How to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts at Home
Wondering how to grow alfalfa sprouts? It's really easy, and I'll show you how in this quick tutorial - all you need are alfalfa seeds, a jar and some cheesecloth.
Servings: 1 jar full
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Fine meshed sieve
- 1 large mason jar
- Piece of cheesecloth or clean piece of old tights/pantyhose
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon alfalfa seeds
- sea salt
Instructions
- Place seeds in a small bowl. Cover in twice their volume of water and add a pinch of sea salt to help encourage sprouting. Leave seeds to soak on a countertop overnight (or for 6+ hours).
- In the morning, drain and rinse seeds through a fine meshed sieve.
- Place seeds in a mason jar. Cover the jar's mouth with a piece of cheesecloth and secure with an elastic band.
- Leave jar on its side on countertop to allow seeds to spread out and sprout.
- In evening, pour about ½ cup fresh water into the jar (you don't need to remove the cheesecloth for this - I usually just pour the water straight through it).
- Swill water around in jar and then tilt it to drain water out again immediately. Leave jar on its side on countertop to sprout.
- Repeat this 'pouring & swilling' process each morning and evening for about 4 days, until sprouts are roughly 3-5cm in length with green tips.
- Remove sprouts from jar, rinse thoroughly to remove husks and store refrigerated in a sealed container until needed.
- That's it! Use in sandwiches, salads and smoothies. (Sprouts will keep for about 3-4 days if refrigerated.)