Sukju Namul (Korean Bean Sprout Salad)

Sukju Namul is a type of banchan, or side dish, and fits in the same category as dishes like kimchi, pajeon, and kkakdugi. Although there are many different styles of this popular bean sprout salad including ingredients like carrots and cucumber, I like to keep it simple. Like any simple dish though, the success of your Sukju Namul comes down to a few simple techniques.

The most important thing is to squeeze out as much water from the bean sprouts as you can. That's because bean sprouts are composed of mostly water. If you don't squeeze enough water out of them after blanching, they will leach out a ton of liquid once they're tossed with the dressing, watering the whole thing down. Giving them a thorough wring also transforms the texture of the bean sprouts from subtly crisp to audibly crunchy.

Unfortunately, all this squeezing reduces the volume of salad you get, which is why you may want to make a double or triple batch. I give you this warning because this simple preparation turns these humble bean sprouts into a robustly crunchy salad that's redolent of nutty sesame oil and pungent garlic. The texture, along with the salty umami kick, makes this one of the most delectably addictive salads. It will have you effortlessly polishing off a pound of bean sprouts on your own.

📖 Recipe

Sukju Namul (Korean Bean Sprout Salad)

4.75 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Total Time 8 minutes mins

Yield 2 servings

Units

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 400 grams bean sprouts
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic (finely grated)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 scallion (finely chopped)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
• While you're waiting for the water to boil, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and salt together in a bowl and whisk to combine. 
• Add the bean sprouts to the boiling water and blanch until the water returns to a boil (40 seconds to 1 minute). 
  
• Drain the bean sprouts and rinse with cold water. 
  
• Use your hands to squeeze as much water out of the bean sprouts as you can. This quantity of bean sprouts should end up being a handful. 
  
• Break up the clump of beansprouts as you add them to the bowl with the sauce. Add the sesame seeds and scallions and toss to distribute evenly. 
  

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Nutrition

Calories 121kcalCarbohydrates 13gProtein 7gFat 6gSodium 387mgPotassium 316mgFiber 4gSugar 8gVitamin A 100IUVitamin C 27.6mgCalcium 65mgIron 2.4mg