What is Freekeh?
Uncooked freekeh in the green bowl, bottom left
Freekeh is young wheat, like edamame are young soybeans. Both are harvested when the grain/seed is just matured but still green. Traditionally, to make freekeh, farmers harvested the green wheat and left it in the field to sun-dry. After the plants were dry, the farmers carefully set them on fire so that only the straw and chaff burned away, giving the remaining grains a smoky flavor. Sometimes the grains were cracked with a stone mill to make them faster to cook.
Today, almost no freekeh is burned in the fields with controlled fires. It’s dried, roasted, and cracked in plants with modern equipment. Most freekeh grains don’t have a perceptible smoky flavor, but the roasting process gives them a nice nutty taste. (Fire Grain brand is one that is still processed the traditional way.)
Nutrition
Freekeh is a whole grain and provides a good dose of fiber (8 grams in 1/4 cup uncooked Bob’s Red Mill freekeh) and protein (7 grams in 1/4 cup uncooked). Since it is wheat, it contains gluten.
How to use freekeh
Freekeh’s fluffy, chewy texture makes it ideal for salads, sides, soups, and pilafs. It goes particularly well in Middle Eastern dishes but works well with many different cuisines and flavors.
Freekeh cooks up relatively quickly—another advantage. On the stove, you bring it to boil with water (2.5 cups water or broth to 1 cup freekeh), then cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
Here are five ideas for using freekeh.
In breakfast porridge—I recommend using half freekeh and half steel-cut oats. (Use my Overnight (or Instant Pot) Chai-Flavored Hot Cereal for cooking guidelines for stovetop, Instant Pot, or microwave; you can leave out the chai flavorings if you wish.)
As the star in a main-dish salad, like my Freekeh Salad with Roasted Vegetables or in tabbouleh (instead of bulgur), or added to a bean salad.
As a side dish—simply cooked in vegetable broth—or as part of a Buddha bowl instead of rice.
In a soup—add to my Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup, Instant Pot Black Bean Soup, or Simple Pinto Bean Soup or use freekeh instead of pasta or rice in any soup recipe.
With greens: quickly cook chopped spinach or chard with garlic in a non-stick skillet with a bit of water; add cooked freekeh, optional currants or raisins; stir, heat, and season as desired.
Where to find freekeh
Freekeh is not available in all grocery stores, but it’s worth a check at your supermarket. Bob’s Red Mill is the most common brand. Bob’s and other brands are easy to find online or at Middle Eastern markets.