This Underrated Ancient Grain Has More Protein & Fiber Than Quinoa

If you’ve ever successfully cooked rice, making freekeh will be a breeze. Dillon says it’s similar to other grains in that you can cook it on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker. 

To make on the stovetop, she says you’ll need 2.5 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of dry freekeh. Bring water or stock to a boil on the stovetop, add freekeh, and simmer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. 

To cook in a pressure cooker, she recommends using 1 ⅔ cups of liquid for every 1 cup of dry freekeh. If your pressure cooker allows, set the “multigrain” and “high pressure” settings and cook for 10 minutes. After the grain has finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally, drain excess liquid, and serve.

Perlus says you can enjoy it either hot or cold, and serve it with whatever seasonings or sauces you have on hand. Incorporate it into salads, wraps, and soups for a chewy and nutty base.

“One of my favorite ways to enjoy it includes tossing it into my salads hot or cold along with some chopped herbs, celery, scallions, and chickpeas with an olive oil, lemon, and garlic dressing, and some feta cheese to top,” says Perlus. “Another favorite, [includes] using it as a bed for some roasted cauliflower, herbs, and caramelized carrots topped off with a homemade tahini sauce.”

Appelö loves it as a replacement for bulgur in tabbouleh (bonus points for charring the lemon!) and in a lunch bowl as a base for any type of produce and additional proteins. “Combining the subtle smoky flavor with fresh herbs like parsley, mint and a garlicky, lemony Greek yogurt sauce is a trip to flavortown,” she says.