How to Steam Bean Sprouts: 14 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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Co-authored bywikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 10, 2022References

Ingredients

1. 1

   Cut off the tail and cap off the beans. The beans have a thin tail at one end. It’s easy to notice because it’s smaller than the rest of the bean. At the other end, the sprouts attach to the beans they grew from. Cut off both parts so you’re left with a bunch of white stalks.^[1]

   • If you bought the sprouts at a grocery store, they are most likely pre-cut, so you won’t have to do this.
2. 2

   Rinse the beans under cold water. Run cold water from the sink faucet. Be gentle when handling the sprouts so you don’t damage them. If you have a strainer, you can use that to rinse and drain them. As the water drains, look for any brown spots that you missed and discard rotten sprouts.^[2]

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3. 3

   Boil water in a cooking pot. Place a pot on the stove and fill it with half a cup (118 mL) of water. Too much water ruins the sprouts, so add more as needed once the steamer is in place. Turn the heat up to high and wait for the water to begin bubbling.^[3]

4. 4

   Set the steamer in the pot. There are several types of steamers you’ll find at stores that sell cooking supplies. One type of steamer is a holed pot that fits inside your cooking pot. The other is a basket that attaches to the pot’s rim. Either one works for well for steaming bean sprouts.^[4]

   • For some pots, the water will be right under the steamer basket. This is fine. As long as the water doesn’t get in the basket, the water level can be as high as you make it.
5. 5

   Place the beans in the steamer basket. As long as the sprouts are all inside the basket, they’ll finish cooking at the same time. You can keep the lid off as they steam. It’ll double the cooking time, but you’ll have an easier time preventing the sprouts from overcooking. To speed up the cooking process, cover the pot with a lid.^[5]

6. 6

   Steam the beans for 15 minutes. If you keep the lid off, this is how long they’ll take to finish cooking. Set a timer so you remember to come back and check on them. With a lid on, they’ll most likely be finished within two to four minutes. When finished, the normally white sprouts will look a little translucent. You’ll be able to easily slice them with a knife, but they’ll still be crunchy when you eat them.

   • If the beans aren’t finished, continue steaming them. Leave them in for an extra couple of minutes, then check again.
7. 7

   Rinse the beans in cold water. Take out the steamer and run cold water in the sink. Stick the sprouts under the water briefly. The cold water stops the beans from continuing to cook. Now that they’re steamed, they’ll add crunch to whatever dish you choose to use them in.^[6]

   • Some options for sprouts are adding them to salads, serving them on sandwiches, or mixing them with meat.
   • The beans are best when eaten right away. When stored in a sealed container, they’ll last up to five days in the refrigerator and eight months in the freezer.

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1. 1

   Clean and steam a pound of bean sprouts. Cut off the brown caps and tails on the beans first, if they have any. Follow up by steaming the sprouts as you normally would. Set them in a steamer pot or basket over water for up to 15 minutes until the sprouts are tender.

2. 2

   Transfer the sprouts to a bowl and stir them. You may rinse the sprouts under cold water to instantly stop them from cooking further. Usually though you can keep them dry while cooling them in a mixing bowl. Make sure you have a wooden spoon ready. Stir the sprouts until they’re no longer hot.^[7]

3. 3

   Chop the garlic and green onion. Get the garlic and onion preparation out of the way before adding the other ingredients to the sprouts. Minced garlic can be used in place of chopped garlic if you wish. When you’re finished, place the onion and garlic on top of the sprouts.^[8]

4. 4

   Combine the rest of the ingredients with the sprouts. Pour the fish sauce onto the sprouts. Follow up with gochugaru, which is a Korean pepper that can be substituted with cayenne pepper flakes. Also add the roasted sesame seeds and sesame oil. If you don’t have roasted sesame, it’s all right to replace it with normal sesame.^[9]

   • Roasted sesame seed and oil can be purchased from Korean grocers or ordered online.
   • Feel free to substitute ingredients. You can take out the fish sauce and red pepper to make a less spicy version, for instance.
5. 5

   Mix the ingredients by hand. You can use a spoon to mix the ingredients together. Kongnamul is traditionally mixed by and, so don’t feel bad about getting your hands dirty. Stir the sprouts until they’re well-coated with the rest of the ingredients.^[10]

6. 6

   Add salt and pepper as needed. Taste the sprouts. If you want to, sprinkle on salt and pepper before mixing them again. Once the taste is to your liking, the sprouts are ready to be served. Kongnamul is eaten as is, often served alongside rice.^[11]

7. 7

   Finished!

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