Freekeh Soup: Lebanon’s Smokiest Most Comforting Winter Bowl

⏱ Prep: 15 min 🕐Soak: 30 min 🔥Cook: 1 hr 15 min 👤Serves: 6

Freekeh soup recipe is the Lebanese winter bowl built around an ancient grain that tastes like no other, freekeh, green durum wheat harvested young and fire-roasted, which gives the grain a specific smoky, nutty, earthy flavour that has no substitute. Simmered in homemade chicken broth spiced with 7 spice, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper, enriched with shredded chicken, finished with toasted almonds and a drizzle of good olive oil. The soup that Lebanese families make when someone is cold, tired or in need of the most nourishing bowl in the collection.

What is freekeh and why it tastes different from everything else

Freekeh is a fire-roasted grain popular in Levantine and North African countries, a wheat originating in the Mediterranean where durum wheat originated. Freekeh is made from green durum wheat that has been roasted and rubbed, giving it a very distinctive smoky flavour and once you try it, you will be able to pinpoint the taste immediately.

It comes in two forms: whole freekeh, the full grain, nutty and chewy, needs 45 minutes to cook and cracked freekeh, broken into smaller pieces, cooks in 20–25 minutes and produces a heartier soup. Both work in this recipe. Cracked freekeh is faster and what most Lebanese home cooks use for soup.

You can find freekeh at your local Middle Eastern grocer, or even in the international aisle at many supermarkets like Whole Foods or Sprouts. It is also widely available on Amazon. Once you have cooked with it once you will keep it stocked.

Ingredients

For the chicken broth

• 1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, bone-in only. The bones produce the deep, gelatinous broth that gives freekeh soup its body. A whole chicken poached for 1 hour produces the richest broth and the most shredded meat. Chicken thighs are faster, 35–40 minutes and still excellent.
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 carrot, adds sweetness to the broth. Optional but recommended.
• 8 cups (2 liters) water
• 1½ teaspoons salt

For the freekeh

• 1½ cups (270g) cracked freekeh, or whole freekeh. Spread on a tray and pick through with your fingers to remove any small stones or debris, confirmed as essential by every source. Rinse thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or olive oil. The fat the freekeh toasts in sautéing the drained freekeh in butter for 2 minutes before adding the broth adds significant nutty depth.
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1½ teaspoons Lebanese 7 spice (baharat), the defining spice of the soup. Available at Middle Eastern grocery stores. Substitute: equal parts allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves and nutmeg.
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, confirmed by Zaatar and Zaytoun as the spice that gives freekeh soup its distinct taste, subtle, earthy and complementing the smoky grain perfectly
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, adds a warm golden colour to the broth
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste at the end
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 5–6 cups (1.2–1.4 liters) reserved chicken broth, from the poached chicken. This is the soup base, homemade broth only. Store-bought broth lacks the spiced aromatic quality that the whole chicken imparts during poaching.

For serving

• ¼ cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted in 1 tablespoon of butter until golden. They fry fast, stay close and pull them the moment they turn golden.
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted alongside the almonds. Optional but traditional.
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil, drizzled generously over each bowl
• Lemon wedges, optional. A squeeze of lemon over the bowl brightens everything.

Step by step

1. Soak the freekeh. Pick through the freekeh on a tray to remove any stones or debris. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. This soaking step softens the grain slightly and ensures even cooking throughout.
2. Make the chicken broth. Place the whole chicken or thighs, halved onion, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, carrot and salt in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any white foam that rises in the first 5 minutes. Reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook 45 minutes for thighs or 60–75 minutes for a whole chicken until the meat is completely tender and falling from the bone.Skim the foam in the first 5 minutes only, after that no more foam rises and skimming is done. Skimming produces a clear, clean-tasting broth. Unskimmed broth turns cloudy and has a slight greyish flavour.
3. Shred the chicken and strain the broth. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the whole spices, onion and carrot. Reserve all the strained broth. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat into generous pieces. Cover and set aside.
4. Toast the freekeh. In the same large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion. Cook for 7–8 minutes until golden, not just softened. A pale onion will leave the grain tasting flat, get it golden before the freekeh goes in. Add the drained freekeh. Stir and toast for 2 minutes until the grains smell nutty and look slightly darker.This toasting step, sautéing the soaked freekeh in butter with golden onions before adding any liquid, amplifies the grain’s natural smoky character and adds a roasted depth that skipping this step cannot replicate.
5. Add spices and broth. Add the 7 spice, ground cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, salt and black pepper to the freekeh. Stir for 60 seconds until the spices are fragrant. Pour in 5 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Stir once from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook for 20–25 minutes for cracked freekeh (or 40–45 minutes for whole freekeh), until the grains are tender and have absorbed most of the broth.Check the liquid level every 10 minutes, freekeh absorbs broth aggressively. Add more broth if the soup looks too thick. The finished soup should be brothy but substantial, not dry like a pilaf, not watery like a thin soup.
6. Add the chicken and finish. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup. Taste and adjust salt, spices and broth level. Simmer 5 more minutes for the chicken to warm through and absorb the spiced broth.
7. Toast the nuts and serve. In a small pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and pine nuts. Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove immediately. Ladle the soup into deep bowls. Scatter the toasted nuts and fresh parsley over each bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.

The smoked grain nobody knows but everyone loves

Freekeh is the grain that people who have never heard of it always love the moment they taste it. The smokiness is not harsh or overpowering, it is subtle, earthy and nutty, the way a good whole grain should be, with a chewiness that holds its texture in the broth rather than going soft and porridge-like.

The 7 spice is what makes this taste like a Lebanese freekeh recipe, you can use just cinnamon if that is all you have and it still works, but the spice blend carries so much of the flavour. The cardamom is the supporting note that most Western versions omit and the one that rounds the soup into something unmistakably Levantine.

Make it ahead

Claire’s note

Freekeh soup is one of the best meal-prep soups in the Lebanese collection. The broth and shredded chicken can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, the broth actually deepens in flavour overnight. Cook the freekeh fresh on the day of serving, it only takes 25 minutes and the grain is best when freshly cooked. The fully assembled soup keeps refrigerated for 4 days and freezes for 3 months. When reheating: the freekeh continues absorbing broth in the fridge, always add extra broth when reheating and stir from the bottom. Toast the nuts fresh at serving every time, pre-toasted nuts go soft in the soup.

Serve with

Freekeh soup is a complete meal, the grain, the chicken and the broth together need nothing else. A bowl of labneh alongside for spooning into the soup is traditional and excellent. Warm pita for dipping is the natural accompaniment. For everything else on the Lebanese table the complete Lebanese recipes collection and the Middle Eastern recipes guide have it all.

Add freekeh soup to your weekly meal planner, make the broth Sunday, cook the freekeh Monday in 25 minutes, a complete nourishing bowl on a cold weeknight. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.

Freekeh Soup

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• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 90 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten-Free

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Description

A nourishing Lebanese winter bowl made with freekeh, a fire-roasted grain, simmered in spiced chicken broth with shredded chicken and toasted almonds.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• For the chicken broth:
• 1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 1 carrot, optional
• 8 cups (2 liters) water
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• For the freekeh:
• 1½ cups (270g) cracked freekeh, or whole freekeh
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1½ teaspoons Lebanese 7 spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 5–6 cups (1.2–1.4 liters) reserved chicken broth
• For serving:
• ¼ cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon wedges (optional)

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Instructions

1. Soak the freekeh. Pick through the freekeh on a tray to remove any stones or debris. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2. Make the chicken broth. Place the chicken or thighs, onion, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, carrot, and salt in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 45 minutes for thighs or 60–75 minutes for a whole chicken until tender.
3. Shred the chicken and strain the broth. Remove the chicken and strain the broth through a fine sieve. Reserve all the strained broth. Shred the meat once cool enough to handle.
4. Toast the freekeh. In the same pot, heat butter and olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook until golden. Add the drained freekeh and toast for 2 minutes.
5. Add spices and broth. Add 7 spice, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, salt, and black pepper to the freekeh. Stir for 60 seconds. Pour in 5 cups of the reserved broth, bring to a boil, then simmer until grains are tender.
6. Add the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup, taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
7. Toast the nuts and serve. In a pan, melt butter and toast the almonds and pine nuts. Ladle soup into bowls, scatter with nuts and parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Freekeh soup is an excellent make-ahead recipe. The broth and chicken can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Always add extra broth when reheating.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 75 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Lebanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 700mg
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 25g
• Cholesterol: 70mg