Broccoli and alfalfa sprouts are two of the easiest, fastest and most nutritious things you can grow, no garden needed, just a jar on the kitchen bench. Alfalfa is the mild, classic salad sprout, while broccoli sprouts are the nutrition standout, prized for a compound called sulforaphane. The two grow in almost exactly the same way, and the single most important thing with any raw sprout is clean, careful handling, since the warm, moist conditions that sprout a seed also suit bacteria.
You do not need a backyard, a sunny windowsill or even much patience to grow sprouts. A clean jar, a square of mesh and a spoonful of seed will give you a fresh, crunchy harvest in under a week, all year round, rain, frost or heatwave outside notwithstanding. The only real questions are which sprout to grow, and how to keep them safe to eat, and that is what this guide is for.
Two sprouts, side by side
Although they grow the same way, alfalfa and broccoli sprouts come from very different plants. Alfalfa is a legume, a relative of peas and clover, and its sprouts are the fine, pale, mild threads most people picture in a salad sandwich. Broccoli sprouts are young brassicas, cousins of cabbage and kale, with slim white stems, small green leaves and a fresh, peppery bite.
That difference in family is the whole story when it comes to nutrition and flavour. One is the gentle all-rounder, the other the nutritional heavyweight, and many people end up growing both for exactly that reason.
Nutrition: where each shines
Alfalfa sprouts are a light, fresh source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C and folate, for very few kilojoules, which makes them a genuinely healthy way to add crunch to a meal. They are the easygoing choice.
Broccoli sprouts are the ones that get the headlines, and for good reason. Like other young brassicas, they are rich in glucoraphanin, the precursor that turns into sulforaphane when the sprout is chewed or crushed and the enzyme myrosinase goes to work, a compound widely studied for its potential health benefits. By some measures, young broccoli sprouts carry many times more of this compound than the same weight of mature broccoli, which is why such a small handful packs a punch. The research is still developing, so they are best thought of as a nutritious addition to a varied diet rather than a cure for anything.
Taste, and how to use them
Alfalfa is mild and grassy, almost flavour-neutral, while broccoli sprouts bring a fresh, peppery bite, which gives the two quite different roles in the kitchen. The alfalfa works as a soft, fresh filler in sandwiches, wraps and salads where you want crunch without competition, the sprout you can add by the handful.
Broccoli sprouts have more to say. Their flavour is fresh and lightly peppery, a little like a young radish, which lifts a sandwich or sits well stirred through a salad, scattered over avocado toast, or folded into a grain bowl at the end. Both are eaten raw and fresh, ideally soon after harvest while the crunch is at its best.
How to grow both at home
The method is the same for both, and it could hardly be simpler. Because sprouts grow indoors on the bench, it works exactly the same wherever you live, from the tropical north to the cool southern tablelands or a Mediterranean climate like Perth, southern WA and Adelaide. You sprout the seed in a clean jar topped with mesh or a sprouting lid: a soak to wake the seed, then a regular rinse and thorough drain a couple of times a day, kept out of direct sun. Within a few days you have a jar full of fresh sprouts, with broccoli usually ready in around three to five days and alfalfa in around four to seven days, depending on the warmth of the room.
The two golden rules are drainage and rinsing. Sprouts left sitting in water turn sour and slimy, so a good drain after every rinse is what keeps a batch sweet. Use seed sold specifically for sprouting, give the jar a bright but not hot spot, and once the sprouts are ready, a final rinse and a spell in the fridge keeps them crisp for a few days.
Sprout safety, the part that matters
This is the section to read twice, because raw sprouts are a known source of food poisoning. The same warmth and moisture that sprout a seed are ideal for bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, and alfalfa sprouts in particular have been linked to outbreaks over the years. None of this means you should not grow them, only that you should grow them cleanly.
The sensible habits are simple:
- Start with clean seed meant for sprouting.
- Wash your hands and equipment well before you begin.
- Rinse the sprouts often and drain them thoroughly each time.
- Keep the finished sprouts in the fridge and eat them fresh.
Most importantly, Food Standards Australia New Zealand lists raw sprouts among the higher-risk foods for vulnerable people, including pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system, who are safest avoiding raw sprouts altogether or eating them only when cooked. For everyone else, good hygiene and fresh, well-drained sprouts are the key to enjoying them safely.
So set up a clean jar, choose your sprout, and you can be harvesting in less than a week. You can browse our sprouting seeds for broccoli, alfalfa and plenty more, and if you are new to growing from seed in any form, our tips for beginning seed gardeners are a good companion.
Grow both and you cover all bases: alfalfa for everyday crunch, broccoli for a small daily dose of something special. Either way, a jar on the bench is about the fastest harvest a kitchen can offer.
Frequently asked questions
Are broccoli sprouts healthier than alfalfa sprouts?
They are richer in one particular compound. Broccoli sprouts are high in glucoraphanin, which the body turns into sulforaphane, and they carry far more of it than mature broccoli. Alfalfa sprouts are still nutritious, offering vitamins K and C and folate, but broccoli sprouts are the ones studied for that specific benefit.
What do broccoli and alfalfa sprouts taste like?
Alfalfa is mild and grassy, almost neutral, which suits sandwiches and salads. Broccoli sprouts are fresh and lightly peppery, a little like a young radish, with a bit more character. Many people grow both for variety.
How long do sprouts take to grow?
Only a few days. Broccoli sprouts are usually ready in around three to five days and alfalfa in around four to seven days, all from a clean jar on the bench with a regular rinse and drain. It is one of the fastest harvests in the kitchen.
Are raw sprouts safe to eat?
For most healthy people they are fine with good hygiene, but raw sprouts are a known source of food poisoning, since the warm, moist sprouting conditions also suit bacteria. Use clean seed, rinse and drain well, and refrigerate the harvest. Pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system should avoid raw sprouts or cook them thoroughly.
Do I need any special equipment to grow sprouts?
Not really. A clean glass jar with a piece of mesh or a sprouting lid is enough, though purpose-made sprouting jars and trays make rinsing and draining easier. The essentials are clean seed, regular rinsing and very good drainage.
Can I grow broccoli and alfalfa sprouts together?
You can, since they grow on a similar timetable, though growing them in separate jars makes it easier to rinse, drain and harvest each at its best. Keeping them apart also lets you manage cleanliness more carefully, which matters with any raw sprout.
Ready to plant? Browse our Broccoli Seeds.