Freekeh Salad with Lentils

Chopped parsley, red onion, toasted almonds, and pomegranate seeds piled over mixed grains in a swirl bowl.

Freekeh Salad with Lentils

Wholesome freekeh salad with lentils, pomegranate, and lemon-garlic vinaigrette - fresh, filling, and perfect for meal prep or a quick lunch.

Course main dish, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Servings people

Calories 479kcal

Ingredients

2 cups cooked freekeh (about 2/3 cup dry before cooking)
14 oz can brown lentils (400g can) drained and rinsed (drained weight lands around 1 cup / ~240 g)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 small red onion finely chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts or sub slivered almonds
¾ cup pomegranate seeds or sub dried cranberries
3/4 cup hummus (200g)

Lemon Vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 whole lemon
1 small garlic clove minced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep the ingredients: cook the freekeh first and allow it to cool completely (see recipe notes). Rinse and drain the lentils, chop the red onion and parsley, toast the pine nuts (see recipe notes), de-seed the pomegranate, and juice the lemon.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic (if using), salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, combine freekeh, lentils, parsley, onion, almonds, pomegranate seeds, and vinaigrette. Toss well to coat.
Spread hummus over the base of serving plates. Spoon the grain salad over the hummus and serve.

Notes

Freekeh: You can use whole or cracked freekeh for this recipe. Allow it to cool completely before adding the other salad ingredients. Follow packet cooking instructions if available, or use below:

Whole freekeh: Cook ⅔ cup dry in 3⅓ cups water by bringing it to a boil, then covering and simmering for about an hour until it’s tender with a bit of chew. Strain off any extra liquid.
Cracked freekeh: Cook ⅔ cup dry in 1⅓ cups water or stock by bringing it to a boil, then covering and simmering for about 15–20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Both methods will give you the 2 cups cooked needed.

Toasting nuts: To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until they turn golden and smell nutty. Take them off the heat immediately so they don’t burn.

Servings: Makes around 4 serves as a main meal or 6 smaller side serves.

Nutritional information is based on 4 serves and calculated using pomegranate seeds, not dried cranberries. Salt and pepper excluded from nutrition information.

Nutrition