To savor the flavor of microgreens, you need only one “recipe”: pick up a cluster of just- harvested microgreens, pop it in your mouth, and chew. Concentrate on the taste and texture of every fresh, raw, and unadorned morsel.
ou’ll digest microgreens better when you chew them fully and eat nothing else with them. Of course, some microgreens are too spicy or hot to be eaten in this manner. These include cress, mustard, and onion, which can be mixed with milder greens or added sparingly, like a condiment, to other dishes.
For variety, microgreens can also be enjoyed salad-style with a light dressing, or they can be used to top vegetable dishes as a healthy finish. The following recipes include other ideas too, such as incorporating them in appetizers or stirring them into cooked but slightly cooled dishes, where they’ll wilt but maintain their integrity.
In general, microgreens shouldn’t be cooked, but pea shoots and sesame microgreens are the exceptions. They hold up to heat, and their flavor even improves with cooking. Other microgreens, however, dissolve to mush when cooked, so keep this in mind if you like to be creative in the kitchen.
NOTE: The following recipes indicate the number of cups of microgreens required. One cup of microgreens, lightly packed, is the approximate yield of one pint container.
Facing page: Sweet Thai Basil, Purple Basil, and Sweet Basil
The earthy flavor of brown rice pairs perfectly with fennel microgreens in this stunning and delicious dish. soaking the rice first will cause it to germinate, which increases its nutritional value and makes it more digestible. serve the rice balls along with your favorite sweet or salty dipping sauce.
2½ cups (591 milliliters) water
1 cup (237 milliliters) short-grain brown rice or sweet brown rice
½ cup (118 milliliters) fennel microgreens, harvested at seed leaf stage, lightly packed
3 teaspoons (15 milliliters) chia seeds (optional; see note)
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) black sesame seeds
Put the water and the brown rice in a medium saucepan and soak for 12 hours at room temperature; do not drain. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool until comfortable to handle but still warm.
Harvest the microgreens by cutting just below the joint where the two leaves meet. Chop or dice the microgreens.
To make the rice balls, stir the microgreens into the warm rice until the greens are slightly wilted. Stir in the optional chia seeds to make a firmer ball. Scoop about 2 rounded tablespoons of the mixture and roll it between your palms to form a 1½ inch-wide ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture. If you’ve added the chia seeds, let the balls sit for 10 minutes to firm up.
Put the sesame seeds on a plate. Roll each rice ball in the seeds until it’s coated.
Put the balls on a large plate and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Serve chilled.
NOTE: If you use sweet brown rice, you don’t need to add the chia seeds because this type of rice is naturally firm and sticky. If you use short-grain brown rice, including the chia seeds will make the rice balls firmer so they’ll hold their shape better.
Red vegetables beautifully complement the vibrant green of most microgreens. When cooked, however, many red veggies lose their vibrant color. Not so with red bell peppers, which pop in this simple but eye-catching dish.
2 small red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) coconut oil
4 cups (about 1 liter) pea shoots, lightly packed (see note)
Put the bell peppers and the oil in a wok or large skillet. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bell peppers are tender-crisp. Stir in the pea shoots and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
NOTE: Four cups of pea shoots, lightly packed, is the approximate yield of two pint containers harvested after two weeks.
This colorful salad showcases the deep green of bok choy, the yellow-green of napa cabbage, and the red of radish and red Russian kale. these cool-season crops thrive under the same growing conditions and make a zesty wintertime salad. in fact, the cooler the temperature, the darker and more brilliant the red Russian kale microgreens will become. serve this medley with your favorite vinaigrette to harmonize the flavors.
1 cup (237 milliliters) bok choy microgreens, harvested at seed leaf stage, lightly packed
1 cup (237 milliliters) endive microgreens, harvested at true leaf stage, lightly packed
1 cup (237 milliliters) napa cabbage microgreens, harvested at seed leaf stage, lightly packed
1 cup (237 milliliters) red radish microgreens, harvested at seed leaf stage, lightly packed
1½ cups (355 milliliters) red Russian kale microgreens, harvested at true leaf stage, lightly packed
Put all the microgreens in a large bowl. Toss gently. Serve immediately.
Cooked potatoes and beets make a delicious combination, and the same can be said for potatoes and beet greens. since beet and chard are very closely related, either chard or beet microgreens can be used in this recipe. And think of fingerlings as “micro” potatoes!
16 to 20 fingerling potatoes
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) dried dill weed, dried basil, or dried parsley
¼4 cup (59 milliliters) hempseed oil or flaxseed oil
1 cup (237 milliliters) red Swiss chard microgreens or red beet microgreens, lightly packed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Put the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, until browned. Let cool until comfortable to handle.
Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters. Sprinkle with the dill weed and oil, then toss gently. Add the microgreens and toss gently once or twice, so most of the greens remain on top of the potatoes.
