Microgreensare a super versatile food that you can incorporate into your diet in a bunch of different ways.
They don’t just add an extra pop of color to your dishes, but they taste great too!
Add microgreens to your salads or wraps for some extra crunch.
They’re great blended into smoothies and juices as well. Wheatgrass and broccoli microgreens are especially popular for juicing, and they’re a healthy way to start off your day.
You can sprinkle some microgreens on a garnish in almost any dish. Try them on top of pizzas, soups, curries, omelets, stir fries, pasta, and other hot dishes.
Combine a few types of microgreens together like arugula, pea shoots, sunflowers, and beets and you have a colorful and tasty salad that’s full of nutrition all on its own!
Looking for some specific recipes? In this article I’ll share some of my favorite microgreens recipes with you. But first let’s discuss how to properly store your microgreens so they stay fresh until you need them!
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Storing Your Microgreens
All vegetables and greens will last longer if you store them properly, and microgreens are no exception.
Maintaining moisture is a key part of keeping your microgreens fresh and crunchy.
One of the best and simplest ways to store them is to put them between damp pieces of paper towels and then seal them in a plastic bag or container.
If you store your microgreens this way, you should expect them to stay good in your refrigerator for up to a week.
It’s best to leave your microgreens in the refrigerator until right up until they need to go on to your plate or into your recipe. That way they won’t start to dry out or wilt before you get to serve them.
Here are some extra tips to make your microgreens last as long as possible.
1) Keep them cool
Microgreens like to be kept cool. Around 36 degrees F (around 2 degrees C.) Normal refrigerators can run at up to 40 F (4.5 C) so you may want to check your settings and turn your fridge down a bit if you’re able to.
2) Keep them out of sunlight
Microgreens love light when they’re still growing. But once you harvest them, it’s best to keep them out of direct sunlight.
Exposing some varieties of microgreens to sunlight after they’ve been harvested can alter their taste and appearance.
3) Wash them with care
It’s a good idea for health reasons to wash your microgreens before eating them, just like any vegetable. But microgreens can bruise easily, so they need to be handled with care.
You don’t need to drown them. Just lightly rinse them in cold water and then gently run them through a salad spinner to dry them off if you’ve got one.
It’s best to wash your microgreens right before you’re going to use them, not before you store them in the refrigerator. Otherwise they may have excess moisture and deteriorate more quickly.
4) Wait to harvest until you need them
If you’re growing microgreens yourself, then they’ll be freshest if you wait to harvest them until just before you’re going to eat them. Why store them in the fridge when you can get them fresh right from the soil?
Most microgreens have some flexibility and can wait a couple of extra days to be harvested, but it’s best to plan your meals around when they’re going to be ready.
5) Harvest with a sharp tool
Use a sharp pair of scissors or a kitchen knife if you’re harvesting microgreens yourself. It can be tempting to just pull them straight out of the soil with your hands, but that can bruise your greens.
Unlike sprouts, microgreen roots are normally too developed to eat.
Plus if you pull them out, you ruin your chances of getting multiple harvests from one planting. So focus on making clean cuts at the base of the stem for optimal harvesting.
Different Microgreen Flavors And Textures
No matter what flavor you’re looking for, there is a microgreen that you can add to a recipe to achieve it!
If you’re looking for something spicy, radish and mustard microgreens can add some zing to your dishes.
Other microgreens have flavors that are neutral, sweet, or even sour!
As a general rule, microgreens taste like a more intense version of their full-sized vegetable forms. So when in doubt, just pick a microgreen variety of a vegetable or herb that you already enjoy eating.
Don’t be scared of using microgreens to add some more color to your recipes as well. Microgreens come in a variety of colors including vibrant shades of red, yellow, purple, and of course green!
Check out our complete list of different microgreens to see the full range of microgreens available.
30 Amazing Microgreen Recipes
Here are some microgreen recipes for you to try. I’ve tried to include a wide range of different dishes, so hopefully everyone can find something to enjoy!
1) Pizza With Pesto, Mozzarella, And Arugula Microgreens
courtesy of Little Wild Things Farm
Pizza is one of my all-time favorite foods, so I couldn’t make a list without it. Who doesn’t love pizza? You can adjust the amount of microgreens that you want to include, ranging from a simple garnish to a main ingredient.
You can experiment with when you add microgreens to the recipe. Add them after you take your pizza out of the oven to keep them crunchy, or during the cooking process to let them cook and wilt a bit.
2) Beef Burger With Microgreens, Mint Aioli, & Feta
courtesy of Ms. Renee Lynn
Don’t be intimidated by the word aioli. It’s basically the same thing as mayonnaise.
If you’re tired of your usual burgers, this is a great alternative with a lighter flavor. You can use any kind of microgreen you want to this burger.
The recipe doesn’t specify, but I’d recommend some kohlrabi or cabbage to give it a hint of coleslaw flavor.
3) Microgreen Pesto
courtesy of My Sweet Greens MN
Pesto is a versatile sauce. I like to put it on pasta, but you can use it as a salad dressing, as a condiment on sandwiches, or plenty of other applications. This recipe uses a mix of sunflower microgreens and sweet pea shoots.
4) Sunflower Microgreen Salsa Verde
courtesy of Farmer Tony
If you’re having Mexican food for dinner, this spicy salsa verde is a great addition. Plus it’s packed with over a pound of sunflower microgreens!
This salsa goes great on tortilla chips, tacos, quesadillas, or any number of other Mexican-inspired dishes. It needs to sit overnight though, so be sure to leave time to prepare it in advance.
5) Sunflower Guacamole
courtesy of alive.com
While we’re on the topic of Mexican salsas and dips, we should talk about this sunflower microgreen guacamole. It goes great on anything you’d use salsa verde with, like as a dip for chips or on tacos.
Guacamole also goes great on sandwiches, either as a condiment or all by itself.
This recipe already includes jalapeno and onion. But if you want a bit of extra bite, why not try adding some radish microgreens to it as well?
6) Pea Shoot Savory Pancakes
courtesy of alive.com
Some people only eat pancakes once per year on Shrove Tuesday. Not me, I’d eat them for breakfast every morning if I had the time.
You might think that pea shoot microgreens are just a garnish on this dish, but you’d be wrong.
They’re blended up and incorporated into the batter itself. Along with chives and other ingredients to give it a unique savory taste that you wouldn’t normally expect from a pancake.
They’re tasty enough to eat any time of day!
7) Garlic And Lemon Pasta With Arugula Microgreens
Photo from https://www.plattertalk.com
coursey of Florida Microgreens
This lemony pasta has a unique and distinctly Mediterranean taste to it. The arugula microgreens add a nice peppery flavor to balance out the lemon and garlic flavors.
The recipe recommends spaghetti or zucchini noodles, but the sauce goes great with most types of pasta. It’s a nice light alternative pasta dish if you’re in a rut of only making spaghetti bolognese.
8) Roasted Acorn Squash, Microgreens and Quinoa Salad
courtesy of Chef de Home
This recipe is vegan and gluten free. Plus it’s absolutely packed with vegetables, both in microgreen and regular-sized form! I always forget just how good acorn squash can taste until I try it again.
Don’t let the fact that this dish is healthy and vegetarian fool you. It’s still extremely hearty and filling!
The tahini dressing contains half a jalapeno pepper which adds a little bit of heat without being overpowering. But if you’re completely averse to spice, you may want to leave it out.
9) Spring Salad
courtesy of Kitchen Vignettes
This super fresh and healthy salad is exactly what most people think of when microgreens are mentioned. And while I wanted to break that stereotype a bit and include plenty of non-salad recipes in this post, it’d be amiss if I didn’t include at least a few great salads.
Microgreens are featured heavily in this salad, as there aren’t any other kinds of lettuce or baby greens included.
10) Microgreens Sushi
courtesy of Fresh Origins
Microgreens and sushi? You bet!
Like every recipe, you can incorporate microgreens into it as much or as little as you want.
In most of the examples in this link, microgreens are primarily used as a garnish or accent.
But if you’re making sushi rolls at home, don’t be afraid to add microgreens inside of your California rolls, or even make vegetarian sushi rolls that feature microgreens as the main ingredient! They definitely add some crunch.
11) The La Jolla Crab Stack
courtesy of Just A Taste
This towering dish might look intimidating, but it’s actually super simple. In fact, it doesn’t require any cooking at all!
The trick is to use a tall mold and firmly pack all of your ingredients into it. If you haven’t got a mold, you can cut the top and bottom off an aluminum beverage can to make one yourself.
For a vegan option, just leave off the last layer of crab meat.
This dish only features one layer of microgreens, but feel free to add more if you’d like!
12) Sumac And Thyme Salmon Burger
courtesy of Wild Greens And Sardines
If you’re tired of beef burgers, why not give a salmon burger a try?
Sockeye salmon, Atlantic salmon, pink salmon. Any kind of salmon will work in this recipe.
If you’re not sure what sumac is, I wasn’t either. It’s a spice that gives a tangy lemony flavor. If you haven’t got any handy, you can just add a little lemon juice to your recipe or skip it altogether.
While this recipe uses two types of microgreens, there’s room for lots more.
For example, you could substitute arugula microgreens for the lettuce, and swap out fully-grown cilantro and thyme for their microgreen alternatives.
13) Strawberry Chocolate Tart
courtesy of Vegetarian Ventures
If you thought pea shoot pancakes were going too far, I’ve got a surprise for you!
I’m determined to show you exactly how versatile of an ingredient microgreens are. And I think the fact that they’re included in this strawberry chocolate tart is a perfect example of how they can work in almost any recipe. Even desserts!
This recipe calls for regular basil microgreens, but you might want to experiment with cinnamon basil or lemon basil microgreens instead. Or even add a little spice with some Thai basil!
14) Grilled Cheese With Ham And Brie Sandwich With Microgreens, Apple and Dijon
courtesy of TheFeedFeed
I hope this recipe demonstrates that microgreens don’t need to be a pretentious ingredient that only chefs use. You can throw them into something as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich at home.
Granted, this is a bit of a fancy sandwich. But you don’t need to go to this extreme. Some nice arugula or kohlrabi microgreens can add a bit of flair even to your regular ham sandwich.
15) Rainbow Salad
courtesy of TheFeedFeed
Hands down, this has got to be the most colorful salad that I’ve ever seen. It’s sure to impress your guests, and it’s almost too pretty to eat!
It features microgreens, radishes and thinly peeled carrots, and even edible flowers!
The recipe doesn’t specify what kind of microgreens to use, but I’d recommend something like beet microgreens that will add even more color to the dish.
16) Green Smoothies
courtesy of Urban Cultivator
Start your day off the right way with a healthy green smoothie! I’ve included a link with three separate green smoothie recipes so that you can mix things up.
They all include microgreens, including pea shoots, beets, and radish. But you can add any microgreen you prefer.
These smoothies are packed full of nutrients and make it easy to eat healthy, even when you’re in a hurry.
17) Pho
courtesy of Fooby
Pho is a Vietnamese soup that can have a chicken or beef broth, and contains rice noodles, herbs, and meat. Along with any number of other ingredients. It’s similar to Japanese ramen soup in some ways.
Bean sprouts are a common ingredient in Pho, but this recipe adds some microgreens as well.
18) Butter Chicken
courtesy of The Daily Meal
Admittedly, the coriander microgreens in this recipe are more of a garnish than a main ingredient.
But there’s room to slip some extra mustard, fenugreek, and cilantro microgreens in place of their full-grown forms if you’re brave enough to try.
19) Egg White Omelette With Avacado, Goat Cheese, And Microgreens
courtesy of TheMerryThought
Omelettes are another awesome way to incorporate microgreens into your breakfast routine. They only take a few minutes to prepare, so they’re even an option during the week!
20) Roasted Broccoli Microgreen Soup
courtesy of alive.com
Here’s a good recipe for those cold winter evenings. This soup contains a lot of microgreens – 500 ml or more!
Plus the beans and sunflower seeds provide enough fat and protein to make it very filling and satisfying.
21) Mushroom Veggie Burger
courtesy of Apartment Homesteading
This vegetarian recipe isn’t your average burger. That’s because there’s no bun! Although I’m sure you could add one if you wanted to.
There are only a handful of ingredients, which makes it a quick meal to put together after a long day at work.
22) Roast Beef Tea Sandwiches
courtesy of Plains Joy
These open-faced roast beef sandwiches make a great snack or an entire meal, depending on how hungry you are! The arugula microgreens give it a nice bitter, slightly peppery taste.
There’s even an included recipe for no-knead gluten-free bread to go with it.
23) Bittersweet Salad
courtesy of The Daily Meal
Wow, this is one purple salad! With blood oranges, radicchio, microgreens and other unconventional ingredients, it’s certainly a flavor you’ve never tried before.
If you’re up for a one-of-a-kind dish, I’d recommend giving it a try. Just be aware that it might stain your lips and tongue a purplish red color!
24) Microgreen, Mint, + Mango Juice
courtesy of Dolly And Oatmeal
Here’s another juice with more of a tropical flavor. It has a strong mango and ginger taste, but has microgreens blended in there for extra nutrition as well.
If you want it to be more of a smoothie, you can add extra chia seeds to give it a thicker consistency.
25) Scallop, Farro, Microgreens, Lemon Basil Sauce
courtesy of Taste With The Eyes
For a luxurious seafood dish, try this recipe that combines scallops and microgreens. Try an assortment of different microgreens and see what you like best.
If you aren’t sure what farro is, it’s a whole grain. You can substitute barley, wheat berries, or quinoa instead of you’ve got those on hand.
26) Avocado Toast With Microgreens
courtesy of Yummly
This one goes out to all my millennials in the audience!
This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. So why go spending $5 or more to buy it at a coffee shop or restaurant when you can make it at home?
27) Wild Rice And Microgreen Salad
courtesy of SincerelyV
Tonight, try a rice dish that looks great, tastes great, and is packed full of nutrients thanks to microgreens. It makes a great comfort food during those colder months.
28) Seared Duck Breast
/www.thedailymeal.com/sites/default/files/2014/09/25/duck_styled.jpg "30 Of The Best Microgreens Recipes Ideas | GroCycle (31)")
courtesy of The Daily Meal
Pulling back from the more microgreen-centric recipes, this is an elegant recipe that uses microgreens as simply a garnish or accent.
29) Smoky Cauliflower Steaks
courtesy of Clean Eating
Are you a vegetarian that misses steak more than any other meat? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. If you close your eyes, the cauliflower in this dish is almost thick, smoky and meaty enough to make you believe you’re really eating meat.
30) Crispy Pancetta, Burrata, And Tomato Sandwiches
courtesy of The Daily Meal
This sandwich is basically a BLT taken to the next level. If you’ve got the ingredients on hand, it’s a fantastic tasting treat.
If not, you can always substitute out bacon for the pancetta and mozzarella cheese for the burrata. But trust me, the microgreens are a must-have ingredient.
If you want to learn more about miscrogreens, read my articles below:
- Are Microgreens Sustainable?
- How To Grow Microgreens: The Ultimate Guide
- Mushrooms vs Microgreens: Similarities, Differences, and How They Can Work Together
- How To Grow Sunflower Microgreens Fast And Easy
- Hydroponic Microgreens: How To Grow Microgreens Without Soil
- Best Growing Medium For Microgreens
- Microgreens Business: How To Grow Microgreens For Profit
