How to Cook Freekeh: Ratio, Times, Recipes and Freekeh vs Bulgur

To cook freekeh, rinse it, then simmer it, covered, in about 2½ times its volume of water or stock for 15–20 minutes, until tender; leave it covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork. That timing is for cracked freekeh, the usual kind in shops; whole grains take about twice as long. Four Levantine-style recipes and a freekeh vs bulgur comparison follow.

What is freekeh?

Freekeh (also written frikeh or farik) is wheat harvested young and green, then roasted, rubbed and dried. The Whole Grains Council describes it as a hard wheat, often durum, which is frequently sold cracked into smaller, quicker-cooking pieces. Traditionally the green wheat is set alight to burn off the straw and chaff, then the charred husks are rubbed off, hence the name, from the Arabic farik, "rubbed". Roasting gives freekeh its smoky flavour, and it is a traditional grain in Palestinian and wider Levantine cooking.

Both our packs are cracked: Al'Ard Palestinian Green Freekeh 450g, flame-roasted, rubbed, dried and crushed the traditional Palestinian way (our Palestinian Medjool dates guide covers our other Palestinian produce), and Greenfields Freekeh 400g, lightly toasted, cracked green wheat. Both are in our pulses, rice and grains range.

Cracked vs whole freekeh

• Cracked (or crushed): roasted grains broken into small pieces, a little like green bulgur. Both our product pages give about 15–20 minutes' simmering, and Greenfields says no soaking is needed.
• Whole: intact grains, which take about 35–45 minutes, according to Great British Chefs and America's Test Kitchen. We don't sell whole freekeh.

How to cook freekeh: the basic method

This general guide for cracked freekeh is from our Al'Ard page. Times vary with grain size, so the instructions on your pack come first.

1. Rinse (optional): give it a quick rinse in a sieve.
2. Measure: use roughly 2½ cups of water or stock per cup of freekeh, with the same cup or mug for both.
3. Simmer: bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes, until tender but still a little chewy.
4. Rest: off the heat, leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork and season.

To weigh it instead, follow Greenfields' guide: add 100g of freekeh to 500ml of boiling water or stock with 1 teaspoon of salt, return to the boil, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, then drain any excess water. Absorption suits pilafs; draining is easy for salads.

Freekeh recipes

Each recipe serves 4 and works with either pack.

Freekeh pilaf with chicken

Freekeh-stuffed chicken is a traditional dish in several Arab countries; this simpler version cooks the freekeh in chicken stock and tops it with roast chicken and toasted nuts.

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp fresh, fruity Al Quds Palestinian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tsp Lebanese 7 Spices (baharat), warming rather than chilli-hot (more in our 7 spice guide)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 250g cracked freekeh, rinsed, and 900ml hot chicken stock
• To finish: 30g toasted flaked almonds or pine nuts, chopped parsley and plain yoghurt

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Rub the chicken with 1 tbsp of oil, 2 tsp of the spice, salt and pepper, and roast skin side up for 40–45 minutes. Don't wash raw chicken: the Food Standards Agency warns that splashing spreads bacteria.
2. Meanwhile, soften the onion in the remaining oil in a lidded pan for 8–10 minutes, then stir in the freekeh and remaining spice for a minute.
3. Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until tender, adding a splash of boiling water if it dries out first. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
4. Check the chicken, as the FSA advises: it should be steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat in the thickest part and juices running clear.
5. Pile the freekeh on a platter, top with the chicken, nuts and parsley, and serve with yoghurt.

Shorbat freekeh (freekeh soup)

Freekeh soup is a long-standing staple in many Palestinian homes, and food writers at Arab News and Middle East Eye recommend it for iftar, the meal that breaks the fast in Ramadan (see our Ramadan 2027 guide).

• 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 onion, finely chopped
• 400g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
• 150g cracked freekeh, rinsed
• 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spices, 2 crushed green cardamom pods and a bay leaf
• 1.5 litres chicken stock, salt and pepper, with parsley and lemon wedges to serve

Soften the onion in the oil for 5–8 minutes, stir in the chicken for 2–3 minutes, then add the freekeh and spices. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes, until the freekeh is soft and the chicken is cooked through, with no pink inside. Season to taste. The soup thickens as it stands, so loosen it with water when reheating.

Freekeh salad with herbs, sumac and pomegranate molasses

• 150g cracked freekeh, boiled the Greenfields way (in 750ml of water), drained and spread on a tray to cool
• 200g cooked chickpeas (about 90g dried): soak dried Sara chickpeas for 8–12 hours, then simmer for 60–90 minutes until tender
• 200g cherry tomatoes, 1 small cucumber and 4 spring onions, chopped
• A large bunch of flat-leaf parsley and a small bunch of mint, chopped
• Dressing: 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sweet-tangy Sera Pomegranate Molasses, the juice of ½ lemon, salt and 1 tsp lemony Greenfields Sumac

Whisk the dressing, toss everything together and finish with a pinch more sumac.

Freekeh-stuffed peppers

You need 4 large peppers, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 chopped onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 250g lamb or beef mince (or 200g cooked chickpeas), 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spices, 100g cracked freekeh, 200g chopped tomatoes, 300ml stock and a handful of chopped parsley.

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes, then brown the mince until no pink is left (or stir in the chickpeas). Add the spice, freekeh, tomatoes and stock, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until tender, and stir in the parsley. Hollow out the peppers, fill them and stand them in a dish with 100ml of water. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until soft and steaming hot.

Freekeh vs bulgur vs rice

Freekeh and bulgur are both wheat, often cracked, and interchangeable in most pilafs and salads; the difference is in how they are made.

Using our Sara Bulgur Wheat (Medium) instead? Cut the liquid to 1½ cups per cup. For gluten-free guests, use rice: Coeliac UK's guide to grains lists rice as gluten free, and wheat, durum wheat, bulgur wheat and couscous as not gluten free.

How to store freekeh

• Uncooked: keep it in a cool, dry cupboard, resealed or in an airtight container once open, and use it by the best-before date on the pack.
• Cooked: cool leftovers and put them in the fridge within two hours, then eat them within 48 hours (Greenfields says 2 days) or freeze them, as the FSA advises. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout.

Allergens

Freekeh contains wheat (gluten), as both our freekeh pages state; check the pack label for any "may contain" warning. Our bulgur contains wheat too. Check the Lebanese 7 Spices and pomegranate molasses labels for allergens. Greenfields Sumac lists none of the 14 major allergens in its ingredients, but Greenfields says some of its blends are made in a facility that also handles sesame, mustard and celery. The optional nuts and yoghurt are allergens too, and check the label of any stock you use.

Frequently asked questions

What is freekeh?

Freekeh is wheat harvested young and green, then roasted, rubbed to remove the husks and dried, and often cracked into small pieces. It is a traditional grain in Palestinian and wider Levantine cooking, and the name comes from the Arabic for "rubbed". Use it like bulgur or rice.

Do you need to soak freekeh?

Usually not for cracked freekeh. Greenfields says no soaking is needed: rinse it and simmer it for 15–20 minutes. Al'Ard's general guide starts with an optional quick rinse and says the instructions on the pack come first. Whole freekeh, which we don't sell, takes longer, around 35–45 minutes in published cooking guides, so follow that pack's soaking and timing advice.

Is freekeh gluten free?

No. Freekeh is wheat (often durum wheat), so it contains gluten and does not suit people with coeliac disease or anyone avoiding gluten. Coeliac UK lists wheat, durum wheat, bulgur wheat and couscous as not gluten free, and rice and quinoa as gluten free. Always check packs for "may contain" warnings.

What does freekeh taste like?

Smoky, nutty and slightly grassy, with a chewy texture that holds its shape; bulgur, by comparison, is mild and nutty. Freekeh is savoury enough that many tasters at America's Test Kitchen thought a batch cooked in plain salted water had been simmered in chicken broth.

Freekeh vs bulgur: which is healthier?

We can't say one is healthier than the other. Both are wheat, and nutrition varies by brand and how each is made, so compare the nutrition panels on the packs, per 100g. If you follow a special diet for a health condition, ask your GP or dietitian.