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Brassica Microgreen

Broccoli

Broccoli microgreens (Brassica oleracea) are a brassica microgreen with a mild, fresh and faintly peppery flavor, ready to harvest in 8-12 days. MicrogreenUSA grows them sushi-grade indoors for wholesale standing orders, and they are best for all-purpose and health menus.

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Broccoli Microgreens

Broccoli microgreens are mild, fresh and endlessly versatile, which is exactly why they are the most ordered variety in wholesale. They carry the nutritional halo of broccoli in a delicate, plate-ready form and disappear into almost any dish without overpowering it.

The default all-purpose microgreen: salads, sandwiches, smoothie bars, health-forward menus and garnish across nearly every cuisine.

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Common nameBroccoli
Botanical nameBrassica oleracea
CategoryBrassica
FlavorMild, fresh, faintly peppery
Grow time8-12 days
Best forAll-purpose, health menus
AvailabilityYear-round wholesale
Minimum order5 lbs / week
Grow Data & Sources

What do seed suppliers publish for growing broccoli microgreens?

These figures are True Leaf Market's published guide for Broccoli - Waltham 29 - Microgreens Seeds (Brassica oleracea var. italica) plus Broccoli OG (2290MG) from Johnny's Selected Seeds' 2017 yield trial, not our farm schedule (that is on our process page).

Seeding rate (10x20 tray)1 oz per 10"x 20" tray
Pre-soakNo (No Soak)
Germination2-3 days
Blackout2-4 days
Days to harvest8-12 days
Flavorfresh, mild broccoli or cabbage flavor
Seed per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)13 g
Yield per 1020 tray (Johnny's trial)11.5 oz
Days to first true leaf (Johnny's)12.5

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

How does broccoli compare with the other microgreens we grow?

At 8-12 days, broccoli is the 7th fastest of 18 varieties by supplier harvest window, tied with kale, purple kohlrabi, mustard and Swiss chard. Its 11.5 oz trial yield is 1st of 13, 0.88 oz of broccoli per gram of seed. Broccoli goes on dry in the supplier guide.

Is there USDA nutrition data for broccoli microgreens?

Not from a lab: FoodData Central has only 2 manufacturer label listings for broccoli microgreens, so we print no nutrient figures.

Are broccoli microgreens a food-safety concern?

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

Common Questions

Broccoli FAQ

What do broccoli microgreens taste like?

Broccoli microgreens have a mild, fresh and faintly peppery flavor. They are mild, fresh and endlessly versatile, which is exactly why they are the most ordered variety in wholesale. They carry the nutritional halo of broccoli in a delicate, plate-ready form and disappear into almost any dish without overpowering it. They are the young cotyledon-stage greens of Brassica oleracea, harvested before the first true leaves appear.

How long do broccoli microgreens take to grow?

Broccoli microgreens take 8-12 days from seed to harvest in our indoor farm. The seed gets a 4-6 hour soak in RO-filtered water before seeding. For comparison, seed suppliers publish 8-12 days in True Leaf Market's guide and about 12.5 days to first true leaf in Johnny's 2017 trial. By that supplier window it is the 7th fastest of the 18 varieties we grow. Our full growing process is on our process page.

How do chefs use broccoli microgreens?

The default all-purpose microgreen: salads, sandwiches, smoothie bars, health-forward menus and garnish across nearly every cuisine. In our wholesale program they are best for all-purpose and health menus. 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 broccoli microgreens last after delivery?

Broccoli 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 broccoli microgreens wholesale?

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

True Leaf Market's grow guide for Broccoli - Waltham 29 - Microgreens Seeds (Brassica oleracea var. italica) lists no pre-soak, then lists 2-3 days germination, 2-4 days of blackout and 8-12 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 broccoli microgreens yield?

Johnny's Selected Seeds measured 11.5 oz per 1020 tray for Broccoli OG (2290MG) in its 2017 microgreen yield trial, from 13 g of seed, cut at about 12.5 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, broccoli ranks 1st of 13 for yield.