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Brassica Microgreen

Arugula

Arugula microgreens (Eruca sativa) are a brassica microgreen with a peppery, nutty and bold flavor, ready to harvest in 8-12 days. MicrogreenUSA grows them sushi-grade indoors for wholesale standing orders, and they are best for pizza, carpaccio and salads.

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Arugula Microgreens

Arugula microgreens concentrate everything people love about mature arugula - the pepper, the nuttiness, the bite - into a tender young green. It brings grown-up flavor without the toughness.

Finishes pizzas, flatbreads, carpaccio and shaved-vegetable salads. A natural fit for Italian and Mediterranean kitchens that want a peppery lift.

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Common nameArugula
Botanical nameEruca sativa
CategoryBrassica
FlavorPeppery, nutty, bold
Grow time8-12 days
Best forPizza, carpaccio, salads
AvailabilityYear-round wholesale
Minimum order5 lbs / week
Grow Data & Sources

What do seed suppliers publish for growing arugula microgreens?

These figures are True Leaf Market's published guide for Arugula Microgreens Seeds (Eruca sativa) plus Arugula (385M) from Johnny's Selected Seeds' 2017 yield trial, not our farm schedule (that is on our process page).

Seeding rate (10x20 tray)9-10 g per 10"x 20" tray
Pre-soakNo
Germination1-2 days
Blackout1-2 days
Days to harvest6-8 days
FlavorPeppery and nutty with a hint of spice as they mature.
Seed per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)10 g
Yield per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)10 oz
Days to first true leaf (Johnny's)14

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

How does arugula compare with the other microgreens we grow?

At 6-8 days, arugula is the fastest of 18 varieties by supplier harvest window. Its 10 oz trial yield is 4th of 13, 1.00 oz of arugula per gram of seed. Arugula goes on dry in the supplier guide.

Is there USDA nutrition data for arugula microgreens?

Not from a lab: FoodData Central has only 3 manufacturer label listings for arugula microgreens, so we print no nutrient figures.

Are arugula microgreens a food-safety concern?

FDA classes arugula microgreens as covered produce, not sprouts (FDA guidance). Arugula microgreens were in the 2018 Greenbelt recall for possible Listeria, with no illnesses reported (FDA notice).

Common Questions

Arugula FAQ

What do arugula microgreens taste like?

Arugula microgreens have a peppery, nutty and bold flavor. They concentrate everything people love about mature arugula - the pepper, the nuttiness, the bite - into a tender young green. It brings grown-up flavor without the toughness. They are the young cotyledon-stage greens of Eruca sativa, harvested before the first true leaves appear.

How long do arugula microgreens take to grow?

Arugula microgreens take 8-12 days from seed to harvest in our indoor farm. The seed is sown dry with no pre-soak. For comparison, seed suppliers publish 6-8 days in True Leaf Market's guide and about 14 days to first true leaf in Johnny's 2017 trial. By that supplier window it is the fastest of the 18 varieties we grow. Our full growing process is on our process page.

How do chefs use arugula microgreens?

Finishes pizzas, flatbreads, carpaccio and shaved-vegetable salads. A natural fit for Italian and Mediterranean kitchens that want a peppery lift. In our wholesale program they are best for pizza, carpaccio and salads. 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 arugula microgreens last after delivery?

Arugula 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 arugula microgreens wholesale?

Order through a MicrogreenUSA wholesale account. The minimum is 5 lbs per week for a single restaurant, and arugula 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 arugula microgreen seeds need soaking?

True Leaf Market's grow guide for Arugula Microgreens Seeds (Eruca sativa) lists no pre-soak, then lists 1-2 days germination, 1-2 days of blackout and 6-8 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 arugula microgreens yield?

Johnny's Selected Seeds measured 10 oz per 1020 tray for Arugula (385M) in its 2017 microgreen yield trial, from 10 g of seed, cut at about 14 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, arugula ranks 4th of 13 for yield.