How to Grow Broccoli Microgreens: Soak to Harvest

Broccoli is one of the most popular microgreen crops and reaches harvest in 7 to 10 days. This guide sets out what the crop needs, the sowing-to-harvest sequence, and what it delivers nutritionally. It follows the same format as our guide to radish microgreens.

The truth is that broccoli microgreens are among the most popular for their nutrient density, which we’ll set out below, and their mild flavor, with a fresh and slightly bitter touch. We’ll also share an easy recipe where you can use them. They’re also amazing as a garnish in gourmet dishes.

Here in the office, we absolutely love broccoli microgreens, we always say they look like four leaf clovers. That’s why we’ve nicknamed them the “lucky microgreen”.

Table of Contents

What you need to grow broccoli microgreens

Broccoli seeds: preferably organic and labeled for sprouting or microgreens.
Growing trays: flat and shallow, with and without drainage holes.
Growing medium: for example, coconut coir.
Spray bottle or watering can.
Natural light or LED grow light: broccoli microgreens need good lighting to develop their rich green color.

Step by step

Prepare the tray: wash it well with soap before using. Add an even layer of growing medium and lightly moisten it with a watering can.
Sow the seeds: spread the broccoli seeds evenly over the surface of the medium. There’s no need to cover them with soil; just press them gently so they make good contact with the surface.
First watering: mist the seeds carefully to moisten them without moving them.
Darkness period: cover the tray with another inverted tray or an opaque lid for 2 or 3 days. This helps germination and makes the stems stronger.
Light and ventilation: when you start to see the first sprouts (around day 2 or 3), uncover the tray and place it in a spot with good natural light or under LED grow lights.
Daily watering: mist once or twice a day to keep the growing medium moist, but avoid excess water, which can cause mold. We have an article explaining how to prevent this common issue.
Growth and color: in just a few days, you’ll see the stems straighten and the leaves turn a deep green.
Harvest: between days 7 and 10, your broccoli microgreens will be ready. Cut them just above the growing medium with clean scissors.

What broccoli microgreens contain

Broccoli microgreens have been measured with higher concentrations of several minerals than mature broccoli, gram for gram: Weber (2017) reported more magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc however they were grown, and more phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium and sodium as well when they were grown in compost. Which compounds, and by how much, depends on the cultivar and the growing conditions, so there is no single multiplier that applies across the board.

Here’s what these tiny greens are packed with

Vitamins A, C, E and K.
Key minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
Natural antioxidant compounds, including carotenoids and phenolics.
Glucoraphanin, which the body converts into sulforaphane when the leaves are chewed or chopped. Young broccoli sprouts have been measured with substantially more glucoraphanin than mature broccoli, but reported multiples vary widely with cultivar and growing conditions, so there is no single figure. Sulforaphane is an active area of research, not an established treatment — see what the research actually shows.
Fibre and chlorophyll.

Quick and easy recipe with broccoli microgreens: healthy jamón spanish toast

What you’ll need

Whole grain bread slices
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Turkey ham (in the original recipe we used serrano ham, but this “healthy” version replaces it with turkey ham, which is lighter)
And of course, our little friends: broccoli microgreens

How to prepare it

Take one or two slices of bread and toast them. Then, cut a tomato in half and rub it over the toast. Drizzle with olive oil and spread it evenly. Add the turkey ham on top, and finally, garnish with broccoli microgreens.

We promise it will be delicious (and visually stunning too).

Broccoli microgreens are fast and undemanding to grow: in less than two weeks a tray goes from sowing to a harvest you can use in everyday meals.

Sources:

Karolina. (2025, March 31). How to grow broccoli microgreens + unlocking their potential for health and culinary delights. MP Seeds. Retrieved from https://mpseeds.eu/Broccoli-microgreens-and-sprouts-guide-about-growing-health-benefits-and-usage

Melissa & Kelly. How to grow broccoli microgreens. Quantum Microgreens. Retrieved, from https://quantummicrogreens.com/how-to-grow-broccoli-microgreens/

Weber, C. F. (2017). Broccoli microgreens: A mineral-rich crop that can diversify food systems. Frontiers in Nutrition, 4, 7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5362588/

Fahey, J. W., Zhang, Y., & Talalay, P. (1997). Broccoli sprouts: An exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 94(19), 10367–10372. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.19.10367 — note that this paper measured broccoli sprouts, which are harvested younger than microgreens, and reports laboratory enzyme-induction work rather than a health outcome in people.

Correction note: we removed a claim that sulforaphane “may help prevent certain types of cancer” and the widely repeated “up to 40 times more sulforaphane” figure. Neither is supported by the sources on this page: the mineral-composition paper by Weber (2017) does not address sulforaphane, cancer or immunity, and the two remaining sources are a seed vendor and a grower blog, which we cite for growing technique but not for health claims. We also removed unsourced statements about vision, skin, immune health, ageing and digestion, and narrowed the comparison with mature broccoli to minerals, which is what Weber (2017) actually measured — the earlier wording claimed higher vitamin and antioxidant levels, which no source on this page supports. See our editorial standards.

The science on broccoli

Studies from our Science Library that concern broccoli microgreens, in plain language with links to the original research. This list updates automatically as new studies are added.

Broccoli in the kitchen

Recipes and kitchen ideas from our cookbook team that use broccoli microgreens.

Growing a different crop next? Every variety has a guide like this one in the Varieties database.

The science behind this crop

Our research archive holds 65 peer-reviewed studies on broccoli microgreens. They are free to read and download, and each one credits its original authors.