Vegan Kongnamul Muchim
Kongnamul Muchim is a classic Korean banchan made with soybean sprouts, tossed in a simple, aromatic sesame‑garlic seasoning — this fully vegan version keeps all the fresh crunch and nutty, savoury flavour without any animal products. It’s light, refreshing, and ready in minutes, perfect alongside steamed rice, soups, or other Korean dishes.
Shared by kim
Time
10 min
Serves
3
Difficulty
easy
đź›’ Ingredients
- 300g fresh soybean sprouts (kongnamul) – discard any discoloured or wilted parts
- ½ tsp salt (for blanching)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1–2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) – adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp low‑sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp maple syrup or coconut sugar (optional, for balance)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- Pinch of black pepper
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- 1
Blanch the sprouts: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the salt. Drop in the sprouts, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes — they should stay crisp‑tender. Drain right away and rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking; gently squeeze out excess moisture.
- 2
Season: Place sprouts in a bowl. Add garlic, spring onion, sesame seeds, gochugaru, soy sauce, sweetener (if using), sesame oil, and pepper.
- 3
Toss: Mix gently with your hands or chopsticks until evenly coated — avoid mashing the sprouts.
- 4
Serve: Taste and adjust salt or spice if needed. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.