What Are Microgreens? Everything You Need to Know

Microgreens have become a fixture in farmers markets, fine dining kitchens, and home refrigerators across the country — but plenty of people still aren't sure exactly what they are. Are they sprouts? Baby lettuce? Something you grow in a lab? The answer is simpler than most people expect, and once you understand what microgreens actually are, it becomes easy to see why so many cooks and health-conscious eaters have made them a staple.

The Definition: What Exactly Is a Microgreen?

A microgreen is a young seedling of a vegetable, herb, or edible flower harvested at a very early stage of growth — typically 7 to 21 days after germination. The harvest happens at one of two points: at the cotyledon stage, when the seed leaves have fully opened, or just after the first true leaves begin to emerge. At this point the plant is still very small — usually 1 to 3 inches tall — but it has developed full color, intense flavor, and a remarkable concentration of nutrients.

The term "microgreen" was coined in the culinary world in the 1980s and 1990s as chefs in San Francisco began using tiny greens as edible garnishes for upscale dishes. What started as a plating technique became a health food phenomenon as researchers began examining just how nutrient-dense these tiny plants actually are.

How Do Microgreens Differ from Sprouts and Baby Greens?

Microgreens are frequently confused with sprouts and baby greens, but they are meaningfully different from both.

Microgreens vs. Sprouts

Sprouts are seeds that have just begun to germinate — they are eaten whole, including the seed, root, and tiny shoot, before they ever reach the seedling stage. Sprouts are typically grown in jars of water with no growing medium and are ready to eat in just a few days. Microgreens, by contrast, are grown in soil or a growing medium, harvested by cutting the stem just above the surface, and eaten only for the above-ground portion. This growing method gives microgreens a cleaner flavor, firmer texture, and importantly, a significantly lower food safety risk. For a deeper look at the differences, see our guide to microgreens vs. sprouts.

Microgreens vs. Baby Greens

Baby greens are simply young versions of full-grown salad greens — spinach, arugula, lettuce — harvested before they reach maturity. They are older than microgreens (typically 3–6 weeks old rather than 1–3 weeks), larger, and less nutrient-dense by weight. Microgreens are harvested earlier, have a more concentrated flavor, and offer a higher nutrient-to-weight ratio. The flavor intensity is especially notable: a microgreen radish, for instance, packs a much sharper peppery punch than a mature radish leaf.

Microgreens vs. Mature Vegetables

This is where microgreens often surprise people. Despite being tiny seedlings, microgreens can contain significantly higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than their mature counterparts. A landmark 2012 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that microgreens from 25 commercially available varieties contained 4 to 40 times higher nutrient levels than the mature leaves of the same plants. This doesn't mean you should stop eating broccoli crowns, but it does mean that a small handful of broccoli microgreens carries serious nutritional weight.

Nutritional Density: What the Research Shows

The reason microgreens punch above their weight nutritionally comes down to timing. In the first days of a plant's life, it draws on everything stored in the seed to fuel rapid growth. Vitamins C, E, and K, beta-carotene, and a range of essential minerals are all highly concentrated during this early seedling phase. As the plant matures and spreads its energy into stems, branches, and root systems, those nutrient concentrations naturally dilute across more plant mass.

Key nutrients commonly found in high concentrations across popular microgreen varieties include:

Vitamin C: Especially high in radish, broccoli, and cabbage microgreens
Vitamin K: Notably high in amaranth and daikon radish microgreens
Vitamin E: Concentrated in sunflower and amaranth microgreens
Beta-carotene: Found in high levels in cilantro and red cabbage microgreens
Sulforaphane: A compound in broccoli microgreens studied extensively for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

No single variety offers all of these — which is one reason that variety and rotation in your microgreen choices matters. A salad mix or a rotating selection of different types gives you a broader nutrient profile than eating only one variety week after week.

Popular Varieties and Their Flavor Profiles

One of the things that makes microgreens so appealing is that each variety has a distinct, often intense flavor — very different from the mild, grassy taste people might expect from something this small.

Broccoli: Mild, slightly earthy, with a subtle brassica bitterness. Extremely versatile — works in smoothies, on salads, in sandwiches, and in cooked dishes added at the end.
Radish: Bold, peppery, and spicy. One of the most intensely flavored microgreens. Great on tacos, grain bowls, avocado toast, and anywhere you want a kick.
Arugula: Nutty with a peppery bite — similar to mature arugula but more concentrated. A natural fit for Italian-style dishes, pizzas, and salads.
Pea shoots: Sweet, fresh, and tender. They taste like the essence of fresh spring peas. Great raw in salads or quickly wilted in stir-fries.
Sunflower: Nutty, rich, and substantial. Sunflower microgreens have more body than most — they make a great base for microgreen salads or hold up well as a burger topping.
Salad mix: A blend of multiple varieties — often including broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, and others — designed to give variety and balance in a single package. Ideal for anyone who wants a bit of everything.

How Are Microgreens Grown and Harvested?

Most microgreens are grown in shallow trays filled with an inch or so of potting soil, coco coir, or a hydroponic growing mat. Seeds are sown densely across the surface, covered, and kept in a warm dark environment for a few days (the blackout period) to encourage germination and strong stem growth. Once sprouts reach about half an inch, they are moved to light — natural or artificial — and grown until they reach harvest size.

Harvest is done by cutting the stems just above the soil line with clean scissors or a sharp knife. The greens are then rinsed, dried, and packaged. Small-batch growers like Teeny Greeny Microgreens in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma harvest the night before they go to market, ensuring that buyers receive greens at peak freshness — sometimes less than 12 hours from cut to hand.

For a full step-by-step breakdown of the growing process, see our guide on how to grow microgreens at home.

How Are Microgreens Used in Cooking?

The culinary uses for microgreens are broader than most people realize. Yes, they work as a garnish — and a beautiful one — but treating them only as decoration undersells them. Here are some of the most common and effective ways to use microgreens:

Salads: Use them as the base of a salad, mix them with larger greens, or use them as a topping for texture and flavor contrast.
Sandwiches and wraps: Replace or supplement lettuce with microgreens for a flavor upgrade. Radish and arugula microgreens work especially well here.
Smoothies: Broccoli microgreens blend smoothly and add a nutrition boost without significantly changing the flavor of a fruit-based smoothie.
Eggs: Scatter microgreens over scrambled eggs, omelets, or avocado toast just before serving. The heat wilts them slightly without cooking them.
Grain bowls and Buddha bowls: A generous handful on top ties everything together and adds both visual appeal and nutritional density.
Tacos and grain-based dishes: Pea shoots and sunflower microgreens work beautifully as a fresh component in tacos, grain dishes, or as a garnish on soups.
Pizza: Scatter fresh arugula or radish microgreens over a hot pizza just out of the oven. The slight wilt from the heat is ideal.

The key is not to cook microgreens at high heat for long — this destroys their nutrients and their delicate texture. Use them as a finishing element, added at the last moment.

Where to Get Microgreens in Broken Arrow

If you're in the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area and want to try fresh microgreens without growing them yourself, Teeny Greeny Microgreens is your local source. Brooke grows small-batch microgreens weekly and brings them to the Broken Arrow Farmers Market every Saturday, harvested the night before for maximum freshness.

Varieties rotate based on the season but typically include broccoli, radish, arugula, pea shoots, sunflower, and salad mix. You can preorder online to lock in your varieties ahead of market day. It's the easiest way to make microgreens a consistent part of your weekly meals without any of the growing work involved.