How to Grow Sprouts
A basic guide to growing your own sprouts at home—required equipment, which seeds to choose, how to sprout seeds, and how to store sprouts.
Yield: 4
Cost: $4
Equipment
- Wide mouth mason jar
- Sprouting lid (or cheesecloth and a rubber band)
- Mesh strainer
Materials
- 2 tablespoons sprouting seeds
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Rinse seeds well with cool tap water.
- Transfer seeds to a mason jar and cover with ½ cup filtered water. Screw on the sprouting lid to keep out dust and let soak for 6–8 hours.
- The next day, drain the seeds and give them a good rinse. Replace the sprouting lid, and place the seeds lid-side down in a well-ventilated spot that’s away from heat and direct sunlight. Rinse and drain thoroughly every 8-12 hours.
- After about 5 days (it will depend on the type of seeds you used, but 5 days is about average), place your sprouts in indirect sunlight for a few hours; the leaves will develop chlorophyll and turn green.
- Soak your finished sprouts in a large bowl of water and agitate them gently so the seed hulls loosen and float to the top; skim the hulls off, then spread the seeds on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let them dry thoroughly.
- Store sprouts in a jar or produce bag in the refrigerator and consume within 3 to 4 days.
Notes
Before you even get started, you need to make sure your sprouting container has been sanitized well. If using a mason jar, submerge the jar in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then remove the jar, and place it upside down on a wire cooling rack to dry thoroughly. You also want to make sure your sprouting lid is sanitized, so go ahead and clean that with warm soapy water, and let it dry thoroughly as well.