Filipino-Inspired Mung Bean & Tofu Stew with Steamed Rice – 27g Protein | Vegan Dinner

This stew is built on a technique that requires nothing but patience and heat. Mung beans simmered in vegetable broth until they burst open and release their starch into the cooking liquid, creating a naturally thick, creamy sauce without blending or added thickeners. The longer they simmer the more starch releases and the denser the sauce becomes: this is a dish that rewards time rather than technique.

The aromatics go into a separate pan while the beans cook. Onion, garlic, and fresh ginger sautéed in olive oil until fragrant, then tofu added and coated in turmeric and chili flakes until the edges turn golden. Tomato goes in last and breaks down into the tofu mixture, creating a secondary sauce that combines with the burst beans when everything comes together. Spinach folds in off the heat to stay bright. The rice is not a side dish: it is the base that the stew sits on and absorbs into, and the bowl only works with both components together.

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📊 NUTRITION (per serving)
Calories: 530 | Protein: 27g | Carbs: 74g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 15g 
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⏱️ Time: 35 minutes (Prep: 5 | Cook: 30) 🍽️ Serves: 1
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INGREDIENTS

Ingredient	1 Serving	2 Servings	4 Servings
Dry mung beans, rinsed	¼ cup (50g)	½ cup (100g)	1 cup (200g)
Firm tofu, cubed	4 oz (120g)	8 oz (240g)	16 oz (480g)
Water	1¼ cups (300ml)	2½ cups (600ml)	5 cups (1.2L)
Vegetable bouillon cube	½ cube	1 cube	2 cubes
Olive oil	½ tbsp (7ml)	1 tbsp (14ml)	2 tbsp (28ml)
Onion, finely diced	¼ medium (40g)	½ medium (80g)	1 medium (160g)
Garlic clove, minced	1 clove	2 cloves	4 cloves
Fresh ginger, grated	½ tsp	1 tsp	2 tsp
Small tomato, chopped	1 small (80g)	2 small (160g)	4 small (320g)
Fresh spinach	2 cups (60g)	4 cups (120g)	8 cups (240g)
Tamari or soy sauce	1½ tsp (7ml)	1 tbsp (14ml)	2 tbsp (28ml)
Ground turmeric	½ tsp	1 tsp	2 tsp
Chili flakes	¼ tsp	½ tsp	1 tsp
Black pepper	to taste	to taste	to taste
Salt	to taste	to taste	to taste
Cooked rice, to serve	¾ cup (150g)	1½ cups (300g)	3 cups (600g)
Fresh lime wedge, to serve	1 wedge	2 wedges	4 wedges

✨ Chef’s Kiss: Squeeze the lime wedge over the finished bowl just before eating — the acidity cuts through the earthiness of the mung beans and sharpens the ginger note in the broth, making the whole bowl taste considerably more alive. Impact: negligible calories, no protein change.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Simmer the mung beans: Place the rinsed mung beans in a medium pot with the water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very soft and beginning to burst open. Do not drain the liquid: the starch released from the bursting beans is what creates the thick, creamy sauce. If the water level drops too low before the beans are fully soft, add water 2 to 3 tbsp at a time.
2. Sauté the aromatics: While the beans simmer, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for a further 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Cook the tofu: Add the cubed tofu to the pan. Sprinkle the turmeric and chili flakes directly over the tofu and stir gently to coat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu edges are lightly golden and have absorbed the turmeric color throughout.
4. Add the tomato: Add the chopped tomato to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato softens and begins to break down into a loose sauce around the tofu.
5. Combine: Pour the entire tofu and tomato mixture into the pot with the simmering mung beans. Add the tamari and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer together for a further 5 minutes until the stew is thick, cohesive, and the beans have fully absorbed the aromatics. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Add the spinach: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh spinach and leave for 60 seconds until wilted into the hot stew. The residual heat is sufficient: returning the pot to the heat overcooks the spinach and turns it dull olive rather than bright green.
7. Plate and serve: Spoon the steamed rice into a wide bowl. Ladle the mung bean stew generously over the rice and alongside it so the stew absorbs into the base. Squeeze the lime wedge over everything just before eating.

PRO TIP: This stew thickens significantly as it sits. When reheating, add 2 to 3 tbsp of water and stir over low heat until loosened to your preferred consistency. For meal prep, store the stew and rice separately and combine when reheating. Add the spinach fresh to each portion rather than cooking it all in advance: this keeps the greens bright and the texture clean rather than muddy.

CHEF’S KISS: Squeeze a fresh lime wedge over the finished bowl just before eating. The acidity cuts through the earthiness of the mung beans and sharpens the ginger note in the broth, making the whole bowl taste considerably more alive. Impact: negligible calories, no protein change.

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🌱 PLANT DIVERSITY: Mung beans • Tofu (soybeans) • Onion • Garlic • Ginger • Tomato • Spinach • Turmeric • Chili • Tamari (soybeans, counted once) • Rice • Lime

(If you’re tracking plants per week, this adds 11 to your count.)

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*Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and brands used.* 

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ESSENTIALS

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You may find yourself in need of: 

Mung Beans – cook down into their own creamy base as they burst, creating a thick stew without blending or added thickeners.

Soy Sauce or Tamari (Low Sodium) – adds a clean, salty depth that ties the earthy beans, tofu, and aromatics into a balanced, savory base.

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