Sayur Bening Bayam

Sayur Bening Bayam is a delicate, comforting soup with a crystal-clear broth, sweet bursts of corn, and tender spinach. It is clean-tasting, gently aromatic, and perfect as a light side dish or simple healthy meal.

Nutrition · per serving

43kcal

2.6gProtein

8.2gCarbs

0.5gFat

2.2gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

8 items

Kuah bening

water700 ml

garlic, thinly sliced2 cloves (6 g)

shallot, thinly sliced1 small (20 g)

bay leaf1 leaf

sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob100 g

salt1 tsp (5 g)

white pepper1/8 tsp (0.3 g)

Sayuran

spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut120 g

Tips

•For the clearest, freshest-tasting broth, add the spinach at the very end and serve right away.
•You can use baby spinach for even faster prep; if using mature spinach, remove any tough stems.
•A small piece of sliced tomato is sometimes added in home cooking, but leaving it out keeps the soup especially light and low-fat.

Steps

1
Prepare the vegetables: thinly slice the garlic and shallot, cut the corn kernels from the cob, and roughly cut the spinach. Keeping the spinach pieces fairly large helps them stay tender instead of turning mushy.
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, thinly sliced1 small (20 g) shallot, thinly sliced100 g sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob120 g spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut
2
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallot, bay leaf, corn, salt, and white pepper. Boil for 5-6 minutes, until the corn is just tender and the broth smells fragrant. A gentle boil is enough; hard boiling can dull the fresh flavor.
700 ml water2 cloves (6 g) garlic, thinly sliced1 small (20 g) shallot, thinly sliced1 leaf bay leaf100 g sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob1 tsp (5 g) salt1/8 tsp (0.3 g) white pepper
3
Add the spinach and press it gently into the hot broth. Cook for 30-60 seconds only, just until wilted and bright green. Do not overcook; sayur bening should taste fresh and light.
120 g spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut
4
Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and taste the broth. Adjust salt if needed, then serve immediately while the spinach is vivid green and the broth is clear.
1 leaf bay leaf

Origin & History

Sayur bening is a simple Indonesian home-style vegetable soup known for its light, clear broth and quick cooking. Bayam (spinach) is one of the most common versions, often paired with sweet corn and aromatics like shallot and garlic for an everyday family meal.

indonesian soup spinach vegan lowfat quick beginner

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Steps

Prepare the vegetables: thinly slice the garlic and shallot, cut the corn kernels from the cob, and roughly cut the spinach. Keeping the spinach pieces fairly large helps them stay tender instead of turning mushy.

2 cloves (6 g) garlic, thinly sliced1 small (20 g) shallot, thinly sliced100 g sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob120 g spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut

Bring the water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallot, bay leaf, corn, salt, and white pepper. Boil for 5-6 minutes, until the corn is just tender and the broth smells fragrant. A gentle boil is enough; hard boiling can dull the fresh flavor.

700 ml water2 cloves (6 g) garlic, thinly sliced1 small (20 g) shallot, thinly sliced1 leaf bay leaf100 g sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cob1 tsp (5 g) salt1/8 tsp (0.3 g) white pepper

Add the spinach and press it gently into the hot broth. Cook for 30-60 seconds only, just until wilted and bright green. Do not overcook; sayur bening should taste fresh and light.

120 g spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly cut

Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and taste the broth. Adjust salt if needed, then serve immediately while the spinach is vivid green and the broth is clear.

1 leaf bay leaf