When people think about Indian weight loss food, soup rarely comes to mind. But a well-made moong soup is one of the most practical tools for managing calories without going hungry. Whole green moong (sabut moong) has a protein-to-calorie ratio of nearly 1:10 — 140 calories and 10g protein per serving. That protein activates satiety hormones (CCK and PYY) that keep you full for 3-4 hours after eating. Compare that to the same calorie serving of rice: lower protein, lower satiety, and a blood sugar spike-and-crash that sends you back to the kitchen in 90 minutes.
This recipe uses whole green moong with the hull intact, not split yellow moong — the green hull is rich in polyphenols and chlorophyll, and whole moong has about 40% more fibre than split. The spicing is simple but deliberate: jeera, hing, ginger, and lemon at the end create a genuinely satisfying flavour with minimal oil.
Ingredients
How to Make It
Soak whole green moong overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse. Soaked moong cooks much faster and is easier on digestion.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and hing. Once the seeds pop, add garlic and ginger — sauté for 1 minute.
Add the onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato and turmeric. Cook until the tomato is completely soft, 4-5 minutes.
Add the soaked, drained moong and stir to coat it with the masala.
Pour in 5 cups of water and salt. Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame. The moong should be completely soft and just starting to open up.
Open the cooker once the pressure releases. You want a brothy soup with whole but soft beans. If you prefer it thicker, mash about a quarter of the beans with the back of a spoon.
Add the spinach to the hot soup and stir — it wilts in 2 minutes without any additional cooking.
Add lemon juice just before serving. Taste, adjust salt, and garnish generously with fresh coriander.
Nutrition per serving
* Approximate values per serving
Health Benefits
Green moong soup creates strong satiety relative to its calorie count. The combination of 10g protein and 6g fibre per 140-calorie serving makes it one of the most filling foods by calorie in Indian cuisine. The green hull of whole moong is rich in polyphenols (vitexin, isovitexin) that have been shown to reduce fat accumulation in liver cells and improve lipid metabolism. Hing in the tadka significantly reduces bloating from the beans — a practical benefit that matters when you're eating legumes regularly. The soup's high water content contributes to fullness while adding essentially zero calories.
Pro Tips
- →Soaking overnight is non-negotiable for whole green moong — 4 hours is not enough and the beans will still be firm after 3 whistles. Forgot to soak? Pressure cook for 6-7 whistles instead.
- →The hing is not optional. A generous pinch dramatically reduces the gas that moong can produce — your gut will thank you.
- →Add the lemon juice at the end, off the heat. Cooking it destroys the Vitamin C and makes the lemon taste sharp and harsh rather than bright and fresh.
- →For a weight loss dinner, have 2 bowls of this soup with 1 jowar roti instead of a full dal-rice meal — you'll cut 250-300 calories while feeling just as satisfied.
Variations
- 1Add 1 cup of mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, capsicum) while pressure cooking for a heartier, more filling version.
- 2For a slightly creamier texture without cream: blend half a cup of the cooked soup and stir it back in. Silky smooth and no extra calories.
- 3Moong-Methi soup: Add 1 cup chopped fresh methi leaves along with the spinach — excellent for blood sugar management in PCOS and diabetic weight loss.
