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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Salads

    Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad

    Published: Aug 17, 2020 · by Nicole · Updated: Sep 16, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Freekeh, Zucchini & Pistachio SaladFreekeh is made from roasted green wheat—high in protein and fiber. This Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad recipe is a great way to use it!

    Getting "Freekeh"

    Have I mentioned before that Chris works from home too? Our offices are across from each other and I bother him constantly. I'm pretty much the work-at-home equivalent of that obnoxious person on the other side of your cubicle who will not shut up. As I was getting ready to write this post, I asked Chris, "What is there to say about freekeh? I don't know what to write."

    "Are you kidding?! It's called 'freekeh.' The post writes itself."

    So yeah, I guess I could go the easy route and make fun of the name. Freekeh! If you go to the grocery store and ask for it, hilarious misunderstands ensue. "Hello, teenage grocery store worker. I need to get freekeh. Can you help?" And then, before you know it, a store manager is escorting you out, while you plead, "I just want to get freekeh! Freekeh!!" and he's all, "Ma'am, please don't make a scene." And when someone asks you not to make a scene, you've probably already made a scene. You will never be able to shop at that Piggly Wiggly again! Anyway, all this is to say, maybe you should order your freekeh online.

    FreekehWhat Is Freekeh?

    But no, I'm not going to go the cheap and easy route! (Except that I already did. See paragraph above.) Earlier this year, I said that I'd post more recipes using whole grains and since freekeh is pretty popular right now, I thought I'd tackle that next. But what is freekeh? Well, I'm glad you asked!

    To me, freekeh is bulgur's tastier, more colorfully named whole grain cousin. It's made from green wheat that's been roasted, which is what gives it its toasty flavor. It's high in both protein and fiber and it's quick and easy to make too—use 2 ½ cups of water (or broth) for every cup of uncooked freekeh, bring them to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

    Freekeh, Zucchini & Pistachio SaladAbout the Recipe

    One of the easiest ways to use any whole grain that's new to you is to put it in a salad. You can really never go wrong with a salad. So that's what I did here! I made a simple dressing with fresh lemon juice and high-quality olive oil tossed that with the freekeh, fresh zucchini from the farmers market, and pistachios. But you can mix things up with different veggies, nuts, and other add-ins.

    More Freekeh Recipes

    Are you looking for more ideas on how to use freekeh? Here are some recipes from other food blogs:

    Freekeh with Tabbouleh from Leaf + Grain
    Sweet Curried Freekeh Salad from Vegan Miam
    Pomegranate-Glazed Freekeh Kofte from Herbivoracious
    Artichoke Freekeh Risotto from David Lebovitz

    Freekeh, Zucchini & Pistachio Salad Recipe

    Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad

    A simple salad made with freekeh, fresh zucchini, and pistachios.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Freekeh, Zucchini, and Pistachio Salad, simple salad recipe, vegan salad recipe, vegetarian salad recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 221kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked freekeh
    • 2 ½ cup vegetable broth
    • 1 small zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced
    • ¼ cup chopped roasted pistachios
    • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • lemon wedges for serving (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Bring the freekeh and broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until tender. Drain off any excess liquid if necessary.
    • Transfer the freekeh to a large bowl and toss it with the zucchini, pistachios, and parsley. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve with lemon wedges, if using.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 593mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 611IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!

    This post was originally published on 1 August 2013.

    « Mango Black Bean Salad Recipe + How to Cut a Mango
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    Salads, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Salads, Vegetarian Recipes 30 minutes or less, freekeh, salads, summer, zucchini

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle says

      August 01, 2013 at 8:29 am

      So...if whole wheat gives me migraines, should I avoid getting my freekeh on?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:24 pm

        Yeah, don't get freekeh. 🙁 It's delicious, but nothing is worth a migraine!

        Reply
    2. Archana @FeedingTheFoodie says

      August 01, 2013 at 10:52 am

      I've never got freekeh , but I'd love to get freekeh at the store, in person. I don't like getting freekeh online! 🙂 well , you started it!!!

      The salad looks so fresh, makes for a good lunch!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:23 pm

        Ha! Yeah, I guess maybe getting freekeh in person is better than getting freekeh online, huh? 🙂

        Reply
    3. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

      August 01, 2013 at 10:56 am

      Oh girl, you had me busting out in laughter over this. I just love you to death, and your cooking too!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:21 pm

        Judging from your blog, I think we have the same warped sense of humor. And I mean that in the best way possible.

        Reply
    4. [email protected] says

      August 01, 2013 at 11:04 am

      I've never heard of freekeh, but I think I want it!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:19 pm

        It's really tasty! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says

      August 01, 2013 at 11:48 am

      Haha, I love your husband's response! That's pretty sweet that you both get to work from home. Although I'm sure it can have its days!

      I've never tried frekkeh before but I'm intrigued. I feel like I learn so much about new grains, fruits, and veggies from reading your blog. Thanks for the free education! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:19 pm

        I really love working from home. I used to be a librarian and I don't think I could ever go back to it. Or at least not the dealing with the public part of it. 🙂 Of course, the downside is that it's really hard to have a healthy work/life balance!

        Reply
    6. Alexis @ Hummusapien says

      August 01, 2013 at 11:49 am

      I've never tried freekah, but if it's bulgar's tasty cousin then I'm all in! I just picked some zucchini from the garden so this will be perrrrrrfect.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:16 pm

        Ooh, zucchini from the garden! I am jealous. My zucchini plant just doesn't want to cooperate.

        Reply
    7. Emily says

      August 01, 2013 at 12:06 pm

      It's great that you and your husband both work from home - my husband and I work at home too. (Though he moved his office to the basement because, apparently, I am bothersome!)

      I've never tried freekah, but I'll be on the look out for it!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:14 pm

        I used to work in the living room and I'm pretty sure Chris misses that. 🙂 But watching Judge Judy while blogging was terrible for my concentration.

        Reply
    8. Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies says

      August 01, 2013 at 12:21 pm

      I love trying new things and this salad looks great, so freekeh definitely just made it to the top of my list!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:12 pm

        I think you will love it! 😀

        Reply
    9. Emma says

      August 01, 2013 at 12:23 pm

      My Mum actually brought me back some freekeh from a trip to Jordan! I was pretty excited about it- foodie gifts are always fun and it does have a great name! But so far I have only made a vegan version of the Herbivoracious's pomegranate molasses glazed kofte that you linked above. I'll have to start making some freekeh salads and yours looks a good place to start considering I'm currently stockpiling courgette!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:12 pm

        Oh, whenever I travel, I always bring back food. 🙂 (And candy--okay, I admit it!) I'm sure you will find lots of ways to use that freekeh!

        Reply
    10. [email protected] says

      August 01, 2013 at 12:37 pm

      I have never heard of freekeh so thank you for this post! There is so much goodness out there to experience and this will be added to my list. I'd liked to get my freekeh on! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:10 pm

        Yes! I love trying new things--I get so happy whenever I find a new food to experiment with. 🙂 Definitely get your freekeh on!

        Reply
    11. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says

      August 01, 2013 at 1:27 pm

      Haha, I need freekah, love it! I just need to go to the store and ask for this, ASAP.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:08 pm

        Go get freekeh!

        Reply
    12. Marta @ What Should I eat for breakfast today says

      August 01, 2013 at 1:47 pm

      My Tomasz works in the same room as well. We have a big wooden table that he made and we fase each other while working and... I do bother him all the time as well 😀

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:08 pm

        Ha! I'm glad I'm not the only one. 🙂 Chris and I definitely couldn't work at the same table!

        Reply
    13. Ronnie Fein says

      August 01, 2013 at 4:08 pm

      I love freekeh and had a hard time finding it, but I persisted and finally got some. Just wrote about it also. Have a look: http://www.thejewishweek.com/food-wine/recipes/its-freekeh-kids-it

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:08 pm

        Great recipe! I love the idea of using it with sweet flavors like mango.

        Reply
    14. Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice says

      August 01, 2013 at 5:58 pm

      Ha, I guess in English the name does sound a bit silly. Freekeh is a staple in Arabic cuisine and we grew up eating it - it's one of my favorite - if not my favorite - grains out there. I love the use of pistachios in this salad. Great idea!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:05 pm

        I'm going to make it a staple in my kitchen now too! I am so obsessed with it right now. 🙂 I'm constantly thinking, "What can I make with freekeh?!"

        Reply
    15. McKel Hill, MS, RD, LDN | Nutrition Stripped says

      August 01, 2013 at 7:09 pm

      Haha how funny! That must be nice (but also a distraction at times) having your man work in the same space- I know it is for me! Anyways, I'm glad you posted this because I've never used Freekeh.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 10:04 pm

        I think for me, it's a good thing, because I like having someone to bounce ideas off of. But for him, it's a bad thing because I annoy the heck out of him. 🙂

        Reply
    16. Suzanne @ hello, veggy! says

      August 01, 2013 at 10:45 pm

      So, does freekeh contains wheat? I try to avoid wheat as much as I can but it looks SO GOOD!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:57 pm

        Yeah, it's green wheat. 🙁

        Reply
    17. Nicole says

      August 02, 2013 at 12:17 am

      I've never had (or heard of!) freekeh, but I'm going to look out for it to try now thanks to you!

      And also, I work from home and can't imagine the shenanigans that would ensue if my hubby did as well. He'd probably persuade me to go to the beach in the middle of the day on a Tuesday or take naps on a daily basis!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:56 pm

        That's totally me. "Let's take the day off!" "Let's go to the farmers market!" I'm pretty sure when we go house hunting again, my husband is going to want offices on opposite sides of the house. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      August 02, 2013 at 12:50 am

      Lol, too funny! I've never tried freekeh but I love bulgur salads so I'm sure I'd love this as well!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:51 pm

        Yes, if you like bulgur, I'm sure you will like freekeh too. 🙂

        Reply
    19. Sarah | The Sugar Hit says

      August 02, 2013 at 1:42 am

      *immediately rushes to grocery store to reenact that hilarious scene*
      (and to get freekeh because yum!)

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:51 pm

        It is so good! Just don't make people think you're a creepy weirdo for asking for it!

        Reply
    20. [email protected]'s Recipes says

      August 02, 2013 at 6:44 am

      Your freekeh salad looks wholesome, Kiersten.

      Reply
    21. Eat Good 4 Life says

      August 02, 2013 at 8:29 am

      I have never eaten freekeh before, I need to try it. I have eaten bulgur in many occasions so I am sure it will be very similar. Great looking salad!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:50 pm

        It's very similar in texture, but the flavor is SO much better. I think it will be hard going back to bulgur again. 🙂

        Reply
    22. Caitlin says

      August 02, 2013 at 3:00 pm

      freekah looks like such a fun grain, it's a shame it has gluten. but! i love this salad you made with it, which could easily be subbed with another caitlin-friendly grain, like rice or something. or maybe wild rice?!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:48 pm

        Aww. 🙁 I do make variations of this salad (grain + oil + lemon juice + nuts + veggies) all the time, with all kinds of different grains, and I always have good results. So I'm sure wild rice would work!

        Reply
    23. Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says

      August 03, 2013 at 5:40 pm

      Freekeh?!! I'll add freekeh to my next main dish when I have friends over just to have a good laugh!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2013 at 9:44 pm

        My husband still can't get over the name. 🙂

        Reply
    24. Hazel @ fresherfood says

      August 04, 2013 at 5:34 am

      I love visiting your site to see what healthy fresh recipes you've posted and this is no exception! I've never tried freekeh before (love the name), but pistachios and courgettes are my favourite so it's well and truly pinned. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 07, 2013 at 9:02 pm

        Thank you for the pin! 🙂

        Reply
    25. Genevieve says

      August 04, 2013 at 1:10 pm

      I've never tried freekeh but whenever I do try a new grain, I usually like it (except wheat berries, I haven't given them another chance since my first try)! This sounds like a super healthy and green meal!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 07, 2013 at 9:01 pm

        Aw, I love wheat berries. 🙂 But I could see why someone wouldn't like them!

        Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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