Featured in this recipe
Micro broccoli looks delicate. It is not. Those slender stems and bright green leaves carry a clean, slightly peppery flavor that holds up beautifully in warm dishes, cold bowls, and everything in between. If a bunch showed up in your order and you're staring at it wondering what's next — this recipe is for you.
We built this bowl around micro broccoli because it deserves a starring role, not just a garnish job. Simple ingredients, big payoff. Let's get into it.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
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Ingredients
For the bowl:
- 1 cup farro or brown rice, dry (cooked according to package directions)
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 an English cucumber, sliced thin
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 large handful (about 1 oz) Gem State Greens micro broccoli
For the lemon-tahini drizzle:
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 2–3 tablespoons warm water (to thin)
- Pinch of salt
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Instructions
1. Cook your grain. Prepare farro or brown rice according to package directions. Season lightly with salt while warm and set aside.
2. Roast the chickpeas. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spread drained chickpeas on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toss with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast for 18–20 minutes until golden and slightly crispy on the outside.
3. Make the drizzle. While chickpeas roast, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing is pourable but still thick.
4. Prep your fresh components. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber, and fan out the avocado. Keep everything separate so the bowl looks intentional when you build it.
5. Build the bowl. Divide warm farro between two bowls. Arrange chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado around the grain. Leave a clear space in the center — that's where the micro broccoli goes.
6. Finish with micro broccoli. Pile a generous handful of Gem State Greens micro broccoli right in the center. Drizzle the lemon-tahini sauce over the entire bowl. Finish with a crack of black pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon if you like.
7. Serve immediately. Micro broccoli wilts quickly with heat, so dress and eat right away for the best texture.
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Chef's Tips
- Don't overcrowd the sheet pan. Chickpeas need space to crisp up. If they're piled together, they'll steam instead of roast. Use a large pan or two smaller ones.
- Tahini brands vary a lot. Some are bitter, some are silky. Taste yours before building the dressing and adjust lemon accordingly.
- Warm grain, cool greens. The contrast of warm farro against fresh micro broccoli is the whole point. Don't let the grain cool completely, but don't add the greens while it's steaming hot.
- Swap the grain freely. Quinoa, white rice, or even a bed of arugula all work. The micro broccoli plays well with almost everything.
- Add a protein. A soft-boiled egg, grilled chicken thigh, or seared salmon all slide into this bowl without disrupting it.
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Why Microgreens
Gem State Greens micro broccoli is grown right here in Idaho under tightly controlled conditions — no pesticides, harvested at peak nutrition. Broccoli microgreens are one of the most studied varieties out there, known for their concentration of sulforaphane, a naturally occurring compound found in the brassica family. That's not marketing language — that's just what broccoli does when it's young and grown well.
Beyond the nutrition story, the flavor is genuinely useful in the kitchen. It's bright and slightly bitter in a way that cuts through rich dressings like tahini and balances the earthiness of roasted chickpeas. Fresh, local, and actually delicious — that's the bar we hold everything to at Gem State Greens, and micro broccoli clears it easily.