Best 15 Freekeh Recipes

CHORBA HAMRA BEL FRIK (ALGERIAN LAMB, TOMATO, AND FREEKEH SOUP)

Steps:

• Place freekeh in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside.
• Combine lamb, onion, pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and salt in a pot. Add oil, 1/2 of the cilantro, 1/2 of the mint, and celery and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and cover with a little water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add tomato paste, zucchini, and carrot and mix well.
• Set a steamer over the pot and add tomatoes. Cover and steam tomatoes until soft, about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes using a wooden spoon so pulp drips into the soup. Discard leftover tomato peels. Add potato and enough water to cover. Simmer until potato is soft, about 10 minutes.
• Drain freekeh and add to the soup. Simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove celery stalk. Sprinkle soup with remaining cilantro and mint before serving.

HOW TO COOK FREEKEH

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add freekeh and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until freekeh is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Use immediately or spread on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

THE SHORBA FREEKEH OF ALGERIA

Steps:

• Blend tomatoes, onions, serrano pepper, anaheim pepper, zucchini, and garlic together in a blender until vegetables are completely pureed.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook lamb and beef with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until lamb is cooked through and browned on all sides, about 25 minutes.
• Stir vegetable puree, vegetable bouillon, cumin, black pepper, paprika, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper into lamb mixture. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors begin to blend, about 35 minutes.
• Pour water and tomato paste into lamb mixture. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until lamb starts to tenderize, about 1 1/2 hours. Add freekeh; simmer until freekeh is incorporated into the soup, about 30 minutes.
• Stir peas and butter into soup. Remove pot from heat and stir cilantro into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and squeeze lemon juice into bowls.

CHICKEN WITH KALE AND FREEKEH-LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• For vinaigrette:
• Stir cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add vinegar and garlic. Let stand for 30 seconds. Transfer to a blender; add oil and next 3 ingredients. Purée. Season with salt.
• For pilaf and chicken:
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt. Working in 2 batches and adding 1 tablespoon oil between batches, cook chicken in single layers until browned on both sides and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Remove pan from heat; add 1/4 cup water. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Scrape sauce into a bowl.
• Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Discard garlic. Working in 3 batches and adding more oil as needed, add kale to skillet and toss until wilted, 1-2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large bowl. Season lightly with salt. Cover to keep warm.
• Add freekeh and lentils to same skillet. Increase heat; stir until warm, 2-3 minutes.
• Spoon pilaf onto plates. Top with chicken. Whisk juices from plate with chicken into sauce; drizzle over chicken and pilaf. Top with kale.

FREEKEH SOUP FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in freekeh and toast for 3 minutes. Add carrot, celery leaves, parsley, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until freekeh is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Allow soup to rest for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND FREEKEH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large braiser or straight-sided ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook, skin-sides down, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and brown on other sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in freekeh and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and thyme. Return chicken to pan; add tomatoes and olives. Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and roast in oven until freekeh is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes; serve.

FREEKEH WITH CHICKEN, ALMONDS AND YOGURT

Steps:

• Pick over freekeh and rinse in cold water until water looks clear. Soak grain in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add almonds and fry, stirring, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove almonds and set aside.
• Add butter to oil. When hot, add freekeh and stir to coat. Add allspice, cinnamon stick, pepper and salt.
• Add broth, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. (Whole-grain freekeh will take 40 to 45 minutes.) From time to time, give freekeh a stir and make sure it isn't sticking. All liquid should be absorbed, as it would in cooking rice, and freekeh should be tender. If not, add a little water and cook for a few minutes longer. Taste for salt and adjust. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chicken: Season the meat on both sides generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cinnamon and allspice and rub over chicken.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Gently fry chicken on both sides until nicely browned. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Turn off heat and keep warm.
• To serve, spoon freekeh onto a warm platter. Lay chicken on top and ladle remaining cooking liquid over. Top with reserved fried almonds. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Pass a bowl of yogurt.

FREEKEH

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring freekehand 10 cups well-salted waterto a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until grains aretender but still chewy, about 45minutes. Remove from heat andstir in garlic. Let cool slightly. Pourfreekeh and cooking liquid ontoa rimmed baking sheet to cool.

FREEKEH SALAD

Steps:

• To a small saucepan set over high heat, add the water, freekeh, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the freekeh is tender and has absorbed all of the water, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the freekeh to a rimmed baking sheet and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the vinegar, sumac and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir in the shallot and set aside to macerate.
• Fill a large saucepan with water, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower, return to a boil, and cook until the cauliflower is al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the cauliflower into a colander, then transfer to a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
• To the shallot mixture, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil while whisking constantly, until the vinaigrette is creamy and blended.
• Add the cucumbers to a large bowl along with the freekeh, cauliflower, dill and the vinaigrette. Toss to combine, taste, and serve with more salt if needed.
• OPTIONS: If you'd like to add more texture, skip the blanching and roast the cauliflower on high heat for a few minutes, until it browns. Scheiblauer suggests replacing the cucumber with diced melon or tomato later in the summer.
• Feel free to get a little freekeh!

LATE SUMMER FREEKEH WITH SOY BEANS, PEPPERS AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Drain and rinse freekeh, cook with ample water for 10/12 minutes until al dente and not soggy. Drain and place in large bowl with a table spoon of olive oil. Drain and rinse soybeans and cook for 20/30 minutes. Drain and add to freekeh. In the mean time, wash and dice the eggplant. Cook in pan with some olive oil until just soft. Can add some pepper to taste. Wash and dice peppers and cook separately in the same pan. Add eggplant and peppers to the freekeh, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half, add them to freekeh mixture. Also add the raisins, after draining the water. At this point, make a pesto of the basil/parsley and pine nuts/almonds in a food processor or with pestle and mortar, adding some olive oil and lemon juice. Alternatively simply chop the basil or parsley and add to the mixture, and toast the pine nuts and almonds and add them too. Mix all ingredients and possibly add a couple of table spoons of olive oil to taste. Half a table spoon of sherry vinegar is a good finishing touch, but it is not essential. Another nice touch involves adding some pitted kalamata olives sliced in half. Let the dish stand for at least 2/3 hours at room temperature before serving. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight. Keeps a good week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

RED PEPPER RICE, BULGUR OR FREEKEH WITH SAFFRON AND CHILE

Steps:

• Rub saffron between your fingers and place in a small ramekin. Cover with 1 tablespoon hot water. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a deep, lidded skillet or a wide, lidded saucepan. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peppers and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chile, paprika, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down and softened a bit.
• Add rice, bulgur or freekeh and stir to coat with tomato mixture. Add saffron with its soaking water, water, more salt to taste, parsley and marjoram, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, or until water has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat, uncover and place a towel across the top of the pan. Return lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot, with remaining olive oil drizzled over the top.

FREEKEH EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Bring water, freekeh, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
• While the freekeh is cooking, heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, russet potatoes, carrots, sweet potato, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes. Add cooked freekeh and simmer for 10 minutes more.

FREEKEH PAELLA WITH CLAMS AND ALMOND AIOLI

Steps:

• Almond aioli:
• Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Let cool.
• Pulse almonds and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely ground. With motor running, gradually stream in oil, lemon juice, then 1/4 cup water; process, adding water as needed, until aioli is light, smooth, and consistency of mayonnaise; season with salt. Cover; chill.
• Do ahead: Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Paella:
• Pulse onions in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a large bowl. Repeat, separately, with carrots, garlic, and chile, adding to bowl with onions as you go. Pulse chorizo in food processor until finely ground.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium and cook chorizo, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a plate.
• Add vegetables and bay leaf to skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until moisture is evaporated and vegetables have started to brown, 12-15 minutes; this is your flavor base.
• Add freekeh and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in chorizo and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, adding more water if liquid evaporates too quickly, until grains are al dente and almost all liquid is absorbed, 45-50 minutes. Nestle clams in freekeh and cover skillet. Cook until clams open, 7-10 minutes; discard any that don't open, along with bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until clam juices evaporate and freekeh is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Top with pickled peppers and parsley; serve with aioli and lemon wedges.

FREEKEH, CHICKPEA AND HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and add freekeh. Toast in the dry pan, shaking pan or stirring, until freekeh becomes fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until water has been absorbed. Turn off heat and uncover. Place a clean dish towel over the pot and return lid. Let sit at least 10 minutes. Uncover and allow freekeh to cool another 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine freekeh, chopped herbs, celery, scallions and chickpeas and toss together. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, garlic, salt and olive oil; toss with salad. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Serve right away or let sit for up to 1 hour before serving.

TOMATO FREEKEH

Steps:

• Rinse and drain freekeh. Place freekeh in a bowl with enough water to cover; soak for 10 minutes. Drain.
• Stir vegetable broth, water, and olive oil together in a large pot; bring to a boil. Stir freekeh, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt, and black pepper into vegetable broth mixture; bring mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer freekeh mixture, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour. Remove freekeh from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.