4 Delicious Freekeh Recipes

What is freekeh? Well, prepare yourself as we enlighten you one a staple ingredient that has been used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisines to enhance the flavour and smell of a variety of dishes. Freekeh (pronounced as free-kuh or free-kah) is a whole grain that is produced from roasting young, green grains of durum wheat. Freekeh is a great substitute for other grains such as quinoa, as freekeh has a nutty, smoky, and savoury flavour.  

Freekeh can boost the protein and fibre content of your meal. But what am I supposed to do with it? You might ask, well, we will guide you through 4 common yet diverse recipes using freekeh that you and your family or even friends can enjoy on several occasions.

Chicken freekeh recipe

If you are new to using freekeh and want to experience what it would taste like when added to a main course, then chicken freekeh recipe is the recipe for you. This recipe is only prepared in 30 to 40 minutes and is prepared with ingredients that can be found in every kitchen such as chicken breast or thighs, some rice, olive oil, and almonds. So, tune in as we tell you the full list of ingredients and instructions!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of freekeh
• 5 kgs of chicken breasts or thighs
• ½ chopped brown onion
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 cardamom pods
• salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
• 1 finely chopped red onion,
• 1 teaspoon of chicken spices
• butter
• ½ cup of almonds 
• ½ cup of pine nuts 
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Wash the freekeh and take out any stones or burned grains.
2. Place the chicken in a pot and add water to cover it. Add the brown onion, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Put a lid on top and heat until boiling. Cook through after 30 minutes of simmering.
3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove it from the pot, leaving behind a thin layer of stock. Taking off the skin and the bones, shred the meat into large pieces.
4. Reheat the chicken stock to a gentle simmer. Red onion is added to a big saucepan that has been heated with butter or olive oil.   Add the freekeh and stir. Stir in the chicken spices and 1 generous teaspoon of salt. 1 litre of boiling chicken stock should be added and brought to a boil. For 40 minutes, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer.
5. In a big frying pan over medium heat, melt some butter. A mild toasting of the almonds occurs after the addition. Repeat with the pine nuts after removing from the pan. Once more add a knob of butter after removing from the pan.  Along with the chicken pieces, 500 ml of hot stock should also be added. Reheat the chicken while bringing it to a boil
6. Place the freekeh on a sizable serving dish. Sprinkle the nuts over the top, then add the chicken and serve with some basmati or regular rice.

Freekeh breakfast bowl

If you are following a healthy diet and like to include oatmeal in your breakfast, but somehow got bored of it and want a substitute, then, we recommend having freekeh for breakfast. Just like oatmeal, freekeh is also a whole grain that can provide you with the energy boost that you need from breakfast due to its high fibre and protein content. So, stick around as we show you how you can make freekeh your new favourite breakfast meal.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of freekeh
• 2 ¼ cup of coconut milk, or milk
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• For toppings: add your favourite type of dried or fresh fruits or nuts

Instructions

1. Combine freekeh, milk, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepot. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes with the lid on over medium heat. Then leave it to cool.
2. Present in separate bowls. Add your topping of choice. For up to five days, keep leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave, add your own toppings, and have a filling breakfast on the go!

Freekeh pudding with blueberry sauce

Freekeh can also be added to deserts, and what a better way to present freekeh into deserts than in a dish that is eaten by people worldwide. Pudding is a famous desert that is eaten and loved in households of different races. So, keep an open eye and mind for this amazing yet diverse recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups of milk
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons of unsalted butter
• ¼ cup of freekeh, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon corn-starch dissolved in 4 tablespoons of water
• Blueberry Sauce
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Freekeh should be soaked for an hour in warm water to make freekeh pudding. (You can omit this step, but the freekeh will have a softer texture if you do, especially if you use whole freekeh.)
2. Boil freekeh for an hour then set it aside.
3. Add milk and sugar to a saucepan, when they begin to boil, add the butter and freekeh.
4. On medium heat, let it cook for 15 minutes. To keep the milk from burning, stir frequently.
5. Stir in the corn-starch mixture until thickened. Turn off heat after adding vanilla and stirring for a minute.
6. Take the pudding of the heat and refrigerate once it reaches room temperature.
7. Take the pudding out of the refrigerator after it reaches the desired consistency and prepare it for serving by topping it with the blueberry sauce and blueberries.

Freekeh salad with sweet potatoes and pears

This recipe is for vegan food lovers or people who just don’t like meat and poultry. This recipe is a healthy, easy to prepare meal that takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Below, we will guide you through the steps and needed ingredient.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cups of cooked freekeh
• 1 ½ cup of diced pears
• 3 tablespoons of toasted almonds
• ½ cup of chopped baby arugula
• 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup of cooked orca beans
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• a few twists of fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring water to boil in a big pot. For about 10 minutes, cook the diced sweet potatoes until they are tender but not mushy. Drain, then let it cool.
2. Toss the freekeh, sweet potatoes, pears, almonds, arugula, sage, and orca beans in a big bowl.
3. Shake the olive oil, apple cider, salt, and pepper in a compact container with a secure top. Serve after tossing with the salad.

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