Cinnamon Free Vegan Fresh Freekeh Cucumber Salad
Freekeh — roasted young green wheat with a distinctly smoky, nutty character — is the kind of grain that makes a salad feel genuinely satisfying rather than just virtuous. Once it's cooked and cooled, it gets tossed with crisp English cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh mint, and flat-leaf parsley for a bowl that's bright, herby, and full of contrasting textures. The dressing is a simple shake of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and ground cumin, which brings warmth and depth without leaning on any spice blends that might sneak in unwanted ingredients. That matters here — cumin is doing all the heavy lifting, so there's no need to second-guess a spice jar label or worry about a blend that hides cinnamon somewhere in the fine print. Everything in this recipe is straightforward and plant-based, making it an easy win for anyone cooking vegan and keeping their spice profile clean. A handful of pomegranate seeds scattered over the top at the end adds a little jewel-like sweetness and color if you want to dress it up for company. Serve it at room temperature or slightly chilled — either way, it holds up beautifully and tastes even better after the dressing has had a few minutes to soak in.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the freekeh
- 1 cup whole-grain freekeh, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 english cucumber, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed freekeh, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the freekeh is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about 20–22 minutes.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and let the freekeh steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Spread it onto a large mixing bowl or sheet pan and let it cool for at least 10 minutes, until no longer steaming.
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