Kongnamul Muchim (Spicy Soybean Sprouts side dish) that is saucy and delicious! If you love things with a little kick, you will love this recipe. Great healthy dish to have with any meal as a side but also wonderful on its own with just rice.
Kongnamul Muchim that is spicy, garlicky and nutty… swimming in its own flavorful juice is a totally different take on the classic Korean Soybean Sprouts side dish. This Spicy Korean Soy Bean Sprouts side dish takes me back to a day in the 90’s when I was living in Florida. I was visiting my sister #3 in Korea and I saw her ajumma (maid) cook Kongamul this way. I thought it was odd that she would just dump all the seasoning together in the pot and cook it.
Growing up, I only saw my mom and other ajummas make Kongnamul by cooking them first and draining them and then seasoning them. Like I did in my previous Non- Spicy Soybean Sprouts recipe. So I was naturally intrigued by how this would taste. And I was surprised how different yet good it tasted. These soybean sprouts definitely tasted more hearty and flavorful. So I have to thank that ajumma for inspiring me to develop this recipe. I also have to thank my brain for remembering how it tasted and where I tasted it first.
I may not remember where I put my car keys few hours ago but I find it pretty funny that I can remember almost every scene and taste of something delicious that I ate for the first time or that it was soo yummy I was telling myself that I needed to learn how to make this dish. Now that I look back, I guess my brain was made for food blogging.. hahaha..
Where can I buy Soybean Sprouts?
Usually one can buy soybean sprouts only from a Korean grocery store. Unlike regular bean sprouts (which are sprouts grown from Mung Beans) that are sold in many regular grocery stores, soybean sprouts are quite unique to Korean cuisine and is not sold at Asian grocery stores.
Can I grow Soybean Sprouts at home?
Yes, you can! My mom used to grow Soybean Sprouts for Kongnamul Muchim and Kongnamul Guk when we lived in Tunisia. I thought it was so much fun seeing them grow. My mom soaked the soybeans (it should be untreated soybeans) in water overnight and then laid them out on a wide colander. She kept them in a dark bathroom sink and kept them covered with a cotton cloth. I would follow her every day to see her water them with a shower head. And in a few days, voila! They would be ready to eat!!
BTW, if you expose the soybean sprouts to sunlight, the heads turn green and can taste bitter.
Tips for cooking Spicy Soybean Sprouts (Kongnamul Muchim)
- Buy good quality fresh soybean sprouts by looking at the bottom or backside of the bag. It should have minimal amount of sprouts that have brownish stems and zero to just a few beans with black or brown spots on them. Like this one –
Good Fresh Soybean Sprouts (Kongnamul)
Try my non-spicy Kongnamul Muchim recipe – great for kids!
Step-by-Step Directions
- Rinse and clean soybean sprouts in water. Remove bean casings and any sprouts that have started to brown. Easy way to do this is to put kongnamul in a bowl of water and let the casings float to the top. Pour off the top and then pick up the sprouts with your hand. If you just dump it into a colander, all the casings will get picked up together. Repeat a couple times.
- I don’t break off root ends for my Kongnamul Muchim because it’s time consuming and also is known to contain good nutrition. But you are welcome to do that if you prefer.
- Chop garlic and green onions.
- In a pot, add water and salt. (1 tsp of sea salt per 1 cup of water)
- Add soybean sprouts to pot.
Kongnamul Soybean sprouts in pot - Add chopped garlic, gochukaru (Korean red chili powder), garlic powder and black pepper on top of the sprouts.
Seasoning added to soybean sprouts Cover with a lid and bring to a boil then reduce heat to Medium and cook for 7 minutes. Do NOT open the lid while it’s cooking. After 7 minutes, notice how different they look once cooked – the stem looks kind of translucent. Best way to test if it’s cooked is to just eat one. The bean part should be soft but still just a bit crunchy.
cooked kongnamul in pot - Open the lid and cook uncovered for 1 more minute to reduce the liquid. Alternatively, you could just cook everything on Medium High for 7 minutes. I just like opening the lid at the end to see how much liquid I have and control how much I will reduce it.
- Let it cool enough that you can handle the sprouts.
- Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Add chopped green onions.
seasoning cooked kongnamul - Toss and mix everything with chopsticks or with your hands (best). Taste. Add a bit more salt but you can leave it out if you want it less salty.
See all the wonderful juice that’s there with the wonderful Soybean Sprouts? I kind of love my Kongnamul that’s juicy and spicy. Hope you try this version if you like the regular Kongnamul Muchim!
Here’s a close up!! It’s calling your name isn’t it?? 😍
☆ Did you make this recipe? I hope you can give me a 5 star rating below!
Please leave me a comment below! I’d LOVE to hear from you! 😍
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM or join my FACEBOOK GROUP to see, ask and share everything about Korean food with others just like you!
Spicy Soybean Sprouts (Kongnamul Muchim)
Ingredients
- 14 oz Soybean Sprouts (Kongnamul)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 tsp garlic (chopped)
- 2 tsp red chili powder (Gochukaru)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Add after Sprouts are cooked
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional, add to taste)
- 1 Tbsp green onions (chopped)
Instructions
- Rinse and clean soybean sprouts in water. Remove bean casings and any sprouts that have started to brown. Easy way to do this is to put kongnamul in a bowl of water and let the casings float to the top. Pour off the top and then pick up the sprouts with your hand. If you just dump it into a colander, all the casings will get picked up together. Repeat a couple times.
- I don't break off root ends because it's time consuming and also is known to contain good nutrition. But you are welcome to do that if you prefer.
- Chop garlic and green onions.
- In a pot, add water and salt. (1 tsp of sea salt per 1 cup of water - and 1 cup of water for 14 oz soybean sprouts)
- Add soybean sprouts to pot.
- Add chopped garlic, gochukaru (red chili powder) and garlic powder on top of the sprouts. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil then reduce heat to Medium and cook for 7 minutes.
- Open the lid and cook for 1 more minute to reduce the liquid.
- Let it cool enough that you can handle the sprouts. Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Add chopped green onions.
- Toss and mix everything with chopsticks or with your hands (best). Taste. Add a bit more salt but you can leave it out if you want it less salty.
Tips & Notes:
- Buy good quality fresh soybean sprouts by looking at the bottom or backside of the bag. It should have a minimal amount of sprouts that have brownish stems and zero to just a few beans with black or brown spots on them.
Really good. Perfectly cooked and with a little kick.
Glad you liked it! Thank you so much for the 5 stars.
how much water do you add? to cover the sprouts?
I have the amount in the recipe card – 1 cup water for 14 oz sprouts. Just enough to cook the sprouts. I couldn’t write the amount in the directions because this recipe card has adjustable servings.
How long (in the fridge) can this stay good for?
It should be good for at least 2-3 days but not too much longer. If you want to learn more about how long most vegetable side dishes last, you can check this post – https://kimchimari.com/korean-vegetable-side-dishes/ – I have a table that tells you how long they stay fresh in the fridge. Good luck!
now I’m hungry x_x will have to try it for sure… 😁 lovely website!
Thank you so much! 😍