Hands down, this Mung Bean Curry Recipe is irresistible! It's a creamy, spicy, light Indian-style curry with easy-to-find ingredients. The mung beans are cooked to a soft texture with onion, tomato, and spices. It's a one-pot vegan dish that tastes fabulous.
I have a huge soft spot for creamy curries, whether classic, authentic-tasting, or the easiest(like this Lima Bean Curry), fuss-free ones(my choice, Cabbage Curry).
This mung bean curry, made in the Instant Pot, is always my favorite when I want a quick, easy vegetarian weeknight dinner.
I crafted this mung bean curry recipe with a simplified procedure that retains the authentic taste, making it perfect for those new to Indian cooking.
The creamy mung beans are cooked perfectly with savory flavors, making them great for dipping flatbread and turning your weeknight dinners into a delight without spending too much time in the kitchen.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It's a vegan and vegetarian recipe!
⭐️Deliciously creamy and spicy.
⭐️ Make-ahead and meal prep-friendly recipe.
The Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mung beans: You can get them from a specialty store (like Wegmans), online, or an Asian store. Soak the dried green mung beans for 1-3 hours, then rinse and drain.
- Vegetable oil: Feel free to use any neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil.
- Cumin seeds: the flavor booster.
- Onion: I've used yellow onion, and red onions work perfectly, too.
- Garlic is another must in this recipe, as it enhances the taste and aroma.
- Diced tomato: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes are my top choice for this curry, but you can also use freshly pureed tomatoes(homemade).
- Cayenne pepper is an excellent alternative to authentic Indian red chili powder. You can substitute smoked or regular paprika to suit your heat tolerance.
- Ground turmeric: It gives the curry a luscious golden color but does not significantly affect the taste.
- Cilantro: Optional. It gives the mung bean curry a refreshing flavor and a pleasing look.
- Butter: Optional, but I recommend it for a rich flavor.
How To Make Mung Bean Curry
- Step 1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode, add oil and cumin seeds, and cook until the seeds change color. Add onions and sauté until translucent.
- Step 2. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and ground turmeric.
- Step 3. Add the soaked mung beans(for 1-3 hours) and water. And cook in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes. Let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Step 4. Open the lid and stir in salt, cilantro, and butter. Slightly crush the mung beans with a whisk, then serve hot with naan or rice.
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♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This mung bean curry has a medium heat level. And the cayenne pepper adds a moderate amount of heat.
Substitute the cayenne pepper with smoked or sweet paprika for a milder heat.
The Leftovers
- You can repurpose the leftover mung bean curry as a curry soup.
- Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for about four days and in the freezer for up to three months.
- Thaw it in the fridge overnight or defrost it in the microwave in 30-second increments.
- To reheat, add a splash of water, cover with a kitchen cloth, and heat in the microwave, stirring in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mung beans are small, skin-on green legumes, commonly used in Indian and Asian cuisine. Stores usually carry whole mung beans (used in this recipe), split green mung beans, skinless mung beans, and split skinless mung beans. You can use any of these varieties, but each has its own cooking time, so follow the instructions on the package.
Serve with steamed white, brown, wild, or quinoa(also with Quinoa Pongal). Enjoy it with naan and any Indian flatbread. Add Indian condiments like raita or Lemon Pickle.
I would highly recommend soaking the mung beans before cooking. But if you do not have enough time to soak them, roast the dried mung beans over medium heat until they turn slightly darker. Dry roasting speeds up the cooking time.
You can use the same recipe for slow cooker variations: Follow this recipe to saute the onion-tomato mixture over the stovetop. Add the sauteed onion-tomato mixture, mung beans, and water to the slow cooker. Cook it on high for 4 hours (the time may vary slightly depending on the crockpot size).
Yes, absolutely. Follow the same Instant Pot method for making mung bean curry, up to the point of sautéing the onion and tomato. Then cook for 25-40 minutes on low to medium heat, adding 3 cups of water, covering with a lid, stirring occasionally, and adding water as needed.
If you enjoyed this Recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Mung Bean Curry
Ingredients
Ingredients for soaking
- 1 cup moong bean soaked for 1-3 hours and drained
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds onion
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic
- 7 oz diced tomato canned/freshly pureed
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or as required
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped/optional
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
Instructions
- Set the Instant pot to saute mode.
- Add vegetable oil, cumin seeds. Wait until cumin seeds slightly change its color.
- Add onion and saute until it turns translucent.
- Now add minced garlic, canned diced tomato, cayenne pepper and ground turmeric.
- Add mung bean(soaked and drained) and water.
- Set the Instant pot cooking timer for 12 minutes.
- And allow it to cook. And wait for 10 minutes to release the steam naturally.
- Open the lid, add salt, chopped cilantro and butter.
- Use a whisk to slightly crush the mung bean.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with naan or rice.
Notes
- Soak dried green mung beans for 1-3 hours, then rinse and drain. If short on time, dry roast them over medium heat until slightly golden to speed up cooking.
- This recipe works in an Instant Pot, slow cooker (high for 4 hours), or stovetop (simmer for 25-40 minutes with 3 cups of water). Adjust water as needed.
- The curry has a medium heat level. For a milder version, substitute cayenne pepper for the spice or smoked/sweet paprika.
- Pair with white, brown, or wild rice, quinoa, naan, or Indian flatbread. Add Indian condiments like raita or lemon pickle.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or microwave in short bursts. Reheat with a splash of water, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
Additional Info
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This curry so so delicious and versatile! Excited to spice up my weeknights with this recipe!
Thanks Sophie, glad this recipe can turn your weeknights great!
We have recently started cooking curry meals, and, to tell the truth, are getting obsessed. Your recipe is on my list:)
Hey Irina, thanks for adding this to your list.
My neighbor made me this once and I loved it. This sounds delicious and I can't wait to make this myself.
Thanks you Andrea, glad you like it!