Green Shiso Microgreens
Highly aromatic Green Shiso Microgreens combine tender green leaves, delicate pale stems, and captivating layers of mint, basil, citrus, anise, and warm spice for a distinctive culinary finish.
Choose options
Green Shiso Microgreens
Sale price$18
Highly aromatic Green Shiso Microgreens combine tender green leaves, delicate pale stems, and captivating layers of mint, basil, citrus, anise, and warm spice for a distinctive culinary finish.
Inside This Superpower
Green Shiso Microgreens bring the distinctive character of Perilla frutescens var. crispa to the tender first-leaf stage of growth. Also known as Japanese Perilla, this specialty Asian culinary plant develops vivid green cotyledons, delicate young leaves, and fine, pale stems. Its unmistakable fragrance combines the freshness of mint and basil with notes of anise, citrus, and warm spice, offering an aromatic complexity rarely found in conventional salad greens.
LivFarms cultivates this specialty selection in a precision-controlled growing environment, with careful attention to water, plant nutrition, and harvest quality. The result is a fresh-cut microgreen with a soft, delicate texture and remarkable aromatic presence. Even a modest finishing portion brings distinctive flavor and botanical character to everyday meals and refined culinary presentations.
Explore its culinary character through Elevate and its naturally occurring vitamins, polyphenols, and aromatic plant compounds through Nourish.
- CATEGORY: Microgreens
- VARIETY: Green Shiso (Perilla) Microgreens, True Leaf Market seed selection
- BOTANICAL NAME: Perilla frutescens var. crispa
- WHAT YOU'LL RECEIVE: 4 oz of fresh-cut Green Shiso Microgreens, packaged unwashed in a press-and-seal tray with a film-sealed top.
- STORAGE: Keep in the original sealed tray under the temperature-controlled conditions specified on the package. Protect the delicate leaves from excessive warmth, freezing, moisture loss, and condensation.
- BEST ENJOYED WITHIN: Enjoy as soon as practical after delivery for peak fragrance, vivid green color, tender texture, and distinctive flavor. Follow the freshness date printed on the package.
- SERVING & PREPARATION: Gently rinse under cool running water immediately before use and carefully dry. Enjoy raw or add immediately before serving to preserve the delicate leaves, aromatic compounds, and fresh flavor.
Not All Microgreens Are Grown Equal
Put Your Superpower to Work
Elevate
NUTRITION BY DESIGN
- CHEF'S TASTING NOTES: Green Shiso Microgreens deliver an exceptionally aromatic sensory experience that begins even before the first bite. Their tender green leaves release a delicate fragrance reminiscent of fresh mint and basil, followed by more complex notes of anise, citrus, and warm spice. As the leaves are chewed, the aromatic character develops further, revealing subtle floral qualities, a gentle cinnamon-like warmth, and a clean, lingering herbal finish. Fine, pale stems add light succulence without distracting from the delicate leaves. Unlike many microgreens valued primarily for peppery intensity, Green Shiso offers layered aromatic complexity, making it a distinctive finishing ingredient for chefs and home cooks seeking memorable flavor in a small portion.
- FLAVOR PROFILE: Fresh Mint • Aromatic Basil • Subtle Anise • Bright Citrus • Warm Spice • Lingering Herbal Finish. Green Shiso Microgreens combine several familiar culinary herb characteristics within one exceptionally aromatic young plant. Their flavor opens with fresh green and mint-like notes, develops through basil and anise, and finishes with delicate citrus and warm spice. The balance of these elements complements seafood, mushrooms, eggs, rice, noodles, lightly seasoned vegetables, and creamy ingredients. Because the fragrance is expressive, a modest portion brings distinctive flavor without overwhelming the main ingredients, making Green Shiso particularly effective in refined finishing applications.
- TEXTURE & CULINARY PERFORMANCE: Fine, pale stems support delicate green cotyledons and young leaves, creating a soft, tender texture with light succulence and gentle crispness. Green Shiso Microgreens perform best as an aromatic finishing ingredient, where their fragrance remains fresh and their leaves retain their natural structure. Light citrus dressings, rice vinegar, and restrained vinaigrettes complement their herbal character, while prolonged exposure to heat reduces their distinctive fragrance. Gentle handling preserves the fine stems and soft leaves, making whole clusters especially appealing for carefully composed plates. Add Green Shiso raw or immediately before serving to maintain its aromatic complexity, fresh color, and delicate texture.
- PLATE PERFORMANCE: Vibrant green cotyledons, fine stems, and delicate emerging leaves create natural height, movement, and refined botanical texture in finished dishes. Small clusters provide precise visual accents while contributing a distinctive aromatic layer that extends beyond appearance. Their clean green coloration contrasts beautifully with pale seafood, golden eggs, glossy mushrooms, colorful vegetables, dark grains, and neutral ceramic serving plates. Green Shiso is particularly effective in contemporary Japanese-inspired presentations, where a modest amount adds visual definition and memorable fragrance without concealing the underlying ingredients. Its combination of delicate structure and expressive aroma makes it an exceptional finishing ingredient.
- CULINARY PAIRINGS & FINISHING APPLICATIONS: Green Shiso Microgreens bring distinctive mint, basil, citrus, and anise notes to both everyday meals and sophisticated culinary presentations. For seafood, finish sushi-style plates, salmon, tuna, scallops, or delicate white fish with small clusters of fresh greens. For Asian-inspired dishes, scatter them over completed rice bowls, noodles, dumplings, mushrooms, or lightly seasoned vegetables immediately before serving. For breakfast, pair them with soft eggs, avocado toast, or savory grain bowls, allowing their aromatic freshness to contrast with rich textures. They also complement citrus-dressed salads, roasted vegetables, soups, and composed appetizers. Their expressive fragrance makes them particularly valuable when a small finishing portion is intended to contribute noticeable flavor without requiring a separate sauce or seasoning blend.
Nourish
NUTRITION IN ACTION
- THE COTYLEDON ADVANTAGE: Green Shiso Microgreens are harvested during an early stage of plant development, when tender cotyledons and emerging true leaves support rapid growth and the formation of distinctive aromatic plant compounds. Research specifically examining Perilla frutescens microgreens has identified meaningful accumulation of rosmarinic acid, a naturally occurring phenolic compound also found in several culinary herbs. In a peer-reviewed 2023 study, researchers measured approximately 21.08 mg of rosmarinic acid per gram of dry microgreen material in Perilla plants grown for 20 days under a 16-hour daily light cycle. This laboratory measurement illustrates the phytochemical potential of young Perilla plants, although concentrations vary with growing conditions and do not represent a guaranteed amount in every Green Shiso harvest. The microgreen stage offers a distinctive combination of botanical diversity, nutritional compounds, and aromatic character.
- NUTRITIONAL SNAPSHOT: Green Shiso Microgreens contribute naturally occurring vitamins, plant pigments, polyphenols, and minerals associated with edible Perilla greens. True Leaf Market identifies vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus, among the nutrients associated with its Green Shiso microgreen selection. A peer-reviewed 2024 study comparing green Perilla microgreens with germinated Perilla seeds found that the microgreens had higher concentrations of certain vitamins and polyphenols, while germinated seeds contained greater amounts of several macronutrients and minerals. These findings highlight the nutritional differences between growth stages rather than establishing one form as nutritionally superior in every respect. Their distinctive plant composition and expressive flavor make Green Shiso Microgreens an appealing addition to a diverse whole-food diet.
- BIOACTIVE PLANT COMPOUNDS: Green Shiso belongs to the Lamiaceae family, a botanical group known for aromatic herbs and naturally occurring phenolic compounds. Research specifically on Perilla frutescens microgreens has identified rosmarinic acid and other phenolics during early plant growth, while broader studies of edible Perilla leaves have documented caffeic acid derivatives and flavonoids, including luteolin and apigenin compounds. Perilla plants are also studied for volatile aromatic constituents such as perillaldehyde and limonene, which contribute to the distinctive fragrance associated with shiso. These compounds help explain the plant's unusual combination of mint, basil, citrus, anise, and spice characteristics. Together, its phenolic compounds and aromatic constituents give Green Shiso a distinct botanical identity beyond that of conventional salad greens.
- WHY THIS PLANT MATTERS: Green Shiso Microgreens bring together extraordinary aromatic complexity, naturally occurring plant pigments, vitamins, minerals, and the phenolic compounds associated with edible Perilla plants. Their distinctive mint, basil, citrus, and spice character introduces the Lamiaceae family into meals that might otherwise rely primarily on Brassica vegetables and familiar leafy greens. Published research on Perilla microgreens has documented rosmarinic acid accumulation, while additional studies have identified differences in vitamin and polyphenol composition between young Perilla microgreens and germinated seeds. Their tender texture and expressive flavor make them easy to incorporate into seafood, rice dishes, noodles, vegetables, mushrooms, salads, and composed plates. Green Shiso offers a flavorful way to broaden botanical diversity while bringing a distinctive culinary experience to everyday whole-food nutrition.
