This Freekeh Salad recipe is filled with flavor, protein, and lots of delightful ingredients. Topped with a tangy Greek yogurt and lemon juice dressing, it’s a refreshing salad that can be served warm or cold.
I’m so excited about this week’s ingredient feature: ancient grains! And we’re kicking it all off with freekeh! I know what you’re thinking… what is this mysterious rice-looking ingredient? Well, it’s just like rice, only… it’s different.
Freekeh is a grain commonly used in North African and Eastern Mediterranean dishes. It comes from smoking durum wheat grains and is filled with nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
The cool thing about freekeh is that it’s really easy to incorporate into recipes that you already know, because you can essentially use it anywhere you’d use rice, quinoa, or bulgur (and then some)!
Because of it’s flavor and texture, freekeh is sometimes referred to as a cereal and is actually delicious with yogurt or in cereal. But today, we’re keeping it simple by incorporating freekeh into a salad and topping it with a good ol’ yogurt dressing!
Ingredients in this freekeh salad recipe
Our freekeh salad is made by combining savory, sweet, and tangy ingredients together to form a robust flavor combo. For the salad itself, we’re mixing pistachios, raisins, mint, and parsley, and for the dressing using Greek yogurt and lemon juice.
For the Salad
- Freekeh: We’ll begin by cooking 1 cup of freekeh which will serve as the base of the salad.
- Vegetable Broth: Use 2 ½ cups of veggie broth to cook the freekeh for extra flavor. You can use water if preferred, but I love the extra element of flavor that broth provides!
- Pistachios: ¼ cup of shelled and chopped pistachios add an interesting (but completely delicious) crunchy touch.
- Raisins: Add a bit of sweetness with ¼ cup of raisins. You can use red or golden raisins here.
- Herbs: For extra herby flavor, add 2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped mint and parsley.
- Pepper: Finally, complete the salad portion of the recipe with ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
For the Dressing
- Greek Yogurt: The tangy, light, and refreshing dressing begins with ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt. You can also use your favorite dairy-free alternative.
- Garlic: For a kick of flavor, include 3 cloves of minced garlic.
- Lemon Juice: Add that zesty lemon flavor with 1 teaspoons of lemon juice (fresh is best!)
- Salt: Last but not least, finish things off with ¼ tsp of salt.
While I love the creamy element of this dressing, the salad is also delicious without it! You can omit the dressing entirely or just omit the yogurt, stirring the garlic, lemon juice, and salt into the salad.
How to make freekeh salad with yogurt dressing
Freekeh salad is made in 3 quick steps that require a total of 15 minutes. If this is your first time cooking with freekeh, don’t worry! It’s made like rice or quinoa: just boil, simmer, and fluff.
Step 1: Cook the freekeh
Combine the freekeh and broth in a medium pan. Bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the freekeh is tender. Let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes, and then drain the excess moisture from the pot. Finally, fluff the freekeh with a fork.
Step 2: Prepare the dressing
Meanwhile, stir together the dressing ingredients, which consist of the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
Step 3: Assemble
Finally, toss together the cooked freekeh and all of the remaining salad ingredients and stir in the dressing. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
What to serve with freekeh yogurt salad
Though freekeh salad can be pretty filling on its own, you can never go wrong with some tasty sides. So what to pair it with, you ask? Well, that all depends on the mood and feel you’re going for!
- Light & Airy: Want to keep things healthy? Stick to refreshing veggie sides like Greek Salad Sushi or Watermelon Steak.
- Savory: Need something with more of a kick? Go for Mediterranean Layered Hummus Dip or Baba Ganoush.
- Filling: Want a larger side, or to use the salad as the side? Pair it with Acorn Squash Soup or Caprese Paninis!
- Indulgent: Finally, go the more indulgent route with Mozzarella Sticks or Buffalo Dip! YUM.
More protein-rich recipes
Whether getting your protein from quinoa, bulgur, or freekeh, all are great options that leave you feeling full and energized. Here are some of my favorite recipes!
- Crispy Chickpea Bowls with Carrot Ginger Dressing
- Bulgur Salad with Feta and Pomegranate
- Quinoa Kale Salad
- Bulgur Pilaf
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup freekeh 135 g
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth 590 mL
- ¼ cup shelled chopped pistachios, 30 g
- ¼ cup raisins 30 g
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped mint
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Dressing*
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or dairy-free alternative, 120 g
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice 5 mL
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Freekeh: Combine freekeh and broth in a medium pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until freekeh is tender. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain excess moisture from the pot, then fluff freekeh with a fork.
- Dressing: Meanwhile, stir together all dressing ingredients.
- Assemble: Toss together cooked freekeh and all remaining salad ingredients. Stir in dressing. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
b says
I can’t find Freekeh where I live but have Kamut/Khorasan wheat. Is that a suitable substitute?
Sarah Bond says
Yes I think that would be a good substitute!