How to Cook Freekeh (and the Best Ways to Serve It)

Just like the breakfast cereal aisle at the grocery store, the realm of cereal foods — as in  deliciously aromatic grains — is vast and quite varied. Some grains like rice, quinoa, rye, oats, and barley are prepared in several ways and can be sweet or savory. One particular grain you should add to your regular grain rotation is freekeh. 

Freekeh is a fragrant Middle Eastern grain made from unripened, green durum wheat and is cooked similarly to many of the grains mentioned above. In this recipe, we’ll walk you through how to cook freekeh, what it tastes like, and different ways of serving it.

Freekeh (pronounced free-kah) which is sometimes referred to as farik or frik. It is a Middle Eastern grain produced from unripened durum wheat that is light green in appearance. The grains are typically roasted and sometimes cracked or rubbed so that the whole grains break into smaller pieces. In fact, the name freekeh is derived from the Arabic word farak, which means “to rub.”

Freekeh is a staple grain in Middle Eastern and North African countries, such as Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Jordan. The grain, which is commonly sold whole or cracked, is extremely fragrant and has a savory, smoky flavor when cooked.

Freekeh is sold in grocery stores like Whole Foods, though you can also buy it in bulk via the online retailers listed below.

• Amazon
• Walmart
• Nuts.com
• Food to Live

You can usually buy freekeh in two different forms: whole or cracked. Whole freekeh, as the name implies, are the whole grains that have not been broken down or crushed to yield a finer texture. Cracked freekeh is less coarse and cooks slightly faster than whole freekeh. Though both varieties of freekeh are sometimes used interchangeably, you may need to adjust the cooking times or amount of liquid, depending on the recipe. 

Freekeh is typically rinsed thoroughly before being boiled. Like rice or quinoa, freekeh can carry an excess amount of starch, which can make the finished product softer and stickier. Though some people enjoy their grains like this, if this isn’t the case for you, it’s important to rinse freekeh very thoroughly first to prevent it from being clumpy.

In many recipes, freekeh is typically toasted in oil or some sort of cooking fat such as butter or ghee. This technique not only helps add a rich flavor to the freekeh, but the light toasting also helps the freekeh maintain some of its firmness after it’s fully cooked. Toasting freekeh also adds to the grain’s naturally smoky flavor.

While it may depend on the recipe, you can often use a ratio of 1 cup freekeh to 2 cups water when cooking the grain on the stovetop. After sautéeing the freekeh, add the water to the saucepan or pot and let it come to a boil. Once the freekeh has come to a boil, cover it, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook for about 30 minutes.

After the freekeh is cooked and all the water is absorbed, remove the lid and fluff the freekeh a bit with a fork. This will allow steam to escape and prevent the freekeh from overcooking or becoming too soft. Fluffing the freekeh also helps to prevent it from clumping together. Lastly, keep the freekeh warm, until ready to serve.

Similar to many other grains like rice, quinoa, and barley, freekeh is often eaten as a side dish and served with some sort of protein, such as chicken or lamb. There are tons of different ways to prepare freekeh, but some common ones include cooking it with aromatics like onions, garlic, and seasonings and pairing it with roasted chicken and toasted sliced almonds, such as in the Lebanese dish, chicken freekeh pilaf.

You can also serve freekeh as a part of a grain salad like in this Mediterranean Freekeh Salad with Collard Greens and Chickpeas, and customize it to your preferences. If you’re still new to cooking with freekeh, however, you can always pair it with meat or any poultry you like, and serve it with a good amount of salt, pepper, oil, and freshly chopped herbs.