This salad was one that I was really looking forward to eating when I first developed the recipe and was absolutely not disappointed with the finished product. It combines fibre-rich freekeh with plenty of bright Mediterranean flavours and the finished product is hearty enough for a meal.
And though there is a little bit of time needed to let things rest and marinate, it only really takes about fifteen minutes of active time to throw this together. Drizzled with my pomegranate vinaigrette, this salad is so fresh and bright it’s sure to become one of your favourites, as well.
How to Make Freekeh Salad with Feta
First things first, let’s get the kale prepped. Finely chop some kale and then add it to a large salad bowl.
Drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and then, using your hands, vigorously massage the leaves. This helps the kale break down a bit and get more tender – making it really nice to eat raw. This is the same step I use in my rocket and kale salad.
Set the kale aside to rest for around an hour and take this time to prep your veggies.
Much like in my tabbouleh recipe, I recommend letting the excess liquid of your tomatoes and cucumbers (and peppers in this case) drain off by sprinkling them with salt.
Add your veggies to a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Stir to coat in the salt and then set the sieve over a bowl.
Let the excess liquid drip into the bowl for around 30 minutes – or longer, if you have time.
During this time, also cook your freekeh. I use whole freekeh here – which is just a green wheat berry that is commonly used in Levantine cooking.
Add your rinsed freekeh to a small saucepan and cover with a good amount of water (I recommend at least 2x the weight in grains).
Add a few pinches of salt, cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and allow the freekeh to simmer for around 30 minutes, or until it’s nice and tender.
Once it’s cooked, drain off the excess liquid. Add it to a small bowl and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Also, stir in a bunch of minced parsley and fresh mint along with a touch of lemon zest. Set this aside until you need it.
Now is a great time to toast your almonds, which add a wonderful nutty crunch to the salad.
Add the almonds to a rimmed baking sheet and move to a 180°C/350°F oven. Toast them until golden brown and super fragrant – about 5-7 minutes.
Once all of these elements are done, it’s time to toss the salad. To the kale, add your freekeh, veggies and toasted almonds. Also, go ahead and toss in some crumbled feta for saltiness and tang along with a diced red onion.
Now, drizzle over the dressing of your choice – I really like this with my pomegranate molasses dressing as the fruitiness compliments the flavours in this salad incredibly well. You also don’t need to use a lot of it to get the flavour to really sing.
Serve the salad immediately or let it sit for a while – it can be made in advance!
Mediterranean Freekeh Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 100 g (4 cups) kale torn from stems and finely chopped
- 125 g (1 cup) cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ English/continental cucumber diced
- 25 g (¼ cup) slivered almonds
- 125 g (¾ cup) freekeh rinsed
- 10 g (¼ cup) flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 5 g (2 tbsp) mint finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp za'atar
- ½ red onion diced
- 30 g (¼ cup) feta crumbled
- 60 ml (¼ cup) pomegranate molasses dressing or other vinaigrette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Add the kale to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil and season with salt. Use your hands to vigorously massage the oil into the kale and allow to sit at room temperature for at least one hour.
- Meanwhile, add the tomato, red pepper and cucumber to a fine mesh sieve and set over a bowl. Season with a few generous pinches of salt and stir to combine. Let set for at least 30 minutes, allowing the excess liquid to drain off.
- Meanwhile, add the freekeh to a small saucepan and cover with cool water and season generously with salt. Cover and set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer until tender, about 30 minites. Drain the freekeh, add it to a small bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley, mint, lemon zest and za'atar. Set aside.
- Add the almonds to a rimmed baking sheet. Move to the oven and toast until golden and fragrant – 5-7 minutes.
- Add the tomato, pepper and cucumber (discard the liquid) to the kale along with the freekeh, almonds, red onion and feta. Season generously with black pepper and drizzle with the dressing. Toss until evenly coated and serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This salad is simple to make and bursting with bright and fresh flavours. The perfect meal for a warm day, this Mediterranean salad is an excellent way to enjoy delicious freekeh!
Are you looking for a great freekeh salad recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
