Tender, threadlike sprouts of the alfalfa legume — fresh, mildly nutty, and mostly used raw in sandwiches and salads, despite occasional safety concerns about raw sprouts.
A legume sprout
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial flowering legume — the most-grown forage crop in the world, used primarily as cattle feed. The young sprouts of the seed, eaten by humans, are a separate niche: high-protein, fresh-tasting, with a mild green flavor that pairs well with crisp vegetables.
The Arabic name al-faṣfaṣa (meaning “the best fodder”) gave us the English word.
Salad-bar ubiquity
Alfalfa sprouts joined the American salad bar in the 1970s as part of the broader sprout-cuisine wave, alongside mung bean sprouts and broccoli sprouts. They’re still found on:
- Vegetarian sandwiches
- Salad mixes
- Garnishes on Mexican tortas
- Wrap toppings
Food safety caveat
Raw sprouts (alfalfa, mung bean, clover) have been linked to multiple Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks because the warm, humid sprouting conditions are ideal for bacterial growth. The U.S. FDA recommends that pregnant people, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals cook sprouts before eating. For most healthy adults, raw sprouts are reasonable; rinsing well and using fresh sprouts mitigates most risk.
Beyond sprouts
The mature alfalfa plant has been used as a leafy herb in some Persian and Indian cooking, and alfalfa flour is occasionally added to baking for protein content — though these uses are niche compared to the sprout.