Roasted Cauliflower, Freekeh and Garlicky Tahini Sauce

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It’s no secret that I love a good recipe challenge. Bob’s Red Mill challenged me to come up with a recipe to go with freekeh, the latest addition to their Ancient Grains line. I’m glad they did, because now I have a new favorite quick-cooking grain in my pantry.

I’d honestly poked fun of funny-sounding “freekeh” before I tasted it myself, in part because it conjured up memories of the rap songs playing at parties during my early college years. Ah, freekeh freekeh! Sorry.

As it turns out, freekeh is not a lyric from rap songs, nor is it bland hippie food. Sorry again. Freekeh is a flavorful strain of ancient wheat with a nutty, slightly smoky flavor and a pleasantly chewy, couscous-like texture. Bonus? Cracked freekeh cooks up in 25 minutes, so it requires less than half the time of wheat berries or other whole grains.

Cooked freekeh goes great with Mediterranean flavors. I combined it with roasted cauliflower, creamy tahini sauce and fresh herbs to make this delicious whole-grain meal.

While the grain is new to me, freekeh is actually one of the oldest grains out there. Freekeh is young, green wheat that has been roasted and cooked in the Middle East for about 2000 years. Since freekeh is a strain of wheat, it’s not gluten free, but it is highly nutritious. It’s rich in protein, iron and above all, fiber.

The fiber content is no joke. Freekeh has twice as much fiber as quinoa and it keeps me feeling full for hours and hours. I wasn’t hungry for breakfast after my dinner of roasted cauliflower and freekeh the evening before.

I’ve found two slightly different cooking methods that produce different textures. For a fluffier, more separated, couscous-like texture, cook the freekeh just until tender, then drain off any liquid and let it steam in the pot, covered, for 5 minutes, before fluffing it with a fork. If you want a more creamy, borderline risotto-like texture, cook the freekeh until it has absorbed all of the moisture in the pot.

I decided to stay true to freekeh’s Middle Eastern roots with this cauliflower and tahini dish. I found a freekeh pilaf recipe on the back of the freekeh package, and it reminded me of an amazing rice pilaf I tried in Israel, so I used that as the base of the dish. I altered the method to produce a fluffier texture, which contrasts nicely with the creamy sauce. I’ve been obsessed with the combination of creamy, nutty tahini with caramelized cauliflower ever since I tried a cauliflower pita sandwich at a local Mediterranean restaurant earlier this year.

The complete dish is my new favorite comfort meal. It’s healthy, wholesome but above all, outrageously delicious—making it pretty much perfect for post-holiday consumption.

One last note before I go. Freekeh is rather new to the scene, so you might have better luck finding it online than in your local grocery store just yet. If you can’t find it, feel free to substitute another whole grain that you have in your pantry. I think whole wheat couscous, farro, quinoa or barley would go great here. You’ll just need to adjust the amount of liquid and cooking time accordingly.

This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!