Brassica oleracea var. italica
Broccoli microgreens have earned a dedicated following among health-conscious Austinites — and for good reason. ChefPax grows Waltham 29 Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), a classic open-pollinated variety known for its reliable germination and clean, mild brassica flavor.
Seeded at 1.5 oz per 10×20 tray and harvested in 8–10 days when the cotyledons are flat, green, and fully developed, broccoli microgreens are the workhorse of our health-focused crop lineup. They're mild enough to blend invisibly into smoothies, sturdy enough to hold up in cold salads, and nutritionally dense enough to justify the hype.
The key compound driving the nutritional conversation around broccoli microgreens is sulforaphane — a glucosinolate found in concentrations 10–100 times higher in microgreens than in mature broccoli heads. Whether you're juicing them, adding them to a daily smoothie, or using them as a mild finishing green on salads, these greens deliver.
Broccoli microgreens taste mildly earthy with a clean brassica finish — similar to the freshest part of a raw broccoli floret, but lighter and more delicate. There's a hint of vegetal sweetness, none of the bitterness that cooked broccoli can carry, and a crisp, tender texture that makes them easy to incorporate raw into almost any dish.
Broccoli microgreens are one of the most nutrient-studied microgreens in the scientific literature. They're rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and sulforaphane — a compound with well-documented antioxidant properties. Sulforaphane concentrations in microgreens are significantly higher than in mature broccoli; even a small daily serving contributes meaningfully to your intake.
For a deeper look at vitamins and phytonutrients studied across varieties, see the microgreens nutrition guide.
Your ChefPax broccoli tray arrives live and ready to snip. Keep in indirect light at room temperature and snip what you need — cotyledons first, then continue snipping over 5–7 days. Broccoli microgreens prefer slightly cooler environments; if your kitchen runs warm, a spot away from direct sun works best.
Full storage tips — container types, fridge placement, and shelf life by crop — are in the microgreens storage guide.
18 min
Bright lemon pasta tossed with earthy broccoli microgreens for a fresh, nutritious meal.
25 min
Tender grilled steak topped with fresh broccoli microgreens for a burst of flavor and nutrition.
Yes — research has consistently shown that broccoli microgreens contain sulforaphane precursors at 10–100 times the concentration found in mature broccoli. The concentrations vary by growing conditions and seed variety, but the difference is substantial.
Mildly — they have a clean, fresh brassica taste without the strong smell of cooked broccoli. Many people who don't enjoy the flavor of cooked broccoli find broccoli microgreens completely palatable, especially in smoothies where the flavor is further diluted.
Eat them raw — cooking destroys sulforaphane and vitamin C. Add them to smoothies, salads, or use as a raw garnish at the end of cooking. Blending activates more sulforaphane than eating whole, so smoothies are a particularly effective delivery method.
