Freekeh salad is a nutritious, nutty dish made from roasted green wheat that originated in the Levant region. It is commonly served as a refreshing side dish or a light lunch, especially during warmer months.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 1 cup Freekeh (uncooked) (189 g)
- 2.5 cups Water (591 g)
- 1 medium Cucumber (300 g)
- 1 cup Cherry tomato (225 g)
- 0.5 medium Red onion (75 g)
- 1 handful Parsley (25 g)
- 0.5 handful Fresh mint leaves (7.5 g)
- 3 tbsp Olive oil (41 g)
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice (30 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Ingredients in total: 1.48 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 684 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 800 g · 4 servings of about 200 g
Method
- Rinse the freekeh thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water.
- Place the freekeh and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat, fluff the grains with a fork, and set aside to cool completely.
- Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion, parsley, and mint.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- Combine the cooled freekeh with the chopped vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated before serving.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 291 kcal | 145 kcal |
| Protein | 8.35 g | 4.17 g |
| Water | 137 mL | 68.4 mL |
| Sodium | 14 mg | 7.01 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 41.8 g | 20.9 g |
| Total Fat | 11.7 g | 5.84 g |
| Sugar | 3.99 g | 1.99 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.6 mg | 1.3 mg |
| Calcium | 53.1 mg | 26.6 mg |
| Magnesium | 89.3 mg | 44.6 mg |
| Potassium | 530 mg | 265 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 228 mg | 114 mg |
| Zinc | 1.65 mg | 0.83 mg |
| Chloride | 34.8 mg | 17.4 mg |
| Selenium | 16.9 mcg | 8.46 mcg |
| Copper | 0.28 mg | 0.14 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.059 mg | 0.029 mg |
| Manganese | 1.71 mg | 0.86 mg |
| Molybdenum | 18.9 mcg | 9.46 mcg |
| Chromium | 7.1 mcg | 3.55 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.66 g | 0.83 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7.66 g | 3.83 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.15 g | 0.075 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.73 g | 0.87 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 1.58 g | 0.79 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.13 g | 0.066 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 7.8 g | 3.9 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 7.88 g | 3.94 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 1.62 g | 0.81 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 6.64 g | 3.32 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 24.1 mg | 12.1 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 51 mcg | 25.5 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.35 mg | 1.17 mg |
| Vitamin A | 57.9 mcg RAE | 29 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.27 mg | 0.14 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.28 mg | 0.14 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.12 mg | 0.062 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.89 mg | 0.44 mg |
| Vitamin E | 2.26 mg | 1.13 mg |
| Vitamin K | 133 mcg | 66.7 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 2.73 mcg | 1.36 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 656 mcg | 328 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 27.7 mg | 13.9 mg |
| Leucine | 641 mg | 321 mg |
| Lysine | 278 mg | 139 mg |
| Polyphenols | 229 mg | 115 mg |
| Methionine | 133 mg | 66.4 mg |
| Oxalates | 115 mg | 57.6 mg |
| Threonine | 281 mg | 140 mg |
| Tryptophan | 114 mg | 56.9 mg |
| Valine | 398 mg | 199 mg |
| Flavonoids | 94.5 mg | 47.3 mg |
| Histidine | 234 mg | 117 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.59 mg | 0.29 mg |
| Lycopene | 1.4 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 468 mg | 234 mg |
| Purines | 42.5 mg | 21.3 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (200 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 344 mg | 172 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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