Kongnamul muchim

Name: Kongnamul muchim
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 11 min
Ingredients: 300 g soybean sprouts, rinsed, any discoloured tails removed; ½ tsp salt; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 spring onion, finely sliced; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp sesame seeds; ½ tsp red chilli flakes (optional)

Vegetarian

콩나물무침 · kongnamul-muchim

Crunchy soybean sprouts briefly boiled, then tossed with garlic, spring onion, sesame oil and toasted sesame — one of the most common Korean banchan.

Kongnamul muchim is a Korean side dish from South Korea, ready in about 11 minutes and made with soybean sprouts and toasted sesame oil. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep: 5 min
Cook: 6 min
Total: 11 min
Serves: 4
Level: Beginner
Calories: 129

Ingredients

4 side servings

300 g Soybean sprouts (opens in a new tab), rinsed, any discoloured tails removedContains soy
½ tsp (3 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
1 clove (4 g) Garlic (opens in a new tab), minced
1 (15 g) Spring onion (opens in a new tab), finely sliced
1 tbsp (14 g) Toasted sesame oil (opens in a new tab)Contains sesame
1 tsp (3 g) Sesame seeds (opens in a new tab)Contains sesame
½ tsp (1 g) Red chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) (optional)For the spicy (maeun) version.

Equipment

Saucepan (opens in a new tab)

Method

1
Step 1
Put the sprouts in a saucepan (opens in a new tab) with 250 ml water and a pinch of the salt. Cover and boil for 5 minutes without lifting the lid.
- 5 min
- high heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
Keeping the lid on avoids a raw, beany smell.
2
Step 2
Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- 2 min
3
Step 3
Toss with the remaining salt, garlic (opens in a new tab), spring onion (opens in a new tab), sesame oil (opens in a new tab), sesame seeds (opens in a new tab) and chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) if using.
- 2 min

About this dish

Origin: South Korea · Well documentedMore food from South Korea
Dish: Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes · Salads
Cooking method: Boiled
Taste: nutty, fresh, garlicky, mild
Diet: Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Make-ahead · Budget-friendly · Meal-prep friendly
Cook more with: Soybean sprouts · Toasted sesame oil · Garlic · Spring onion · Sesame seeds
Techniques: Boiling

Allergens

Contains: Soyfrom soybean sprouts
Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

129 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 85 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

Protein 27%
Carbohydrate 21%
Fat 52%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	129 kcal	152 kcal
Protein	10.1 g	11.9 g
Carbohydrate	8 g	9.4 g
Net carbohydrate	6.9 g	8.2 g
Sugars	—	—
Added sugars	0 g	0 g
Fibre	1 g	1.2 g
Fat	8.8 g	10.4 g
Saturated fat	1.2 g	1.5 g
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	303 mg	358 mg
Salt equivalent	0.8 g	0.9 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 381 mg
Calcium: 62 mg
Iron: 1.8 mg
Magnesium: 58 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 3 µg
Vitamin C: 12 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 132 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: red chilli flakes.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Soybean sprouts must be fully cooked — unlike mung bean sprouts they shouldn't be eaten raw.

Common mistakes

Lifting the lid while the sprouts boil — Korean cooks say it makes them smell grassy (beany); keep it on or off for the whole time.

Serve with

Serve as banchan, or use in bibimbap.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Variations

Sukju namul: The same seasoning with mung bean sprouts, blanched for just 1 minute.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 26 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Soybean sprouts, rinsed, any discoloured tails removed300 g

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

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