Creamy Filipino dessert made with sticky rice, mung beans, and coconut milk. This comforting sweet snack is dairy-free, naturally gluten-free, and ready in 20 minutes using leftover rice.
Gintaang munggo
What is Ginataang Munggo?
Ginataang munggo is a traditional Filipino snack that’s like rice pudding but better. Made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, sweetened with sugar, and flavored with toasted mung beans and pandan leaves, it’s creamy, comforting, and dairy-free.
Think of it as Filipino rice pudding with a nutty twist. The toasted mung beans add a lovely earthy flavor, while pandan gives it a subtle floral aroma. It’s the kind of snack that warms you up after a long day at school or work.
Growing up in the Philippines, this was a popular treat when the weather started turning cold. Sometimes ladies would come around our village with big pots of warm ginataang munggo, and it was always a special occasion when we got some.
The Story Behind This Recipe
Let me be honest, I cheated with this recipe. The traditional way involves cooking raw sticky rice into a gruel-like consistency, which takes time. My version uses leftover cooked sticky rice from the fridge.
Why? Because I accidentally cooked an extra cup of rice one day, and I never throw food away unnecessarily. With a handful of mung beans and some coconut milk, that “mistake” transformed into this comforting rice pudding. Sometimes the best recipes come from happy accidents.
Regional Names for This Dessert
Depending on which part of the Philippines you’re from, this dish has different names. My aunt called it “lelut balatong” because she’s Ilokano, and balatong is the Ilokano word for mung beans. In Tagalog, mung beans are called munggo.
Whatever you call it, it’s a good treat.
Ingredients for Filipino Mung Bean Pudding
1 cup cooked sticky rice – Also called malagkit in Filipino. Use leftover or cook fresh glutinous rice.
¼ cup mung beans – Dry roasted until golden and crunchy
1 cup water – Good old reliable water
1½ cups coconut milk – Divided (1 cup for cooking, ½ cup to finish). Tetra pack or canned both work.
½ cup sugar – Muscovado or granulated sugar work equally well
1 pandan leaf – For that signature floral aroma. Omit if unavailable.
Pinch of salt – Optional but brings out the sweetness
Equipment You’ll Need
- Saucepan or pot
- Dry frying pan (for toasting beans)
- Mortar and pestle (or rolling pin)
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Serving bowls
How to Make Ginataang Munggo Step-by-Step
Prepare the Sticky Rice
Take leftover sticky rice out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. This takes about 30 minutes. If you don’t have leftover rice, cook fresh glutinous rice according to package directions.
Toast the Mung Beans
Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat. Add mung beans and toast, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown and become crunchy. This takes about 5-7 minutes. You’ll smell a nutty aroma when they’re ready.
Important: Don’t burn them. Watch closely and stir constantly.
Crack the Beans
Transfer toasted mung beans to a mortar and pestle and lightly crack them open. This releases their flavor and makes them easier to eat. No mortar and pestle? Spread them on a tray and use a bottle or rolling pin to crack them.
Cook the Beans
Pour 1 cup water and 1 cup coconut milk into a saucepan. Add the pandan leaf and cracked mung beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the beans are tender.
Add Rice and Sugar
Add the sticky rice and sugar. Stir well and let it heat through until the rice is warmed and everything is well combined. This takes about 3-5 minutes.
Finish with Coconut Milk
Pour in the remaining ½ cup coconut milk and add a pinch of salt. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
The mixture should be creamy but still pourable. Remember, it will thicken as it cools.
Serve
Ladle into bowls and serve warm. Some people enjoy it at room temperature too.
Tips for Perfect Ginataang Munggo
Bring rice to room temperature – Cold rice takes longer to heat through and can make the pudding lumpy.
Watch the beans while toasting – They go from perfect to burnt quickly. Keep stirring.
Adjust consistency – Too thick? Add more water or coconut milk gradually. It will thicken as it cools, so cook it slightly thinner than you want.
Stir while cooking – This prevents burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Taste and adjust sweetness – Different sugars have different sweetness levels. Start with less and add more if needed.
Add salt – A small pinch enhances the sweetness without making it salty.
What Does Ginataang Munggo Taste Like?
Imagine creamy rice pudding with coconut milk instead of dairy, sweetened just right, with a nutty depth from toasted mung beans and a subtle floral note from pandan. It’s comforting, filling, and not overly sweet.
The texture is somewhere between rice pudding and porridge, creamy but with individual grains of rice still visible. The mung beans add little bursts of nutty flavor throughout.
When to Serve Filipino Mung Bean Pudding
After school snack – A filling treat when kids come home hungry
Merienda – The traditional Filipino afternoon snack time
Dessert – Lighter than cake but still satisfying
Cold weather comfort – Perfect when you need something warm and cozy
Using leftovers – Great way to transform extra sticky rice
Make-Ahead and Storage
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pudding will thicken significantly when cold. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen.
Reheat: Warm on low heat, stirring constantly. Add liquid as needed to reach desired consistency.
Best served: Warm or at room temperature. The flavors are most pronounced when warm.
Variations and Substitutions
No pandan leaf? Skip it. The pudding is still delicious without the floral note.
Different beans: Some versions use black beans (ginataang mungo itim) for a different color and slightly earthier flavor.
Sweetener options: Use coconut sugar, palm sugar, or brown sugar instead of white sugar.
No sticky rice? You can make this from scratch by cooking raw glutinous rice directly in the coconut milk and water until it reaches a porridge-like consistency. This takes 30-40 minutes instead of 20.
Toppings: Some people add toasted coconut flakes, sago pearls, or extra coconut cream on top.
Is Ginataang Munggo Healthy?
This Filipino dessert offers several nutritional benefits:
Mung beans – High in protein, fiber, and antioxidants
Coconut milk – Provides healthy fats and adds creaminess without dairy
Glutinous rice – Gives sustained energy and is naturally gluten-free despite the name
Naturally dairy-free and vegan – Perfect for those with dairy allergies or following plant-based diets
FAQs About Ginataang Munggo
What are mung beans? Small green legumes common in Asian cooking. They’re the same beans used for mung bean stew and bean sprouts.
Can I use regular rice instead of sticky rice? Technically yes, but the texture won’t be the same. Glutinous rice gives it that characteristic creaminess and stickiness.
Where do I find pandan leaves? Asian grocery stores sell fresh, frozen, or dried pandan. You can also use pandan extract, though the flavor is more concentrated.
Is glutinous rice actually gluten-free? Yes! Despite the name, glutinous rice contains no gluten. It’s called “glutinous” because of its sticky texture.
Can I make this without leftover rice? Absolutely. Cook raw glutinous rice directly in the coconut milk mixture. It takes longer (30-40 minutes) but works perfectly.
Why toast the mung beans? Toasting brings out their nutty flavor and makes them crunchy. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
More Filipino Snack and Dessert Recipes
Looking for more comforting Filipino treats? Try these:
- Easy Champorado – Filipino chocolate rice porridge
- Leche Flan – Creamy Filipino caramel custard
- Ginataang Mais – Warming rice and corn pudding
- Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie – Quick and nutritious
- Easy Kids Cupcakes
Cultural Significance of Ginataang Munggo
Back when I was growing up in the Philippines, sticky rice was expensive, almost a luxury. We only had it once a year, if we were lucky, usually as a gift from my maternal grandparents. Mung beans, on the other hand, were affordable, so we’d have mung bean stew for meals but rarely in desserts.
That’s what made ginataang munggo special. It combined the everyday (mung beans) with the special occasion ingredient (sticky rice) to create something wonderful. When vendors would walk through the village with pots of warm ginataang munggo, it was always a treat.
This dish represents resourcefulness and making the most of what you have. The values that are deeply embedded in Filipino culture and family life.
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Ginataang Munggo
Equipment
- Saucepan or pot
- Dry frying pan for toasting beans
- mortar and pestle or rolling pin
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- 1 c cooked sticky rice glutinous rice at room temperature
- 1/4 c mung beans dry
- 1 c water
- 1 1/2 c coconut milk divided: 1 cup + ½ cup
- 1/2 c sugar muscovado or granulated
- 1 pandan leaf optional but recommended
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Remove sticky rice from fridge and let come to room temperature (30 minutes).
- Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat.
- Toast mung beans, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crunchy (5-7 minutes).
- Transfer toasted beans to mortar and pestle and crack lightly.
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup coconut milk, pandan leaf, and cracked mung beans.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until beans are tender.
- Add sticky rice and sugar, stir well and heat through (3-5 minutes).
- Pour in remaining ½ cup coconut milk and add pinch of salt.
- Simmer 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
- Serve warm in bowls.
Video
Notes
- The recipe says prep and cooking time, which is the active time, is 30 minutes. There would or might be a 30-minute addition to that to let the rice come to room temperature if it was sitting in the fridge.
- No mortar and pestle? Spread beans on tray and crack with bottle or rolling pin
- Consistency: Cook slightly thinner than desired—it thickens as it cools
- Stir constantly: Prevents burning and sticking to pot bottom
- No pandan? Still delicious without it
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with added liquid
- From scratch: Cook raw glutinous rice directly in coconut milk mixture for 30-40 minutes
- Sweetness: Adjust sugar to taste—start with less, add more if needed
English
Sanay ako mag-luto sa scratch pwede rin palang luto na ang rice di na gaano matagal pakuluin.
Opo pwede gamitin ang bahaw. Masarap din.