Growing your own sprouts is one of the easiest ways to have something fresh and green on your plate all year round. All you need is a jar or tray, water and a few days. The trick is choosing the right seeds to start with. This guide covers the best seeds for sprouting, how long each one takes and how they taste.
What makes a good sprouting seed?
The best beginner seeds sprout quickly and reliably, don't need soil and taste good raw. Always use seeds sold specifically for sprouting, which are intended to be eaten as sprouts, rather than garden seed packets.
The best seeds for sprouting
Broccoli
Mild, slightly peppery sprouts that are ready in about 4 to 5 days. Soak for 6 to 8 hours, then rinse twice a day. Try our Broccoli Calabrese or tangier Broccoli Raab seeds.
Alfalfa
The classic sandwich sprout: fine, crunchy and mild, ready in 5 to 6 days. Soak for 4 to 6 hours. Shop alfalfa sprouting seeds.
Mung beans
The sprouts used in stir-fries, with a fresh, crunchy bite. Soak overnight and they'll be ready in 2 to 4 days. Shop mung beans for sprouting.
Radish
Pink-stemmed, spicy sprouts that add a kick to salads and wraps, ready in about 4 to 5 days. Shop radish sprouting seeds.
Lentils
Green and red lentils sprout in just 2 to 3 days and have a nutty, earthy flavour that works in salads and grain bowls. Try green lentils or red lentils.
Fenugreek
Slightly bitter, curry-scented sprouts, ready in 3 to 5 days, lovely in Indian dishes and salads. Shop fenugreek sprouting seeds.
Broccoli sprouts vs cress
They're often confused, but they're different plants. Cress is usually grown on a damp surface and snipped as tiny peppery leaves after about a week. Broccoli sprouts are grown in a jar or tray and eaten whole, seed, root and shoot, after 4 to 5 days, and taste milder. Alfalfa sprouts are milder again and finer in texture. If you like a peppery bite, try cress or radish; for a mild, all-purpose sprout, broccoli or alfalfa.
How to sprout seeds in a jar
- Soak: put 1 to 2 tablespoons of seeds in a clean jar, cover with cool water and soak for the time given above.
- Drain: cover the jar with a sprouting lid or mesh, pour off the water and rinse.
- Rinse twice a day: rinse with fresh water morning and evening, then drain well and leave the jar tilted so excess water runs out.
- Harvest: when the sprouts reach the size you like, give them a final rinse and drain.
- Store: dry them on a clean towel and keep in the fridge in a covered container. Eat within a few days.
Sprouting safety
Sprouts grow in warm, damp conditions, so hygiene matters. Wash your hands and equipment, rinse the sprouts regularly with clean water, keep them refrigerated once harvested and throw away any that smell or look unusual. The UK Food Standards Agency advises that raw sprouts should be avoided by people who are pregnant, older people, young children and anyone with a weakened immune system, who can cook their sprouts until steaming hot instead.
How to use your sprouts
- Pile them into sandwiches, wraps and burgers
- Scatter over salads, soups and grain bowls
- Toss mung bean sprouts into stir-fries at the end of cooking
- Blend a handful into smoothies
Browse all 31 of our sprouting and microgreen seeds, or read more sprouting guides.
