5 Vegetables You Can Regrow Indoors With Just Water & Sunlight

Now more than ever, home is where many of us are seeking refuge and solace in light of the novel coronavirus. This is a tough time, but we’re here for you—whether it’s a new pantry recipe or a useful tip for your kitchen, here are some ideas to make things run a little more smoothly for you and your loved ones.

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It often seems like some form of magic happens in the kitchen: If you shake heavy cream in a jar, it soon becomes butter; if you roast vegetables or citrus, their flavor becomes so much more robust. One simple ingredient can make an entire dish come together instantly, like a pinch of flaky sea salt sprinkled on chocolate or extra-virgin olive oil drizzled over vanilla ice cream (helpful suggestions from Alice Medrich).

But the wonders of the kitchen don't stop once you've finished cooking: Even once you've used however many scallions—or carrots or fennel fronds—as you need in a recipe, the others needn't go in the compost. They can last a long time. A really long time. You just need to regrow them and—here's another miraculous part—it only takes one week.

Here are five vegetables that only need one week of water and sunshine to regrow to a point where you can use them. Which is coming especially in handy while we're self-isolating at home. You should change the water when it gets cloudy, but otherwise, this method requires barely any effort. Just chop, regrow, repeat. 

One week later. (Photo by James Ransom,)

1. Romaine Lettuce

Reserve about 3 inches of the butt of the lettuce. Place, bottom down, in a a cozy mug or bowl that will allow the lettuce to lean without falling over, will hold enough water to cover the bottom half of the lettuce, and will allow sunlight to reach the lettuce. Fill with water until the bottom half of the lettuce is submerged. Put the container in a sunny window. You should see growth by the next day, and you may even have enough to cook with in one week. What’s more, bok choy can be regrown in a similar fashion.

2. Scallions

Chop off the green part of the scallion, using it however you'd like, but leave about an inch of the white bottom intact. Put the stubs in a narrow drinking glass or shot glass so the scallions can lean without falling over. Make sure the container you choose is clear, allowing sunlight to hit the scallion roots. Fill the glass with a bit of water, and place the container in a sunny spot. You should see some exciting growth after a couple of days. One blogger said she bought a bunch of four scallions and has been regrowing and reusing them for two years. Leeks will regrow just as easily as scallions when treated the same way.

3. Fennel

Fennel has such a strong taste that you don’t need more than a few snips of fronds from the bulb to add to salads, dressings, and stocks. Therefore, keeping a bulb on-hand in your kitchen windowsill works perfectly. Place the bulb in a mug or bowl that can hold enough water to cover the bottom half of the bulb while still allowing light to hit it. Fill with an inch or so of water. After one week in a sunny spot, green shoots will sprout from the top.

4. Carrot Greens

You can reserve the tops of carrots and regrow greens from them. Just chop off the tops of the carrots, leaving about a half-inch to an inch of the top. Place in a shallow container, add water, and put in a sunny spot. After a week, you should see some strong carrot greens. And really, all members of the turnip family (beets, turnips, parsnips) can regrow their greens this way, not just carrots.

Not sure what to do with all those carrot greens? You could use them to make a carrot top pesto (drizzle over roasted carrots, mix into pasta, you name it), a green chimichurri for grilled or roasted meats, or a warm chickpea salad.

5. Celery

Don't toss out those celery scraps—you can use 'em to regrow your own stalks in water, and then ultimately plant them in soil. Cut about 11/2 inches to 2 inches above the root base of the celery, and place the root in a shallow bowl filled with water and put it in sunlight. After about a week, you should see little leaves beginning to sprout from the middle.

Other vegetables that can easily be regrown with a bit more time:

• Garlic: You need just one clove of garlic (seriously!) to start growing garlic scapes at home—their taste is mild and sweet, and they make a great addition to aioli, scrambled eggs, and more.

• Lemongrass: Cut a few inches above the bottom of stem and submerge them in a glass filled with about an inch of water. Leave 'em in a sunny spot (adding more water as needed), and in roughly two to three weeks it should start growing roots.

• Basil: If you've got a few basil leaves on hand, then you can rergow yourself a fresh new bunch. Just place a few clippings in a glass filled with water, put it in sunlight, and once the roots grow to about 2 inches, you can plant them in soil.

What vegetables have you regrown in your kitchen? Tell us in the comments below!

This article was updated by the Food52 editors in March 2020.