Cracked Freekeh Salad with Peas

cracked freekeh salad with peas

This earthy salad features cracked freekeh, the whole grain of young green wheat, fire-roasted for a rich, toasted and almost smoky flavor, which makes it a savory contrast to sweet peas and beans. Feel free to substitute bulgur, farro or any whole grain if you can’t find cracked freekeh.

You can find cracked freekeh at Bob’s Red Mill: Organic Cracked Freekeh Print

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cracked freekeh salad with peas

Cracked Freekeh Salad with Peas

  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup cracked freekeh
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 pound sugar snap peas
  • 1 cup of fresh shelling peas (from 1 1⁄2 pounds of beans)
  • 1 cup shelled fava beans (from 2 pounds of beans)
  • 1 cup of pea tendrils
  • 1⁄4 cup shaved radish or whole baby radishes
  • 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
  • For the Herb Dressing
  • 1⁄2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
  • 1⁄2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes, to taste)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • For the Lemon Dressing
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Bring a large saucepan of water and salt to boil. Add freekeh, cover and return to a simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grain tender.
  2. Bring another large pot of salted water to boil for blanching. Make an ice bath in a large bowl to shock the beans. Working by pea and bean variety, blanch each for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender but still crisp. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove the beans from the pot and plunge them into the ice bath. Pinch the skin on the fava beans to peel and remove it. Blanch the pea tendrils for 30 seconds and plunge them into the ice bath. Once the beans have cooled, drain in a colander.
  3. Combine the herb dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Combine the lemon and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Toss the cooked freekeh with 3 tablespoons of the herb dressing and 3 tablespoons of the lemon dressing. The grains should be well dressed and seasoned; add more dressing if needed.
  6. Combine the peas and radish in a bowl and dress lightly with the lemon dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the pea tendrils or baby lettuce and toss gently to coat.
  7. On a platter or individual plates, mound the freekeh and top with the pea and radish mixture. Finish with a large dollop of yogurt, and the remaining herb dressing dotted on top.
  • Author: Kathleen Korb
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: salad
  • Cuisine: California