
Pea sprouts are $5 at the local grocery store. Such a tiny bunch. Barely enough for one salad. Since I’m not paying that exorbitant price I learned to sprout.
I’m so glad I did! Nothing could be easier or cheaper than sprouting peas and beans in a jar.
What speaks “spring” to you? For me, it’s the return of the ducks from the south, muddy boots and fresh peas. Is that why peas are always on the menu for Easter?
There’s a plethora of choices when it comes to sprouting. For beginners, it’s a good idea to start sprouting with peas and beans.
If you like the taste and experience, then move on to broccoli, red clover and radish.
Low in calories and high in protein, sprouting is simple, healthy, and easy to do. In just 4-5 days, you have fresh grown vegetables for your salad. Talk about farm to table.
Let’s sprout today! Here’s how.

Why bother sprouting peas and beans?
Sprouts are seeds that have germinated and become very young plants. The process is called sprouting. Sprouts are eaten for a special green treat.
Investing a few minutes of your time and a few bucks in equipment can produce tasty and economical vegetables at home.
Best of all, spouting peas and beans in a jar can be done year-round for fresh and crispy veggies when you least expect it. Nothing is growing in my garden from January through April but sprouts can be grown anytime indoors.
Think you don’t already eat sprouts? Re-think that! Ever munch on the inch-long and thread-like gangly sprouts at the salad bar? How about the three-inch noodle-like mung sprouts in your favorite chop suey?
Big emphasis on fresh veggies. Today’s mass produced vegetables are coated with a multitude of chemicals, picked before they are ripe, shipped thousands of miles and stored for many days on trucks and grocery store shelves before you consume them.
By the time you eat those white-tipped strawberries, they don’t have much nutritional value or flavor.
So by sprouting peas and beans in a jar, you have 100% eliminated agricultural pesticides and preservatives from your food. You are eating the healthiest and freshest food possible grown in the privacy and comfort of your own home!
Your kids or grandkids will love sprouting and it counts as the science lesson of the week. Plus, those of us who are impatient only have to wait 4-5 days to enjoy the fruits of our labor instead of months as is the case with most garden grown veggies.

How to use pea and bean sprouts
Sprouts are super nutritious and can be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouts boast those famous B vitamins and other minerals including iron, potassium, folate, manganese, thiamin, niacin, vitamin C and riboflavin.
Sprouting peas and beans add a bit of crispness to your recipes. I use them mostly raw in salads or to make my sandwich healthier and prettier. Ditto for that omelet.
Sprouts are also easily incorporated into stews, soups and stir-fries.
No fresh green salad or pasta salad is complete without a few sprouts on top. And your daily smoothie will thank you for a dollop of sprouts on top in lieu of the more traditional whipped cream.
Finally cook sprouts with quinoa, rice, vegetables or any grain for a complete meal or a unique side dish to pass at the neighborhood party.

Where do I get seeds to sprout?
There are lots of easy and fairly cheap places to get sprouts.
The quickest place will be any grocery store. The seeds, legumes or grains are usually located in the Mexican, Asian or rice aisle.
But they may or may not have organic seeds which are vital. Your local natural health food store will almost always carry a great selection.
International food stores or the international food section of your local grocery store is always a safe bet. Check the Asian/Indian section in particular for a wider choice.
Your local grocery store may also have a natural/organic section to check out. The cheapest option is always going to be the bulk section. The easiest option is to buy sprouting seeds online.

Supplies needed for sprouting peas and beans
- Sprouting seeds. Peas, beans, mung or garbanzo are the easiest to start with for first time sprouters
- Sprouting jar with a stainless steel screen and lid. I LOVE this jar and always use it with much success!
- Filtered or purified water
- Citric acid powder
*You can’t just sprout any old seed from a seed packet. Those won’t work. Seeds packed for garden planting and those packaged for sprouting have different standards.
Sprouting seeds must be prepared in a food-grade facility that ensures no contamination comes across the seed. Garden seed could potentially become a breeding ground for pathogens that could make you sick.
So only use seeds specifically labelled, packaged and sold as sprouting seed. Purchase high-quality, untreated, non-genetically modified (non-GMO) seeds, grains, or legumes that have been tested for germination.
I use a jar designed specifically for sprouting that has a metal mesh lid. But a Mason Jar or bowl could be made to work.
The process will still work if you ventilate the container properly. You’ll have to make a plastic wrap “lid” and poke holes in the top for air circulation.
But if you plan on sprouting multiple times, buying a sprouting jar for $5-$6 makes a lot of sense!

Method for sprouting peas and beans in a jar
- Place two tablespoons of sprouting seed or 1/4 cup of legumes/grains/peas/beans in a sprouting jar with three times as much water as seed. Soak overnight. For many small seeds, five hours of soaking is sufficient. If you have it, adding a teaspoon of citric acid powder will help hinder spoilage.
- The next morning, drain the water from the jar. Rinse seeds in fresh, lukewarm water and drain again. Once you have thoroughly drained your seeds, place your jar in a warm (70 degrees F) and dark place. A pantry or closet work well or even the dark corner of your kitchen counter top. I put mine in a box.
- Continue to rinse and drain seeds twice a day until they are about an inch long. Just because I’m silly, I sniff mine with each rinse to make sure they smell fresh. If for whatever reason, they don’t, I compost them and start again. In hot and dry weather, you may need to rinse the seeds three times a day. Turn jar over gently. Overturning the jar rapidly will cause shifting in the sprouting seeds. This can break the tender shoots and kill the sprout. This breakage causes the sprout spoil.
- Sprouts should be ready to eat in 3-5 days, depending on the seed used. But taste them each day to see if you like them! Put in sunlight on the last day to add chlorophyll turning them green and giving them extra nutrients. Yippee-skippee. After the sprouts have “greened up” (1-2 days) transfer them to a lidded container lined with a paper towel. Store in fridge. Bon appetit.
Insider tip: Some people save the water used from rinsing the sprouts as a treat for their house plants!

Are sprouts safe?
Yes! You may have a few concerns over salmonella or bacteria growth but using safe kitchen practices is always the same whether you are growing sprouts in your kitchen or handling any other food.
It always helps to buy certified organic sprouting seeds so you can enjoy sprouts safely.
Sanitation is always at the forefront. Make sure your sprouting jar and lids are clean and sterilized just as you would any canning jar.
Never eat sprouts that look or smell weird. If they smell bad, turn a strange color, or grow mold toss them in the compost bin and start again. This can happen if your jar wasn’t cleaned properly or the sprouts are not rinsed enough.
Eat sprouts within 3-4 days of sprouting and always store in an airtight container always in the fridge.
And as an added safety warning, pregnant woman or nursing mothers should never consume sprouts just to play it safe.
Final tip: It’s important to avoid excess moisture during the sprouting process. If indoor humidity is 70% or greater….sprouting is a no-go.

Sprouting Timetable
Seed | Quantity | Yield | Daily Rinses | Growing Time | Best Sprout Length |
Alfalfa (salads) | 2 tbsp | 1 qt | 2 | 5 days | 1-2′ |
Alfalfa seed (baking) | 1/4 cup | 1 cup | 2 | 24 hours | 1/8″ |
Broccoli seed | 1 tbsp | 2 cups | 2 | 4 days | 1″ |
Fenugreek seed | 1/4 cup | 4 cups | 2 | 5 days | 3″ |
Mung beans | 1 cup | 4 cups | 4 | 3-4 days | 2-3″ |
Radish | 1 tbsp | 2 cups | 2 | 3-5 days | 1/2-1″ |
Red Clover | 3 tbsp | 1 qt | 2 | 4 days | when sprout is green |
Sunflower seeds | 1 cup | 3 cups | 2 | 24 hours | 1/2″ |
Wheat | 1 cup | 4 cups | 3 | 3 days | 1/2″ |

I have a sprouting mix and a jar, and I keep thinking I should start making my own again! I will try adding Citric acid and see what the end result is as I have never done that before 🙂
Good to know, will try soon.
this is a great idea
I need to do this
I’m not a rabbit. Thanks for the article. I’m sure it will help the healthy eating folks. Everyone might not have citric acid powder on hand. Would some lemon juice work?
This is an awesome idea. Thank you so much for sharing this!
I used to do this all the time. I ike sprouts.Hubby does not care for sprouts. He is no fun
Great idea!
The wonder and beauty of nature is within sprouts.
Gonna try this thanks!!
wonder of nature, thanks for the info
What a great learning experience for my kiddos!
This looks really neat and I bet the kids would love to watch the sprouting
About 3 months ago when I grew some indoors.
This looks like a fun family project. I didn’t know you could sprout peas.
The limit on humidity could make sprouting impossible for me here in FL, but I will try it. I used to do this but got out of the habit.
I learn so much from your site…I just love you guys!
Wow seems like fun
Sprouting guides are always handy. Definitely going to have to try this one.
I had no idea that sprouting could be done so easily. Thanks for sharing this information.
I am going to try this out. Thanks!
I’m definitely Going to try this out. Thank you for the info!!
Looks easy! Im going to try this!
Good article for the health conscious. I’m not. 🙂
I am going to try this in my garden this year
Thank you for suggesting “citric acid powder,” which I’ve not used; but, am willing to try. We began sprouting seeds shortly after we were married, as my husband loved them on sandwiches & as a salad topper. We bought the solid plastic twist on lids for mason jars shortly thereafter for the added convenience. We’ve not done sprouting lately, yet when I mentioned it to my husband, he said he’s all in! I hope this means we’ll return to our marital weight. Ha, ha! We will enjoy this.
I have never add citric acid powder to my sprouts but I will try this. Thanks for all your great tutorials.
I adore sprouts and will have to try this! It sounds like fun.
Thanks
I’m going to have to try this. Thanks for info.
Thanks for the informative tutorial – I have enough confidence because of the information to try this at home! Will invest in a sprouting jar! It will be so nice to have organic clean sprouts for my family!
Interesting article.
I am probably not going to do this!
What a great time saver for plants to grow. Thank you so much for sharing.
I never tried sprouts, but I can now! Thanks for this BLOG.
My grandkids would have such fun doing this.
I love sprouting.
Can’t wait to try this with my kid!
Never tried this before but I sure will now .
I never heard of a sprouting jar. wow. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Sprouted vegetables are very healthy when one is trying to help one’s immune system
I used to sprout my own beans. I don’t know why I stopped. I will do it again. Thanks for the reminder.
This is good to know and sprouting in as little as 3 days, wow!
I’ll have to try it!
I didn’t know it was that easy!
I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. It works well.
I’ve never done this in my life nor ever heard about it. Good to know different tips and tricks from other bloggers.
I do not know much about sprouting. But this is a wonderful idea! My daughter would love to try this!
That’s awesome! It reminded me of science in school. We used garbanzo beans. I think I’ll give it a try since the doc said I have to start eating better. Does a sprout and ice cream sandwich count?
Great article, thanks
Love bean sprouts. Have not tried spouting peas yet.
This is so neat, thank you for sharing! I love peas and green beans and growing my own veggies.