What Are Microgreens? A Simple Guide

So, what are microgreens?

Microgreens are the young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs, harvested just after their first true leaves appear, usually one to three weeks after planting. They sit between a sprout and a baby leaf: more developed than a sprout, but far younger than a full-grown plant.

You eat the tender stem and the leaves, raw or lightly cooked. Popular varieties include pea shoots, sunflower shoots, radish, broccoli, coriander and many other herbs.

How they differ from sprouts and baby greens

Sprouts are germinated seeds eaten whole, grown in water without soil or much light. Microgreens are grown in a medium with light, and only the top is harvested. Baby greens are older still, closer to a mature leaf.

Microgreens land in the sweet spot: concentrated flavour and nutrition in a tiny leaf.

Why people love them

Two reasons: taste and nutrition. Microgreens carry a surprising punch of flavour, from the sweetness of pea shoots to the peppery bite of radish. They are also nutrient-dense, often carrying more vitamins and antioxidants by weight than the mature plant.

How to eat them

Scatter them over salads, sandwiches, soups, eggs and bowls, or blend the sweeter shoots into smoothies. Add them at the end and raw, so their delicate texture and nutrients stay intact.

At Taza we grow ours in Amman and harvest to order, so they reach you at their freshest.