5 Mins
02 Feb 2026
There is a stage in a plant's life — just after the seed leaves unfurl, just before the plant commits to growing tall — when flavour is at its most concentrated. That brief window is what gives us microgreens.
What Are Microgreens
Microgreens are young seedlings of vegetables and herbs, harvested anywhere from 7 to 21 days after germination. They are older than sprouts (which are eaten seed and all, before leaves appear) but younger than baby greens. What you get is a tiny plant — usually just the cotyledon leaves and the first set of true leaves — with a surprising intensity of flavour, colour, and texture.
Think of a radish microgreen. It carries the same sharp, peppery bite as a full-grown radish, but in a delicate leaf you can scatter across a plate. A sunflower microgreen tastes distinctly nutty. Beetroot microgreens are earthy and slightly sweet, with deep magenta stems that look striking against almost anything.
This is not garnish for the sake of garnish. The flavour is real.
Why Chefs Reach for Them
Walk into a serious kitchen — whether it is a fine-dining restaurant or a neighbourhood bistro that cares about its plates — and you will likely find microgreens in regular rotation. There are a few reasons for this.
First, flavour range. Microgreens can be peppery (mustard, radish), herbal (basil, coriander), earthy (beetroot, Swiss chard), or nutty (sunflower, pea shoots). That range gives chefs a precise tool for finishing a dish. A squeeze of lemon adjusts acidity; a pinch of microgreens adjusts flavour, colour, and texture all at once.
Second, visual impact. Microgreens bring colour that is hard to get otherwise — the purple of red amaranth, the vivid green of pea shoots, the deep red of beetroot stems. When a chef places them on a plate, they are not decorating. They are completing.
Third, texture. In a world of purées, foams, and slow-cooked softness, microgreens add a clean, crisp bite. That contrast matters more than most people realise.
Beyond the Restaurant Kitchen
You do not need a chef's training to use microgreens well. The simplest approach is also the best: add them to food you already make.
Scatter sunflower or pea shoot microgreens over a dal or a soup just before serving. Toss a handful of radish or mustard microgreens into a raita or a salad for a sharp kick. Use basil microgreens on bruschetta, pizza, or anything with tomato. Fold coriander microgreens into a chaat or a wrap.
The key is to add them last. Microgreens are best raw or barely wilted — heat dulls their flavour and defeats the purpose.
A mix of different microgreens works particularly well when you want variety without buying five separate packs. At Krishi Cress, we grow over twenty varieties on our own farms and offer ready-made mixes — a rainbow mix for colour and mildness, a spicy mix for heat — so you can experiment without committing to a single flavour.
How to Store Them
Microgreens are delicate, but they hold up well if you treat them right. Keep them refrigerated in their original packaging. Do not wash them until you are ready to use them — moisture is the enemy. Stored properly, they stay fresh for several days.
If you notice them starting to wilt, a quick soak in cold water for a few minutes can revive them. But the best strategy is simply to use them often. Once you start, you will find places for them everywhere.
A Small Leaf, A Lot of Character
Microgreens are easy to underestimate. They are small. They look gentle. But they carry the full identity of the plant they come from — compressed into something you can hold between two fingers.
At Krishi Cress, we grow them the way we grow everything: on our own farms, harvested fresh, and delivered before they lose the thing that makes them worth eating in the first place.
