Freekeh, Chickpea and Herb Salad Recipe (2024)

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Judith H

I took suggestions from others and added some feta cheese and a handful of Greek olives to the mix. I also threw in a handful of golden currants. The results were delicious!

MsMcK

Loved this salad, made per the recipe. Next time I will use home-cooked chickpeas. Served the leftovers the next day with feta cheese mixed in & roasted eggplant on the side. Sooo tasty!

Barbara Natusch

Loved the flavors in this salad! Healthy, nutty, good combination of herbs, esp. ground cumin seeds.

Cheri

This is a meal, not just a side dish. You can find several brands of freekeh at the vitacost.com store. While you're there, you can buy a lot, really a lot of other products as well.

Sally

I add canned sardines and chopped pistachios, and also I made the chickpeas from dried. Very fulfilling and healthy lunch.

Nancy

This was excellent. My second go used fennel instead of celery and I'll try more changes.

K. McKinin

Just made this as a vegan side dish for Thanksgiving...I tweaked the recipe a bit, including using Harissa spice mixture instead of cumin, which worked well.My main comment is that the amount of oil in the dressing made for a rather greasy end result. Next time I will cut the oil or just add the dressing in stages instead of at once to find the right consistency.Also added some chopped yellow and red bell pepper to the mixture at the end, just to give it a bit more color for the table.

Laura C.

Hard to find the freekeh but worth it -- this was delicious, healthful and fresh!

Alexandra

This is a delicious dish to showcase freekeh, and adaptable to a variety of tastes and preferences. I didn’t have leaves on my celery, so I subbed in baby chard - and, though it’s good as-is, added a small amount of feta I had lying around in the fridge. Toasted walnuts would also be a pleasant touch, but I’ll save that for next time. I doubled the recipe and now have work lunches for the week.

Katy

Followed the recipe to the letter-- toasting the cumin seed then grinding it, fresh mint and parsley, etc-- and it turned out exactly like tabouli. It's freekah tabouli. I don't understand the rave reviews. I added way more cumin, chopped dates, and feta cheese so I could bring it to a dinner and feel like I was giving people something new.

KateNYC

This was terrific and my first experience with freekeh. I substituted thin slices of red onion for the scallions because that's what I had. I added feta as others did and added the dressing with a light hand. It was also excellent as a leftover for lunch the next day. I'll happily make it again but freekeh can be hard to find (and I live in NYC) and pricey, so I think you could easily substitute farro, wheatberries, or even barley although the tender, chewy texture of the freekeh was wonderful.

LJGenovese

Delicious! I made some adjustments as suggested by others: reduced olive oil to 4 Tbsp, used fennel in place of celery, added some olives and feta. My only dilemma was that it took way longer than 25 minutes for the freekeh to absorb the water. I cooked it on low for at least 45 minutes, then skipped the steaming under a dish towel instruction. Next I might reduce the amount of water and will definitely increase the amount of cumin.

PS

This is so easy and delicious. I usually add a tahini sauce for some extra flavor.

Sara Mac

Delicious!

Rose

Rather than adding all that olive oil, I drizzled the salad with walnut oil and added feta. Also added dukkah, an Egyptian spice blend wit ground nuts It was great.

dms

Be careful of stones in the freekeh. I nearly lost a tooth! There's a video online about how to swirl it in water, sort of like panning for gold, only you're panning for small stones.

Christy75

Swapped coriander seeds for cumin and chives/fresh coriander leaves for mint since it was what I had on hand. Added feta as suggested and also added the drained, rinsed chickpeas as the grain was cooking to remove the “can quality”. Phenomenal dish. So glad I randomly picked up the freekeh in the Middle Eastern shop the other day!

Michael

This recipe borders on the sublime, especially with a bit of feta added in. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Kaylé

Excellent recipe to iterate from. I added grilled halloumi and it sets it off so nicely! I love freekeh's smoky taste that adds a little something-something to the experience.

Kelly

Decided to make this because I had some freekeh in the pantry. Short version of craziness... ended up subbing Buckwheat for the freekeh, jicama for the celery, and cutting the oil to 6 teaspoons instead of tablespoons. I'm sure the original is fabulous, but the subbed version was great! Will try freekeh sometime soon.

SashaK

Added feta to the dish. Super flavorful!

LR

Delicious! Couldn't find freekeh, so we made it with bulgar instead. Added chopped kalamata olives and feta

Yoko Kuno

It was good.

Nell

Saute the chickpeas in olive oil first

KateNYC

This was terrific and my first experience with freekeh. I substituted thin slices of red onion for the scallions because that's what I had. I added feta as others did and added the dressing with a light hand. It was also excellent as a leftover for lunch the next day. I'll happily make it again but freekeh can be hard to find (and I live in NYC) and pricey, so I think you could easily substitute farro, wheatberries, or even barley although the tender, chewy texture of the freekeh was wonderful.

efg

I couldn’t find freekeh so I used spelt farro. I’m eating it right now and I’m really enjoying it. I haven’t ever had freekeh só can’t make a comparison, but this seems to work. I also added feta as I’ve seen mentioned in other notes - yum.

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Freekeh, Chickpea and Herb Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is freekeh used for? ›

The grains are pale green/brown in colour and similar in texture to bulgur wheat. They have a rich, nutty, smoky flavour. An excellent addition to soups, stews, salads and pilafs, freekeh can be cooked like rice or barley and works well as a stuffing. Wholegrain freekeh is good for those following a low-GI diet.

How much water to cook freekeh? ›

The freekah to water ratio is 1 to 2.5.

That means that for every 1 cup grain, you'll add 2 ½ cups of water. After you bring the grains and water to a boil, simmer uncovered gently for about 15 to 20 minutes until the water is absorbed.

How to cook freekeh in rice cooker? ›

You can cook Freekeh on the stovetop in a saucepan, or in a rice cooker (on the brown rice setting). Simply use 1 part Freekeh to 2 1/2 parts of boiling water or broth. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until tender.

What is the English name for freekeh? ›

And, in short, it's wheat. Think of freekeh as a “new” ancient grain. It's been a staple in Middle Eastern diets for centuries, but only recently started surging in popularity stateside. Freekeh (sometimes called farik) is wheat that's harvested while young and green.

Is freekeh eaten hot or cold? ›

Simple Freekeh Recipe

Cook freekeh as you would rice. Ramp freekeh up with sauteed onions and vegetables, chickppeas, or cooked chicken and topped with nuts. Freekeh is also delicious served cold, as a salad dressed with vinaigrette and vegetables.

Should freekeh be soaked before cooking? ›

Soaking freekeh overnight shortens the cook time by about 10 minutes and softens the bran, which can help with digestibility, but it's not necessary for a good-tasting final product.

Can freekeh go bad? ›

Cracked freekeh will last for just a few months in your pantry, and should be stored in the fridge or freezer if you want to keep it for longer than that. Once cooked, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Why is freekeh so expensive? ›

Freekeh is technically the name for a specialized process of milling wheat — not the grain itself — a process that is as costly as it is ancient (it dates back to 2,300 B.C.E. in the Middle East) because its production had never been modernized.

Does freekeh cause bloating? ›

It's also unlikely to fit into very low carb diets like the ketogenic diet, as it contains more carbohydrates than these diets typically permit ( 25 , 26 ). Lastly, it's worth noting that if you aren't used to eating much fiber, you may experience bloating, cramps, or diarrhea after eating freekeh.

Can you overcook freekeh? ›

When Freekeh, a smoky ancient grain, becomes overcooked, it often results in a too-soft and mushy texture. Reviving it requires strategic adjustments to water content and flavor enhancements to compensate for the overcooking.

How do you pronounce freekeh? ›

Freekeh (pronounced 'free-kah') is a green-ish cereal made from wheat. The grain is harvested early, before it has fully ripened, and the chaff and skin are burned off, giving the flavour a smoky edge. The grain is then sold whole or cracked - the latter looks like greenish bulgar wheat.

How do you eat freekeh? ›

Enjoy a simple freekeh recipe by tossing the hot cooked grains with lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs. You can also make a hearty hot cereal by topping your freekeh with milk, honey, nuts and fruit. This Freekeh Pilaf with Apricots and Almonds is a slightly more unique freekeh recipe and is sure to please a crowd.

Is freekeh better for you than rice? ›

Nutritionally speaking Freekeh is superior to rice. Compared to brown rice, freekeh has less calories, twice the amount of protein, close to four times the amount of fibre, less carbohydrates and fat, as well as three times more iron than brown rice.

Which is better quinoa or freekeh? ›

If we look at the servings, freekeh has more protein and almost double the fiber of quinoa, which may be why weight loss is a potential benefit — ultimately because you stay fuller longer.

Is freekeh a carb or protein? ›

A 1/4-cup (40-gram) serving of uncooked freekeh contains the following nutrients ( 2 ): Calories: 141. Carbs: 24 grams. Protein: 5 grams.

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