Herby Freekeh Salad with Fresh Veggies and Pomegranate Dressing
This simple salad packs loads of flavor and nutrition, particularly for a recipe with so few ingredients. Freekeh is deeply savory, salty, and smoky, a great match for tart-sweet pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and refreshing herbs. Serve on its own as a vegan main, or as a side to simple roast meat or fish.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup freekeh
- Kosher salt
- 3 to 4 green onions, trimmed and chopped (both white and green parts)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1 packed cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 packed cup chopped fresh mint leaves
For the Dressing
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the freekeh. Look through and pick over the freekeh to remove any debris or unwanted small stones. Rinse well a few times.
- Cook the freekeh. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed freekeh with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and season very lightly with salt (freekeh is quite savory on its own). Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and slightly chewy, anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes. (Our freekeh, which I use here, will take around 35 minutes because it is wholegrain freekeh). Drain any remaining water and fluff the freekeh with a fork. Let cool briefly.
- While the freekeh cooks, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Whisk, and while whisking, drizzle about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Continue to whisk until emulsified. (I do not add salt here on purpose, it’s best to add it later to the freekeh salad if needed. As mentioned, freekeh is quite savory and slightly smoky.)
- Assemble the salad. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cooked freekeh, green onions, carrots, cucumber, parsley, and mint. Pour the dressing on top and toss well. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Enjoy!
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the freekeh, pomegranate molasses, and extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe.
- Storage: You can serve this salad immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 167.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 1.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 24.9mg | Potassium: 224.4mg | Fiber: 6.1g | Sugar: 5.4g | Vitamin A: 5261.5IU | Vitamin C: 19.4mg | Calcium: 51.1mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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