How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts (Step-By-Step Guide)
This post shares an easy, step-by-step guide for how to grow broccoli sprouts from broccoli seeds. It only takes a few days to grow your own superfood sprouts!
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can easily learn how to grow broccoli sprouts from broccoli seeds. Broccoli sprouts do not come from a regular head of broccoli, but from little broccoli seeds that you can purchase.
The best part about sprouting broccoli is that you don’t need to have a green thumb or any dirt whatsoever. All you need are a few tools to start sprouting broccoli seeds right on your kitchen countertop.
Health Benefits
Broccoli sprouts contain sulphoraphane that has research behind it showing its cancer-fighting properties. It is a powerful antioxidant that we should be consuming as often as possible.
Sprouting Guide
The simplest method to grow sprouts at home is to use a Mason jar with a strainer lid. Another easy method is to use a Sproutamo Easy Sprout Sprouter that is absolutely perfect for broccoli sprouts.
Day 1: Soak the Broccoli Seeds
To get started, you’ll need to soak your broccoli seeds in a small bowl filled with water. This helps prepare the seeds to sprout. Put the bowl in a dark space for at least 12 hours to soak.
Day 2: Transfer Seeds to Sprouting Vessel
After you have soaked the seeds, it’s time to rinse them and transfer them to your sprouting vessel.
For the next 48 hours, you’ll need to keep the sprouts in a cool, dark place, such as a dark pantry or a kitchen cabinet. You’ll also need to rinse the sprouts at least 3 times a day. That’s when the Easy Sprouter comes in really handy. It has a built-in strainer so all you have to do is hold it under the kitchen sink to rinse the sprouts.
Days 2-4: Sprout & Rinse
After about 24 hours of being in the sprouting vessel, you’ll see that the sprouts will start to form, although they will be more yellow than green until you reach the last step.
Day 4 or 5: Move the Sprouting Vessel Out of the Dark
Once the sprouts have reached about a half-inch to full-inch in length, it’s time to move the sprouting vessel out of the dark and expose it to some sun. This will be around day 4 or 5 of the sprouting process.
We don’t want to put the vessel in direct sunlight, but just in some nice indirect light for about 12 more hours. This will help develop the lovely green color that broccoli sprouts should have.
Day 5: Harvest the Sprouts
The last step is to harvest your sprouts. They should be fully grown and nice and green. All you have to do to harvest them is give them one really good final rinse and transfer them to a glass bowl with a lid.
Store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 more days. If you’re looking for broccoli sprout recipes or how to eat broccoli sprouts, then I’ve got you covered too.
Items Recommended
- Sproutamo Easy Sprouting Sprouter
- if you prefer glass over plastic, you can try this jar with a stainless steel strainer lid
- NOW organic broccoli sprouting seeds
FAQs
What is the white fuzz that looks like mold?
You should know that the little fuzzy parts of the sprouts are totally normal. They’re micro “hairs” meant to help draw moisture into the sprout, and it’s not mold.
That said, you should let your nose tell you if your sprouts have gone moldy. Any kind of sour smell is not normal and means that they’re probably not safe to eat. I’ve only had this happen once in about fifty times, but it can happen.
Where can I buy broccoli sprouts?
If you don’t want to grow them at home, you can most often buy broccoli sprouts at natural food grocers or at your local farmers’ market. But, they are usually really expensive. It is much more cost-effective to grow broccoli sprouts at home!
How long does it take to grow broccoli sprouts?
Taking into account both the soaking time (12 hours) and sprouting time (3 days), you’re looking at a total of about 3 1/2 – 5 days days.
How long do the sprouts last after they’re finished growing?
You can keep them in the fridge for about a week after you harvest them.
What do broccoli sprouts taste like?
They are slightly spicy but they don’t have a super strong flavor. Check out my list of ways to eat broccoli sprouts.
Here’s my printable instruction sheet:
How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts
This post shares an easy, step-by-step guide for how to grow broccoli sprouts from broccoli seeds. It only takes a few days to grow your own superfood sprouts!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 days
- Total Time: 120 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Sprouting jar
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons broccoli seeds
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Soak the broccoli seeds overnight in a small bowl with filtered water.
- Transfer the seeds to a sprouting vessel and place in a dark, well-ventilated room.
- Rinse the broccoli seeds daily.
- Move the broccoli sprouts out of the dark once the seeds have started to sprout and grow (on about the 3rd or 4th day).
- Harvest the broccoli sprouts once they reach the desired length after about the 4th or 5th day.
Keywords: sprouted broccoli seeds, how to sprout broccoli, broccoli sprout guide
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I had no idea you could do this! I’m going to give this a try, thanks!
This is so helpful! Thank you! I love that you added pictures to the steps. It makes it so much easier when trying to do it on my own!
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Can you tell me why some of the seeds do not sprout? I seem to have a good amount at the end that did not sprout. Thank you.
That can happen. You could try reducing the amount that you try to sprout, they might be too crowded in your sprouter.
Do broccoli sprouts always have a very penchant smell, I have tried to different methods of sprout the closet sprouting with plastic lids and glass ball jars and a counter sprouter that has green and clear stack able bowls. The closet sprout sprout or dark method work best but the counter sprouter did work on other types of seeds. This time the counter sprouter just stunk and the spouts did not work and dryed out.
Any suggestions
Hi Bruce. The broccoli seeds should not smell pungent after rinsing. They should have a fresh smell. I mean, they will still have a slight broccoli odor, but nothing offensive. I think your environment might be too humid if they are just getting stinky. You might need to wait until the weather is cooler and less humid, assuming you live in a place that is fairly warm right now?
I love how easy this is. I’ve been making broccoli sprouts almost every week for years.
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Can you sprout broccoli seeds in amber colored mason jars Or do the6 need to be clear?
Ideally they would be clear so they get enough light to green them up during the last step.
how do you dry them after finishing sprouting?
You don’t need to dry them. Just rinse them before eating them.
What do you mean by sprouting vessel?? A mason jar??
Yes or the sprouter that I linked to.
Hello Carrie and community members,
I’m growing broccoli sprouts every week and ending up with bluish-green-gray colored roots on the sprouts on about day 4. Actually your Day 5 photo looks a bit like the problem I experience. I don’t think this is normal or not a big deal. Anyone know what I’m talking about?
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Hi Nathan, I think the smell is more important. Do they smell fresh or do they smell rancid? Also, what is the flavor like of your sprouts? They should be mildly spicy but taste fresh.