Kongnamul muchim is one of the side dishes I make most often—it requires only a few ingredients and comes together in no time.
Today I’m sharing a version made without red chili flakes: a clean, white bean sprout muchim that lets the natural flavor shine.
As long as you keep that satisfying crunch, this banchan is nearly foolproof, making it perfect for beginners to try.
Ingredients
- Bean sprouts (kongnamul) – 300g (about 10.6 oz; Korean soybean sprouts, available at Korean or Asian grocery stores)
- Green onion – 1/3 stalk
(1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
Sauce
- Minced garlic – 1 T
- Guk-ganjang – 1 T (Korean soup soy sauce; can substitute with regular soy sauce plus a pinch of salt)
- Fine salt – to taste (seasoned fine salt, often labeled ‘mat-sogeum’; regular table salt works fine)
- Sesame oil – to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds – to taste
(1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
How to Make It
1Rinse the bean sprouts in water and set them aside.
2Add 200 ml of water to a pot, place the bean sprouts on top, cover, and boil over high heat for 4 minutes; while they cook, thinly slice the green onion.
3As soon as the sprouts are done, rinse them in cold water to cool.TipAfter rinsing in cold water, don’t squeeze the sprouts too hard—just shake off the excess gently. A little residual moisture helps the seasoning blend more smoothly.
4In a large bowl, combine the bean sprouts, green onion, guk-ganjang, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, tossing well; adjust the seasoning with a pinch of fine salt to finish.
Even without a vibrant red seasoning, this white kongnamul muchim is delicious on its own thanks to the sprouts’ nutty flavor and crisp texture.
Make a batch and keep it on hand—it’s great as an everyday side dish, and it pairs wonderfully with bibimbap or gukbap.
If you’re looking for a simple, no-fail banchan, this one is definitely worth trying.
Ingredients
- Bean sprouts (kongnamul) – 300g (about 10.6 oz; Korean soybean sprouts, available at Korean or Asian grocery stores)
- Green onion – 1/3 stalk
- (1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
Sauce
- Minced garlic – 1 T
- Guk-ganjang – 1 T (Korean soup soy sauce; can substitute with regular soy sauce plus a pinch of salt)
- Fine salt – to taste (seasoned fine salt, often labeled 'mat-sogeum'; regular table salt works fine)
- Sesame oil – to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds – to taste
- (1 T = 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz, 1 t = 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz)
How to Make It
- Rinse the bean sprouts in water and set them aside.
- Add 200 ml of water to a pot, place the bean sprouts on top, cover, and boil over high heat for 4 minutes; while they cook, thinly slice the green onion.
- As soon as the sprouts are done, rinse them in cold water to cool.
Tip.After rinsing in cold water, don't squeeze the sprouts too hard—just shake off the excess gently. A little residual moisture helps the seasoning blend more smoothly. - In a large bowl, combine the bean sprouts, green onion, guk-ganjang, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, tossing well; adjust the seasoning with a pinch of fine salt to finish.
