Sautéed Mung Bean Stew with Spinach and Garlic

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-11 · Updated 2026-05-11

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A hearty Filipino mung bean stew simmered with garlic and onions, enriched with spinach for a nutritious and comforting meal. This Filipino-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs mung beans (munggo), rinsed, water, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 50 min Serves 4 Filipino cuisine 180 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 cup mung beans (munggo), rinsed
4 cups water
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups spinach leaves, washed and chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
to taste salt

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Instructions

Step 1: In a large pot, combine 1 cup rinsed mung beans with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes until beans are soft and breaking apart.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 5 minced garlic cloves and 1 chopped medium white onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Step 3: Add the sautéed garlic and onions into the cooked mung beans. Stir well and continue simmering for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
Step 4: Stir in 3 cups chopped spinach leaves and 2 tbsp fish sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes until spinach wilts.
Step 5: Season with 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and salt to taste. Serve hot with steamed rice as a comforting, nutritious meal.