Recipe: The Alfalfa Salad

Make this simple salad, or turn it into a veggie taco recipe!

We are really excited to share more healthy recipes with you! This salad can easily be thrown together for a quick meal, or can be served as a side. We even got creative and turned the last bit into a vegetarian taco!

The Alfalfa Salad

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

5 minutes

Total Time

15 minutes

This salad features onions, avocado, and cherry tomatoes on a bed of mixed greens – with sprouts! If you’re a fan of sprouts on your sandwiches, they’ll be a game-changer for your salads. You can use any variety – this recipe features Alfalfa Sprouts.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: alfalfa salad, vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 2 servings

Authors: Daniel & Elise Barr

Alfalfa Sprouts

Alfalfa sprouts are among the most common sprout varieties consumed in the U.S. They are sprouted from the tiny brown seeds of the common alfalfa plant, Medicago sativa. The alfalfa plant is a legume, which in its full form, is commonly used as a forage crop for cattle. If left to grow, the alfalfa plant could reach a height of three feet, with small purple flowers spiraling upward.

Approximately 80 million pounds of alfalfa seed are produced each year in the United States. 85% of this production comes from the states of California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. While only a small fraction of these seeds will be sold for use in sprouting facilities, the seeds used for sprouting are not typically distinguished or handled differently than the seeds sold for legume production.

Depending on the variety of seed, sprouts will germinate and grow approximately 3-7 days after seeds have been placed in a warm, humid environment. Certain seed types can take up to 14 days to produce sprouts, while other varieties can produce slightly sprouted product within 48 hours.

Once ready to consume, alfalfa sprouts feature thin and tangled white stalks with deep green leaves. Despite public health warnings, they are typically eaten raw and have a mild flavor and a crunchy texture, which make alfalfa sprouts popular additions to sandwiches and salads on the American lunch plate. Alfalfa sprouts are a rich source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein and dietary fiber.

Source: Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence

Ingredients

• Mixed Greens (baby kale, chard, and spinach)
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Yellow Onion
• Avocado
• Cherry Tomatoes

Directions

• Wash and dry ingredients.
• Cut onion and avocado.
• Plate mixed greens and alfalfa sprouts.
• Top with onion and avocado.
• Cut tomatoes over the dish (so your salad gets dressed in tomato juice).
• Add any other toppings or dressings, to your taste.
• Turn this dish into tacos by adding a warm tortilla!