How to Grow Bean Sprouts from Green Beans

Bean sprouts are a common ingredient in Asian cuisine, often featured in stir-fries and as a crunchy, nutritious side dish for any meal. Although you can easily purchase them at markets and supermarkets, you don’t have to buy pre-made sprouts – you can save money by growing your own in just about 2 days. Simply soak the green beans overnight, rinse them, and drain the water every 12 hours until the sprouts reach your desired length.

Buy untreated, whole green beans. Avoid using packaged seed beans, as they may have been chemically treated. Be sure to check the product label to ensure that you’re buying untreated green beans suitable for sprouting.

• In the U.S., you can find green beans at health food stores or order them online from sites like Sproutpeople (sproutpeople.org) and Sproutman (sproutman.com).

Measure the amount of green beans you want to sprout. Consider the size of the container or jar you'll be using for the sprouts – the beans should fill about ¼ of the container. Green beans will expand significantly as they sprout, so be careful not to use too many beans.

Rinse the green beans in a strainer. Place the beans under running water until it runs clear. Green beans can contain dirt as they are often dried on the ground.

Transfer the beans into a wide-mouth transparent jar. A food jar is a good choice, but you can also reuse jars like peanut butter or pasta sauce containers. Fill the jar with beans to about ¼ full.

Soak the beans in water and cover the jar with a breathable lid. Fill the jar with cool water up to half its capacity, making sure the water is 2-3 times the amount of beans, then cover it with a breathable lid.

Soak the beans for 8-12 hours until they swell up. The soaking time depends on the beans. In general, larger beans require a longer soaking time. Place the jar on the kitchen counter or in a cupboard, avoiding direct sunlight.

Drain the water and rinse the mung beans through a mesh lid. Drain the water from the jar by flipping it over the sink, then rinse the soaked mung beans with clean water and drain again.

• If you don’t have fine mesh fabric or a mesh lid, you can place a strainer over the jar to drain the water.

Place the jar in a cool and dark place for 12 hours. Find a spot with little or no sunlight and not obstructed. Invert the jar at a slight angle on a dish rack or cooling tray so the water continues to drain.

• While the mung beans should not be placed in direct sunlight, they also don’t need to be in complete darkness. A shaded corner of your kitchen counter works well.

Repeat this process every 12 hours for 2-5 days (or twice a day). After each rinse, place the jar back in the dark spot.

• The mung beans will continue to swell and sprout small white shoots.

Rinse the sprouts when they reach your desired length. Transfer the sprouted mung beans to a colander and give them one final rinse before draining all the water. Typically, the sprouts are best when they are about 1.5 cm long, but this largely depends on personal preference.

• At this stage, the outer skin of the mung beans may begin to peel off from the white sprouts. You can remove these skins by hand if you prefer.

Spread the sprouts on a baking tray lined with paper towels. Place two layers of dry paper towels in the baking tray, then pour the washed and drained mung bean sprouts onto the paper towels. Use your hands to spread the sprouts in a thin layer and press lightly to absorb any excess water. Store the sprouts once they are dry.

• Pick out any mung beans that haven't sprouted and discard them.
• For a more thorough drying, you can cover the sprouts with another sheet of paper towel and gently press down.

Transfer the sprouts to a bowl and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Line a bowl with paper towels, use your hands to scoop the sprouts into the bowl, and then place it in the fridge. Use the sprouts within two weeks.

• Sprouts make a great addition to cold salads, or they can be added to traditional stir-fries for extra flavor.

• Glass jar
• Mesh lid or cheesecloth and rubber band
• Strainer or colander
• Paper towels
• Baking tray
• Water
• Dry mung beans
• Bowl