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Specialty Microgreen

Red Amaranth

Red amaranth microgreens (Amaranthus cruentus) are a specialty microgreen with an earthy, mild and beet-like flavor, ready to harvest in 10-16 days. MicrogreenUSA grows them sushi-grade indoors for wholesale standing orders, and they are best for high-impact garnish.

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Red Amaranth Microgreens

Red amaranth is the showstopper of the catalog - deep magenta-crimson leaves with a mild, earthy, faintly beet-like flavor. Nothing else on the plate delivers this color naturally.

Reserved for high-impact plating on tasting menus, desserts and cocktails where a single leaf transforms the composition.

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Common nameRed Amaranth
Botanical nameAmaranthus cruentus
CategorySpecialty
FlavorEarthy, mild, beet-like
Grow time10-16 days
Best forHigh-impact garnish
AvailabilityYear-round wholesale
Minimum order5 lbs / week
Grow Data & Sources

What do seed suppliers publish for growing red amaranth microgreens?

These figures are True Leaf Market's published guide for Amaranth Seeds - All Red Leaf - Microgreens Seeds (Amaranthus cruentus, aka Red Ocean) plus Amaranth, Garnet Red OG (2247MG) from Johnny's Selected Seeds' 2017 yield trial, not our farm schedule (that is on our process page).

Seeding rate (10x20 tray)8 g per 10 x 20 inch tray
Pre-soakNo (Presoak: 0 Hours)
Germination2-4 days
Blackout1-2 days, Do Not Add Weight
Days to harvest10 days
FlavorFresh, earthy, and sweet.
Seed per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)7.5 g
Yield per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)6.5 oz
Days to first true leaf (Johnny's)17

Sources: True Leaf Market, Johnny's Selected Seeds.

How does red amaranth compare with the other microgreens we grow?

At 10 days, red amaranth is the 12th fastest of 18 varieties by supplier harvest window. Its 6.5 oz trial yield is 11th of 13, 0.87 oz of red amaranth per gram of seed. Red amaranth goes on dry in the supplier guide.

Is there USDA nutrition data for red amaranth microgreens?

Not from a lab: FoodData Central has no entry for red amaranth microgreens, so we print no nutrient figures.

Are red amaranth microgreens a food-safety concern?

FDA classes red amaranth microgreens as covered produce, not sprouts (FDA guidance).

Common Questions

Red Amaranth FAQ

What do red amaranth microgreens taste like?

Red amaranth microgreens have an earthy, mild and beet-like flavor. They are the showstopper of the catalog - deep magenta-crimson leaves with a mild, earthy, faintly beet-like flavor. Nothing else on the plate delivers this color naturally. They are the young cotyledon-stage greens of Amaranthus cruentus, harvested before the first true leaves appear.

How long do red amaranth microgreens take to grow?

Red amaranth microgreens take 10-16 days from seed to harvest in our indoor farm. The seed is sown dry with no pre-soak. For comparison, seed suppliers publish 10 days in True Leaf Market's guide and about 17 days to first true leaf in Johnny's 2017 trial. By that supplier window it is the 12th fastest of the 18 varieties we grow. Our full growing process is on our process page.

How do chefs use red amaranth microgreens?

Reserved for high-impact plating on tasting menus, desserts and cocktails where a single leaf transforms the composition. In our wholesale program they are best for high-impact garnish. They are available year-round on a standing weekly order, on their own or as part of a custom blend with other varieties from our catalog of 20.

How long do red amaranth microgreens last after delivery?

Red amaranth microgreens keep 7-10 days, like most of our varieties, when refrigerated at 34-38°F in sealed packaging and kept away from ethylene-producing produce. They are clean-cut with sanitized blades and in cold storage within 45 minutes of harvest, so orders typically arrive with 5-10 days of shelf life remaining.

How do I order red amaranth microgreens wholesale?

Order through a MicrogreenUSA wholesale account. The minimum is 5 lbs per week for a single restaurant, and red amaranth microgreens can be packed in 2, 4 or 8 oz anti-fog clamshells, 1-5 lb vacuum-sealed bulk pouches or uncut living trays. Southeast USA accounts get deliveries on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and we reply to applications within 24 business hours.

Do red amaranth microgreen seeds need soaking?

True Leaf Market's grow guide for Amaranth Seeds - All Red Leaf - Microgreens Seeds (Amaranthus cruentus, aka Red Ocean) lists no pre-soak, then lists 2-4 days germination, 1-2 days, Do Not Add Weight of blackout and 10 days to harvest. Our farm sets its own soak times by seed size; the schedule is on our process page.

How much does a tray of red amaranth microgreens yield?

Johnny's Selected Seeds measured 6.5 oz per 1020 tray for Amaranth, Garnet Red OG (2247MG) in its 2017 microgreen yield trial, from 7.5 g of seed, cut at about 17 days at the first true leaf. Johnny's calls these rounded averages that vary with seed lot, density and timing. Among our varieties in that trial, red amaranth ranks 11th of 13 for yield.