How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts (Step by Step Guide)

Name: How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts
Prep time: 12 h
Cook time: 96 h
Total time: 108 h
Yield: 2 cup
Cuisine: Raw food
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons broccoli seeds; 1/2 cup water

July 23, 2019 By Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition 103 Comments

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Last Updated on September 28, 2019

This post shares an easy, step-by-step guide for how to grow broccoli sprouts. There’s no dirt required for sprouting broccoli seeds!

Sprouting Broccoli Seeds

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can easily learn how to grow broccoli sprouts from broccoli seeds. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!

Once you have the right tools, you’ll see how easy and budget-friendly it is to grow cancer-fighting broccoli sprouts at home right on your kitchen countertop. Best of all, there is no dirt required to grow broccoli sprouts.

5 Steps to Sprouting Broccoli Seeds

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 day.

how to grow broccoli sprouts infographic

Why Broccoli Sprouts?

My interest in growing broccoli sprouts started way back in 2012 with this 2-minute video from NutritionFacts.org. The title is “Biggest Nutrition Bang for Your Buck” where Dr. Michael Greger states that “growing your own broccoli sprouts is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve one’s diet.”

I was so intrigued, especially since I am a cancer survivor always looking for ways to reduce my risk of recurrence. So, I make broccoli sprouts at least a few times a month and try to eat them as often as possible. Since it’s such an easy thing to do, I wanted to share the process with you.

Step-by-Step Guide for How to Grow Broccoli Sprouts at Home

Dr. Greger advises to use a Mason jar with a strainer lid to grow the sprouts, but I’ve tested a few different methods. My favorite way is to use a Sproutamo Easy Sprout Sprouter that is absolutely perfect for broccoli sprouts.

Step 1: Soak the Broccoli Seeds

So, you need to have both a sprouting vessel and broccoli seeds to get started. I also like these organic, GMO-free broccoli seeds from NOW Foods.

As I mentioned above, you need to soak your broccoli seeds in a small bowl with filtered water for about 12 hours to start the sprouting process. You can put the bowl in a dark or light room for the first 12 hours.

Step 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.

Step 3: Sprout & Rinse

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.

You’ll see that the sprouts will start to form, although they will be more yellow than green until you reach the last step.

Step 4: 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. 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.

Step 5: Harvest the Sprouts

On about day 4 or 5, that’s when it’s time 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 for growing broccoli sprouts (affiliate links included):**

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 About Sprouting Broccoli Seeds

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!

Are broccoli sprouts good for you?

Yes! In fact, broccoli sprouts might be one of the healthiest foods you can eat. You don’t even need a lot, just a few tablespoons of fresh broccoli sprouts a day will supplement you diet with important antioxidants, including sulfuraphane including everything from cancer tumor suppression to autism to bowel habits.

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 are the health benefits of broccoli sprouts?

According to the research including this study, it looks like there are cancer-fighting and cancer prevention compounds in broccoli sprouts.

What do broccoli sprouts taste like?

They are slightly spicy but they don’t have a super strong flavor.

Recipes using broccoli sprouts:

Here’s my printable instruction sheet for how to grow broccoli sprouts at home: