Microgreens Aren't Just for Salads

Most people buy microgreens for a salad, use half the container, and let the rest sit in the fridge until it goes soft. That’s a shame, because microgreens work in far more places than a salad bowl. Here’s how we use ours at home, meal by meal.

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs and omelets are an easy place to start. Stir in a handful of pea shoots for a sweet, earthy crunch, or sprinkle our Immunity Blend (sunflower, broccoli, radish, red cabbage, kale, and pea shoots) on top right before serving. The warm eggs soften the greens just enough without wilting them completely. Cilantro microgreens add a bright, citrusy note if you want something sharper.

Avocado toast is another good match. Arugula microgreens bring peppery bite, sunflower microgreens bring a nutty crunch. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and chili flakes if you like heat.

If you make smoothies, broccoli microgreens blend in without changing the flavor much. Pea shoots add a touch of sweetness. Add them last, right before you blend, so they don’t get chopped to mush by the ice.

Lunch

Skip the plain lettuce and layer purple radish or mustard microgreens into a turkey and cheese sandwich instead. They hold their crunch better than lettuce and add a peppery kick that plain greens can’t match. For something different, use pea tendrils as a wrap around smaller fillings instead of bread.

Soups are an easy finish. A few shungiku microgreens over miso soup, or beet microgreens over tomato soup, add color and a fresh contrast to something hot and smooth. Grain bowls work the same way: cilantro over a burrito bowl, or our Rainbow Mix (broccoli, red cabbage, purple radish) over a roasted vegetable and quinoa bowl.

Dinner

Stir arugula microgreens into warm pasta right before you plate it. The residual heat softens them just slightly and they add a peppery note that plain basil doesn’t. If you make pesto, try sunflower microgreens in place of basil for something nuttier. On pizza, add a handful of Spicy Mix (arugula, mustard, radish) the moment it comes out of the oven, while the cheese is still hot enough to warm the greens without cooking them.

Shiso microgreens work well in stir-fries or sushi bowls if you’re after something more aromatic. Cantaloupe microgreens, oddly enough, are good in a fruit salsa for fish tacos. Red cabbage or kale microgreens go well scattered over curry.

Even baked goods aren’t off limits. Finely chopped amaranth or chervil microgreens fold nicely into savory muffin or scone batter, especially alongside a sharp cheese.

A few notes on handling

Add microgreens at the very end of cooking, not the beginning. A quick rinse and a gentle pat dry is all they need before use, and they hold up best when they go into a dish just before it’s served. Peppery varieties like arugula and mustard work well in savory dishes, while sweeter ones like pea shoots surprise people in unexpected places.

We grow all of ours right here near Charlotte and harvest to order, so what you get was cut recently, not stored for weeks in a warehouse. That freshness is what makes the crunch and flavor actually come through in a dish, whether it’s a garnish or the main event.

See what fresh, local microgreens taste like, and try one of these the next time you cook.