chickpea hummus it helps if the chickpeas are hot for a super smooth result. If I were super impatient (ok, I *am* super impatient), could I just blend em right after cooking?

HS: Hi Zo – I just started with cold mung beans here – you’re absolutely right, either way is fine. Will update.

Another exciting recipe to try, thank you! I can’t wait to try this one. We love mung beans and hummus. However, I only ever purchased fresh mung beans. Is that what you cooked? Do you steam them or boil them?

HS: Hi Shauna, I boil them, covered by about an inch or so of water. If they don’t absorb all the water, drain it off. Alternately, if you need to add a bit more water later in the process, do so. Simmer until tender but not falling apart – 25-30 minutes. They’re such a great ingredient!

Heidi, it never occurred to me to use MUNG BEANS for hummus! I’ve only ever had them sprouted, so I’m keen to try this. Thanks 🙂

How do the green mung beans turn into a normal tan-colored hummus? This boggles my mind! I’m definitely putting this on my ever-growing list of recipes to make from you!

It’s been years since I tried making my own hummus and as I recall it didn’t go very well. Maybe with mung beans I will have better luck. 🙂 This looks delicious and I love the idea of the toppings too.

I love the hummus, but I love that serving bowl even more! So pretty! 🙂

Mung beans in hummus…so clever! I was going to try this today but apparently I have to soak them overnight. Definitely tomorrow!

HS: Hi Alicia – you can soak mung beans before cooking them, but you don’t have to.

I never would have thought of using mung beans – what a great idea.

mung beans are one of my favourites too! i am going to try this TODAY! it looks incredible!

Too good. Really good. Really smooth. In fact I had to try to be a lady and curb my delights. I had to stop myself from grabbing a spoon, and eating heaping amounts of this creamy hummus. It was really nice delicious!

That looks delightful! Do you have directions for cooking the mung beans?

Did you use yellow split mung or whole green mung?

HS: Hi Robyn – whole green mung beans.