Bean Sprout

Bean sprout is the crisp, pale shoot of a germinated bean, most often mung bean. It has a cool crunch and a clean, mildly beany taste. It cooks in seconds and turns limp if overdone, so it's typically tossed in at the end of stir-fries, noodle soups, and fresh rolls. Sold fresh loose or in bags and tubs; sometimes canned for shelf-stable use.\n\nSprouting beans for food developed across East and Southeast Asia, with mung bean sprouts particularly common in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cuisines. Modern commercial sprouting uses controlled indoor rinsing and darkness for rapid growth, and the ingredient is now widely available worldwide.