Mung Bean and Coconut Curry! This healthy vegan curry is packed with Indian flavours, coconut milk, cilantro, and lime. It's incredibly easy and can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stove top (instructions are provided for both!). If you're looking for a delicious moong dal recipe, this is the one! Grab the recipe and let's get started!
Hands up if you have a packet of mung beans kicking around the back of your cupboard that you have no idea what to do with! Fear not, I'm here to help with a Mung Bean Curry that's so good if you and your family don't love it, I'll give you your money back.
Just kidding - there are no refunds on Hey Nutrition Lady.
But seriously, this is both one of the easiest and one of the most delicious recipes in my arsenal. It's hands down one of the most popular recipes on this site, and with good reason. Check the comments; it's amazeballs.
Are mung beans and moong dal the same thing?
Sort of... mung beans refer to the whole, intact bean that's encased in a green husk. This is what's in the picture below. Moong dal refers to mung beans with husk removed and split in half, so moong dal and split mung beans are the same thing. Moong dal will have slightly less dietary fiber, and will cook faster than whole mung beans.
This mung bean curry is a one-pot wonder. No fussing around with extra dishes, minimal cleanup, and not all that much chopping involved. And yes, it can be made in the Instant Pot! Secondly, it features ingredients you've probably already got on hand: dried mung beans, canned tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and some fresh cilantro.
It's jam-packed with immune boosting foods (have you counted how many cloves of garlic are in that picture? that'd be nine, and yes, they're all going in!), and the mighty mung bean offers up a good dose of plant-based protein and gut-healthy fiber.
All of that is well and good, but folks, this curry is delicious. If mung beans aren't an ingredient you've cooked with before, I encourage you to give them a try. Unlike some other beans, they don't require soaking, so they're great for quick and easy meals.
And as beans go, mung is fairly easy to digest, so if you're someone who tends towards tummy troubles with other beans, I encourage you to give mung beans a go. When coupled with a spicy masala, coconut milk, and a touch of lime, this mung bean curry becomes a versatile meal. Sip it as a soup, or pair with brown rice or some warm naan bread if you're looking for something more substantial.
Tips for making a killer Mung Bean Curry:
- Ummmm, there are NINE cloves of garlic in this curry? Yes ma'am, and I encourage you to use 'em all. I promise you this doesn't come out a garlic bomb of a dish, and you won't reek like garlic after eating it. It just works, and in combination with all of the other spices, the garlic gets mellowed out.
- But on that note, use a garlic crusher! Ain't nobody got time to chop up nine cloves of garlic. Or you could buy those jars of pre-chopped garlic and use three tablespoons.
- Can I use moong dal / split mung beans in this recipe? I haven't tested this personally, but I do believe it would work. However, using moong dal would result in a considerably different texture to the final product.
- Keep your ginger in the freezer! It lasts for ages that way so you'll pretty much always have some on hand for a recipe, plus it's waaaaaayyyy easier to grate from frozen.
- Have leftover mung bean curry? Lucky you! This recipe freezes like a dream, and is great for make-ahead meals.
- Want to green it up? Be my guest! Throw in some chopped spinach at the end of cooking and let it wilt down into the curry. Delicious!
- Can I made this recipe in the Instant Pot? Yes friends, you can! It won't save you all that much time but it comes out like a dream and you don't have to babysit the pot while the curry cooks. Instant Pot users please reduce the water to 3 cups!
- What if I don't have an Instant Pot? Then make this delicious vegan curry on the stove top! I've done it that way approximately one million times. I love to use this heavy-bottomed pot.
Hey Nutrition Lady, tell me about mung beans!
I'd be glad to! Mung beans are a good source of folate, dietary fiber, protein, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium and vitamin K. The protein-plus-fiber combination in beans is one of the things that makes them special. Mung or moong beans refer to the full, intact bean, whereas moong dal refers to a mung bean that has been hulled and split in half.
A one cup serving contains around 15g of fiber (over half of the daily recommended intake), and 15g of protein. Much of the fiber is indigestible, which supports digestive health, particularly in the lower part of our digestive tract.
The protein-fiber combination is also key in stabilizing blood sugar levels, as both protein and fiber move through our digestive systems at a moderate pace. Beans are also rich in soluble fiber, which is helpful for lowering blood cholesterol levels and supporting cardiovascular health.
Other Tasty Curries you might enjoy:
Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
Red Curry Coconut Stir-Fry
Curried Cauliflower Chickpea Wraps
Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dal
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon canola oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
- 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- 9 cloves garlic crushed (about 3 tablespoon crushed garlic)
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup mung beans picked over for stones and well rinsed
- 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1-2 medium limes juiced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot (I like to use my Dutch oven) heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat.4 tablespoon canola oil
- Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until they just begin to darken.1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- Add the garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until it has browned, but watch it very carefully so that it doesn't burn.9 cloves garlic
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine, then add ginger, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne.14 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, 2 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sauté this mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the water and mung beans. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture once or twice.4 cups water, 1 cup mung beans
- Taste a few mung beans to make sure they are cooked. If they are, stir in the coconut milk, and increase the heat to medium-high.14 oz can coconut milk
- Once the curry comes to the boil turn off the heat. Stir in the cilantro and the juice of one lime. Taste and decide whether you'd like to add the second lime as well.½ cup fresh cilantro, 1-2 medium limes
- Serve hot.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- Using the sauté function, heat your Instant Pot on normal heat. Add the cooking oil, and then add the cumin seeds and cook them for approximately one minute, until they sizzle.4 tablespoon canola oil, 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- Add the garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until it has browned, but watch it very carefully so that it doesn't burn.9 cloves garlic
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine, then add ginger, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne. Sauté this mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.14 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, 2 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add 3 cups of water and the mung beans. Place the lid on your Instant Pot and put on manual pressure cook HIGH setting for 10 minutes. It should take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.1 cup mung beans
- Allow the pressure to release naturally (this should take about 20-30 minutes) and remove the lid once safe.
- Stir in the coconut milk, cilantro, and lime juice. Serve!14 oz can coconut milk, 1-2 medium limes, ½ cup fresh cilantro
Video
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- Many people have commented that this recipe contains too much water. I have tested it dozens of times and have never found this to be the case, but every stove is different and every batch of beans is a different age. Remember you can always start with less liquid and add more if needed.
- For Instant Pot reduce the water to 3 cups
- If you are sensitive to spice, please reduce the cayenne pepper to ¼ teaspoon or leave it out altogether.
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links. As am Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recipe adapted from Vij's At Home.
This recipe was originally published January 22, 2015. Last updated April 20, 2019.
Nancy K
I made this in a dutch oven on top of the stove. After reading the other reviews, I reduced the water to 2 cups. It worked out perfectly. Exactly like the picture, not too thin. It's very tasty. Personally, I'm not sure I would put in the lime juice next time. I used only 1/2 of a lime and I could taste it. But I think I prefer it without it. I put the curry in a bowl and added basmati rice on the side. Delicious. And easy to make.
Poppy
This is the recipe that made me discover this site and I'm so grateful to have stumbled here. I made this curry and it is divine! It was easy peasy in the instapot. I doubled the ginger, added some chopped kale once it finished pressure cooking (let it sauté for another couple of minutes) to increase the veggie quotient and it came out beautifully!
Katie Trant
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this one as much as we do 🙂
Jen
So glad I stumbled on you’re site, Katie! The recipe was delicious. I do wish that I used less water but I added some jasmine rice and it’s more of a curry soup! I took a note for next time. I also added onion, peas, curry powder and garam masala.
amanda anderson
Made it in the instapot / reduced the water to 3 cups and it was still hella soupy. But man was it good. Next time I will reduce the water to 1.5 cups and see how it goes. I love that it’s one pot with no cleanup. I’m
Also impressed that you used cumin and coriander instead of curry paste or powder. Minimum Ingredients. This recipe is a soupy winner in my book! 😋
Katie Trant
Glad you enjoyed it despite the soupiness. I've made this recipe countless times and it always works out perfectly (as pictured) with 3 cups of water. The mung beans must be different where I live 🤷🏻♀️
starchild
can i substiute the tomato sauce with something else because i cant eat nightshade food and tomatoes are nightshade
Katie Trant
The tomatoes are an important part of this recipe for both flavour and texture. I don't recommend making it without them.
Darren
This was amazing, much loved by young and old. I did a double batch right from the start and not regretting it, will have some frozen to use later. I think the ingredients were about right but with one mid-sized lemon (not lime) for the double. It started soupy (my son enjoyed it like that with some rice added in) but gradually absorbed the liquid. And thanks for the print recipe format, with the quantities of each ingredient re-listed under each step, it made it much easier to follow on my tablet (not having to scroll back and forth). Similarly, the print format removed the ads when I needed to actually cook. I will look for your other recipes here for sure.
Katie Trant
So glad you enjoyed this one as much as we do, Darren.
Beth
So, so good. I have made this in my Instant Pot several times. I have had a hankering for it recently, so today I went full bore and made Naan bread and rice to go with it. Pressuring up now, and I can hardly wait!
Katie Trant
Yum! I should make naan bread one of these days too!
Cb
Love this recipe! I add 6 oz of frozen spinach along with the coconut milk for added nutrition and color.
V
So so good, even with not having all of the ingredients (I sub'ed with ground cumin and ground ginger)!! Definitely a bookmarked recipe.
I also added steamed, cubed sweet potato and spinach at the end alongside the coconut milk. 👌
Coral
I’ve tried many many internet recipes for various different dahls and curries and this one was particularly flavoursome. I looked at the ingredients, method and comments and decided on how best to make it for my own tastes. I only used 1/4 can tomatoes (as these irritate my stomach), 1/4 can coconut milk (just not a coconut fan) and 1 lime - it still came out delicious.
After the comments about too much water I used 2 cups in my instant pot and although it cooked fine, it definitely needed 3 cups. I just added one after cooking and it was fine. Thanks for the recipe 😊
Katie Trant
I always find 3 cups is necessary in the Instant Pot!
Diane
This was soooo delicious! thank you
Keyana
When I tell you I LOVE this recipe, I absolutely love it. I’ve put a little spin on it by adding a couple tablespoons of peanut butter as well as maple syrup to taste around the time you add coconut milk. Stir it well so it’s dissolved and incorporated. But it’s AMAZING! Sometimes you have to make a recipe your own. It’s a hit with my family. As we prefer a sweet/spicy flavor profile. Thank you.
Katie Trant
Oh wow, I'll have to try the peanut butter next time we make this at home. Sounds delish!
Nancy K
Adding peanut butter sounds interesting. I think I'll try that next time.
Nora
Loved this recipe! I've written it down in my recipe book, and will definitely make it again.
Dayna
I’ve made this many times always on the stove. I started to add a bit of Indian curry and English peas because they don’t turn to mush. The addition of peas is really yummy and I like the color and texture. I’ve also added some baby spinach some times if I have it in hand. I am curious however if it’s possible to make this in a slow cooker / crock pot? If so how would I do that? Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Raquel
I've made this recipe twice so far and both times it is absolutely delicious! The first time I used 3 cups of water as I read the comments saying it was soupy. It still came out pretty soupy but a delicious soup. Last night I made it with 1 3/4 cup water and it turned out perfectly in my opinion! Even my meat eater husband loves it! I serve it on top of basmati rice with a nice dollop of ghee on top!! Definitely a keeper. Thank you so much. Also, I really loved the measurements in the directions, it helped so much!!
KR
This was fantastic. I made it 3 times this last week and it gets better every time. Follow the recipe exactly. No substitutions.
If you want to cut the heat a little, reduce the cayenne. Besides that - it was awesome.
I made wild rice, this curry, and pan seared turbot (fish) with lemon sauce & capers.
Deb
This was delicious! I used fresh tomatoes, 2 TBL lime juice, some garam masala and only 1 TBL of cumin seeds because my daughter isn't a big fan. It tasted a bit too tart/acidic the night that I made it, so I put a little sugar in it. The next day it tasted fantastic and I had it for breakfast and lunch. Definitely making this one again.
Kathy
I added diced carrots and some honey, substituted sliced fresh tomatoes. It was seriously great! I don't like to use canola oil though so used olive oil. Also I prefer to soak the mung beans for 2 days and then remove the hulls, which is a bit labor-intensive but easier for me to digest.They also cook faster and you have to use less water and more volume of beans.
Nancy K
I was thinking about adding sugar, because I think the lime made it a little too acidic for me. I'll try that. Sounds great!
Mina
Just tried this recipe for the first time and it was great! I had moong dal so I figured it might be best to use half the amount of water and half the amount of coconut milk. My guess was that it would likely cook faster and wouldn’t need as much liquid. It came out perfectly with the liquids cut in half. I kept all the other measurements as per the recipe….great flavor!! Thank you for sharing this.
Markus
I found other mungo beans recipes better
Lily
Wow what a pointless and unnecessary comment, Markus. Zero thanks for your completely irrelevant contribution to this comment section.
Sotires
I used this recipe because it looked easy enough to do and I already had most of the ingredients. It worked out fine and tasted great. The first time I made it I used dried coconut, because that's what I had. I made it again recently, this time using a can of coconut milk, and found that the difference was well worth it.
I daresay there are plenty of other recipes around, but it's impossible to say whether one is better than another without making them and tasting them. Maybe you could post a link?
In any case, this one works for me, and as someone else said, your comment is totally pointless.
KR
I made this with mung beans that I had sprouted for 3 days. I added only 1/2 the water, cooked for 15 minutes initially with beans and tomatoes, and then another 10 with coconut milk. Yum!
sally
This was excellent. I used 3 cups in the instant pot and it worked great, though still on the soupier side, which was fine by me. I omitted the coconut milk but stirred in the 3 tablespoons of dried coconut milk at the end (to lighten it up, but I think coconut milk would be delicious too).
Tammy
After reading all of your advice about cooking mung beans in the instapot, I was skeptical but this recipe came together beautifully. It's quick, comforting, and filling. Next time, I will float some greens on top.
Andi
This is one of our favorite soups! We serve it over brown rice. I always keep some in the freezer for a quick supper or lunch. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Katie Trant
Glad you enjoyed it as much as I do!
Maisie
Great recipe. Perfect for the instant pot.
Maria
I made this almost exactly as stated but reduced the water because I wanted a thicker curry. I also sauteed the tomatoes before adding water and beans for a bit as I love the flavor that adds to food. Served with rice and it was absolutely delicious. YUM!!
maria straub
I made this almost exactly as stated but reduced the water because I wanted a thicker curry. I also sauteed the tomatoes before adding water and beans for a bit as I love the flavor that adds to food. Served with rice and it was absolutely delicious. YUM!!
c
Would not make again. Had one bowl and dumped the rest in the toilette. cayenne pepper adds to much heat without any flavour. calls for way to much lime juice. I used one lime and I got this weird spicy, sour soup with no depth of flavour. Should've been wary that a "curry" recipe doesn't include any curry powder, nor the combination of spices normally used for homemade curry powder. Very disappointing and makes me wonder if the chef tastes the end product before posting the recipe...
Fudge C
To whoever “c” is that posted, genuinely don’t think you understand cooking mate. Curry powder requires cumin (in the recipe), turmeric (in the recipe), ginger (in the recipe), coriander (in the recipe) as well as salt. And too much lime? In a giant serving of curry I’m not sure I would consider one to two limes too much. Not sure what kind of inauthentic curry you’re referring to as your gold standard, but it’s probably not very good and certainly not as good as this one.
Laurie
Absolutely delicious, made on the stove, so easy! A couple tweaks – soaked the beans overnight and into the afternoon, only had tomato paste in a tube so I squeezed in 1T + 1/3 C water and added a leftover 1/2 can of organic pumpkin puree (tis the season) instead to simmer with the spices. Only used 3C water. Tossed in a few curry leaves - voila, the perfect mung dal curry!! Beans cooked in 30 mins just like the recipe, not soupy at all. Next time will add a whole can pumpkin, right now it is just a hint but such a beautiful color. Might toss some spinach in bowls to wilt. This is a total keeper, and done in an hour (+ soaking). Thank you!
Maria
Thank you for the great recipe. Just as a side note, it is good to add some black pepper to the curry to enhance the absorption of the curcumin in turmeric. Cheers
Alejandra GOMEZ ULLA
OMG so delicious, great flavor. However, too much water, I think 2 cups may be better to get more creamy sauce, it didn't look like the one in the pictures but much more liquid. It was super testy anyways 😉
Thanks for the recipe
Michelle
May I ask if you used an Instant Pot or stovetop? I’m reading conflicting reviews on the water quantity and am wondering if it has to do with the cooking method before I try this recipe myself. Thanks!
JR
I think it's better to add crushed tomatoes later when cooking beans, as the acid makes the beans take longer to cook. I used 3 cups of water then added the tomatoes at the end and it was still more watery than expected. Next time I'll try 2 cups and add the tomatoes when the liquid is getting very low. It might also be a good recipe for powdered coconut milk instead of canned, but I didn't have any to hand. The flavour is great though.
Joan Yoon
I love the recipe! I have been using the recipe for a couple of years, the highlight of my vegetarian life the journey that started a couple of years ago.
Michelle
May I ask if you make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot? Reviews seem to be conflicting and I suspect it’s because stovetop method requires either less water than the prescribed 4 cups (unless chef is willing to simmer down for a very long time until it reduces enough to thicken)… I plan to use Instant Pot but am scared to use the full 4 cups and end up with a watery meal.
Katie Trant
Hi Michelle, for Instant Pot I reduce the water to 3 cups and it turns out perfectly.
Mai-Ling Savage
I use an instant pot. It works really well. 3 cups is fine.
Alicia
I doctored it up quite a bit. So in the future, my garlic, ginger (especially), cilantro measurements will be packed (tightly). I'll try 2.5c of water in the Instant pot and keep reducing till it's right. But overall, this is a VERY easy recipe for such a great healthy, flavorful dish. With short-grain brown rice it's very satisfying! It definitely tastes better the next day.
Ellen
I think 2-3 cups of water would have been fine on the stovetop. It turned out a bit more soupy for me than the pictures.
C
Amazing!!! I am not a fan of bottled curry powder so I had always stirred away from any recipe that had the word "curry" in it. My brother, who is an amazing cook, finally educated me about curry being an actual dish and not having anything to do with curry powder. I absolutely loved this recipe. I did tweak a few things. I didn't have crushed tomatoes so I used marinara sauce and a few chopped tomatoes. I was afraid that the cayenne would make it too spicy so I substituted paprika instead. I didn't have cilantro so I used parsley. I took the suggestions of reducing the water and since I was using a large jar of marinara sauce I used only 2 cups of water. I also used this paste mixture of minced garlic, shallots, salt, olive oil and cilantro (which I make batches of and freeze) instead of the plain garlic.
I look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Rachel Albright
I wish I'd read the reviews, first! Way too much water. I've simmered for 50 minutes, and it's still a very watery consistency. Wonderful flavor, though!
Terry
Flavor is delicious. I used dried mung beans stove top method and it took 60min to soften. Next time I will soak the beans overnight.
Ellie
Love this recipe but 4 cups is too much liquid as others have said. I also think that it needs an hour for he mung beans to cook before adding the coconut
Nicki
My boys s are meat & carbohydrate eaters - BUT they loved the your Mung Bean & Coconut Curry. I still served it with crusty bread, but there was no complaints about the absences of meat. It is now a staple in our monthly menu. Thank you for introducing us to mung beans.
Nicole
I had trouble finding dried mung beans so I used two cans of pigeon peas including their juice in place of the dried beans and the four cups of water. The dramatically cut down the cook time.
I barely put a pinch of cayenne and I'm so glad I didn't use the whole teaspoon. I did this as a meal prep with two friends and the one who used the whole tsp of cayenne liked it but it's really really spicy. She thought maybe the recipe was created for someone who's lost their sense of taste and can only taste spicy like what happened to her. So word to the wise, you can always add cayenne but you can't take it out. I served this curry over brown rice and with a side of Naan. It was a really delicious dinner!
Ketil
Like everyone has said, 4 cups is waaay too much liquid. And it took a lot longer than 30 minutes. But it was a tasty soup.
Karina Villafranca
I love this curry, I cook it nearly on a weekly basis. It is easy, quick and very very tasty. Thank you very much.
Mariela Morandi
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I did some adjust for my taste like using roasted garlic , plus kale and less coconut milk.
karen kirby
4 cups of water - makes the curry thin in my opinion. Otherwise - loved it. Will reduce water next time. Used the method on the stove top.
Janet
A + + Very similar to how I make my curry. I spiced my curry a little different - no cayenne and I added my imported curry from Japan (the best) in addition to the ratios of other spices in the recipe. I also added celery during the simmer and garnished with green garic. I normally make this type of curry with yellow split peas or red lentils. Mung beans tougher and nuttier but it was great. Mung beans do need to cook longer to break down better for the curry. I Will definitely be making this again. Like the mung beans. Thanks for sharing!!!
Christine
This was very delicious! I used only 1/4 the cayenne, and it was still a bit spicy for me. Also added chopped fresh spinach with the coconut milk. Next time I will add sweet potatoes before I let it simmer. Served with basmati rice. Super yummy and will be making again! Thanks for posting!
Charlene
Great dish - completed in the slow cooker. 3:1ratio water to mung beans is ideal. Not too spicy tbh. I used creamed coconut instead of canned - great and delicious. Would love to have added a pic with comment - definitely worth cooking for a new mung bean chef!
Sotires
I made it, although with a few substitutions. I used dried coconut instead of the can, but somehow the coconut taste disappeared with the cooking. Maybe next time I'll sprinkle it over the top of the finished dish. I had to google cilantro. It turns out to be just fresh coriander. The metric units are a bit funny - try looking for a 396.89 g can crushed tomatoes. I used a 400 g can but didn't bother to take out half a teaspoon.
Otilia
Yummy, this is really good! Well go on my monthly rotation 😋😋😋