Garden Cress

Garden cress is a delicate, fine-leaved herb with a sharp, peppery bite similar to watercress or rocket. Its tiny leaves and slender stems are typically eaten raw, adding a lively kick to sandwiches, salads, and garnishes. It’s one of the fastest-growing edible plants around, sprouting within days of sowing.

In Australia, garden cress is most commonly encountered as the classic “egg and cress” sandwich filling or as a microgreen garnish at restaurants. It’s also a popular choice for growing on windowsills and in children’s gardening projects, thanks to its almost foolproof germination.

Despite its small size, garden cress packs genuine flavour. A handful scattered over a soft-boiled egg or folded into a cream cheese sandwich adds a fresh, mustard-like sharpness that lifts the whole dish.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Garden cress is grown from seed, typically sown densely on moist soil, cotton wool, or growing mats. The seeds germinate rapidly — often within two to three days — and the plants are harvested young, usually when they’re just a few centimetres tall with their first set of true leaves. The leaves and tender stems are snipped at the base, washed, and sold fresh.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 32kcal
Protein 2.6g
Carbs 4.4g
Fat 0.7g
Fibre 1.1g Sugar 4.4g
Mass Distribution

1 sprig is about 1 g.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.5kg
Freshwater ≈130L
Land ≈0.4m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

peppery salad herb

Classic dishes
  • Egg and cress sandwiches
  • Garden salad
  • Watercress soup

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

made fromGarden Cress, leaves goes well withegg goes well withavocado goes well withcucumber goes well withlemon goes well withwatercress
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