Join me on the ancient grain bandwagon! Freekeh is a delightful young wheat with a nutty flavor and a toothy bite. Containing twice as much protein and fiber as quinoa, freekeh salad is dish you can feel good about. If you like tabbouleh, you’ll love this Freekeh Salad with Minted Sumac Dressing!
A few weeks ago, I made a big batch of this freekeh salad recipe and became obsessed with it. It worked its way onto just about every plate of food I ate for three days.
It makes a great base for a lunch bowl, tastes incredible wrapped up in a warm pita, and is also delicious as a side dish with just about anything else you’re eating.
Freekeh has a very subtle smoky, nutty flavor to it, which pairs perfectly with the bright citrus notes in the ground sumac. If you don’t have any sumac in your pantry, I’d highly recommend picking some up. You’ll need it to make Fattoush Salad, anyway.
I wasn’t able to find any in my local grocery store, so I did what any sensible person would do and ordered it through Amazon Prime .
Two days later it was on my door step. How did I even live before Prime? Here’s the brand I purchased.
I love using Persian or English cucumbers for this kind of salad because they are seedless and don’t require peeling.
You can use a “regular” cucumber, but I’d peel it to remove the bitter flavor.
You can also use regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes during the summer time when you can easily find plump, sweet tomatoes.
If you don’t like mint, try making this with fresh parsley or cilantro instead!
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Here’s the Recipe!
Freekeh Salad Recipe with Minted Sumac Dressing
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Ingredients
- 1 cup cracked freekeh
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 small cloves garlic - pressed
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced seedless cucumber - such as Persian or English
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over medium-high. Add the freekeh and toast for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add 2 cups of water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Allow the pot to boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain any excess water, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and sumac together in a large bowl.
- Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, and cooled freekeh in the bowl; toss well. Fold in the fresh mint. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition

Please note that this freekeh salad recipe is often misspelled freekah salad recipe, freeka salad recipe, frika salad recipe, frekah salad recipe, frekeh salad recipe and freka salad recipe.
Is one cup of water enough for 1 cup of freekeh?
Yikes, it should be two cups! Fixed now, THANK YOU!