Banchan
Korean-style spinach Mung Bean Sprouts Salad
Korean spinach and mung bean sprouts make a refreshing salad and a side dish ready in 15 minutes.
Korean spinach and mung bean sprouts make a refreshing salad and a side dish ready in 15 minutes. Serve with any Korean or Asian meal.
Many people like Korean side dishes. They are light, refreshing, and savory. Here is a great Korean side dish/salad that you can make with spinach and mung bean sprouts combined. Some of the side dishes are direct to cook, but some other dishes takes time and effort to create at home. You can be creative and make your own kind with trying with things you can find.
We don’t think you will see this spinach/mung bean sprouts combination dish at Korean restaurants that easily. They are great together. Beautiful color contrast with soft and crisp textures. This Korean spinach mung bean sprouts salad is refreshingly light and savory. It is short to make, too.
Blanch spinach and mung bean sprouts in boiling water with salt for 10 seconds. Drain them out and rinse under cold water several times. Squeeze out gently to remove excess water and place in a mixing bowl.
Make a dressing by combining Korean soy sauce for soup, rice vinegar, Korean chili flakes, minced garlic, sesame seeds, sugar, and Korean green plum syrup (mashil-jeup, 매실즙).
This is the Korean green plum Syrup. It is our kitchen-made syrup that we use often in variety of Korean dishes. You will find how to make this syrup in our post with this link. It brings an extra something to the dish. You don’t need to add it, if you don’t have it or can’t find it at the store. The salad will still taste great.
Combine the spinach/mung bean sprouts, minced red onion (or green onion), and the dressing.
Toss well with a hand incorporating the dressing with every strands of spinach and bean sprouts with a gentle massaging motion. The mixing technique is called muchim (무침) in Korea. We use a hand to toss vegetables with sauce. Many Korean vegetable side dishes are made this way.
That’s all the cooking. Very short, right?
You will like the refreshing flavor of this salad. It is mildly spicy so even young kids can handle it. You can use less chili flakes if you wish.
We hope you can try this Korean spinach mung bean sprouts salad as a side dish next time you make Korean/Asian meal. You will love it,
- Yield: 4 people
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 5 minutes
- Total: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 bunch spinach, cleaned
- 1/2 lb mung bean sprouts
- 1/4 red onion or 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Korean green plum syrup, optional
- 1/2-1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to season
Method
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add some salt and blanch spinach and mung bean sprouts fr 10 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water several times. Squeeze out gently to remove the extra moisture. Place the spinach and bean sprouts in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- For the dressing, combine Korean chili flakes, garlic, Korean soy sauce for soup, vinegar, green plum syrup, sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Mix well. Adjust the amount of sugar for your preference.
- Add the dressing into the spinach/mung bean sprouts in a mixing bowl. add finely chopped red onion (or green onion) and toss everything with a hand to incorporate the flavor. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled. If chilled, serve within 2 hours.
