Recipe: Southwest Freekeh Casserole

recipe-cardrecipe-card

An easy low calorie, high-fiber casserole.  

This high-fiber casserole is one your family will love. Freekeh is a young green wheat that is often roasted and cracked. This traditional food of the Middle East has a pleasant nutty flavor and cooks in just 25 minutes. A high-fiber whole grain, freekeh is perfect for savory salads, spiced pilafs, and hearty hot cereal. I love ti as an addition to my Tex-Mex bowls in place of rice.

AuthorChuckH
DifficultyBeginner

An easy, healthy casserole that does not need meat to taste great.

Chicken Freekeh Casserole

Yields6 Servings
Prep Time10 minsCook Time50 minsTotal Time1 hr

Ingredients:

 1 cup cracked freekeh
 2 ½ cups water
 ½ tsp salt
 1 small onion, diced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
 15 oz kidney beans (Canned), rinsed and drained
 10 oz diced tomatoes with chiles (Canned)
 4 oz diced green chiles or jalapenos
 1 cup corn kernels, canned or frozen
 1 cup salsa
 2 cups Colby-jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11x7 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2

In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add freekeh and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until water is absorbed or about 20 minutes. If using frozen corn, add to the freekeh the last 3 minutes of cooking.

3

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Set aside to cool.

4

In a large bowl, combine the kidney beans, diced tomatoes with chiles, green chiles, corn kernels, freekeh, salsa, onions, and garlic. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese.

5

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake 5 to 10 minutes more until cheese is melted.

6

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, additional chiles, and salsa.

7

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 bowl

Servings 6


Amount Per Serving
Calories 315Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g13%
Saturated Fat 6.5g33%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 854mg36%
Potassium 170mg5%
Total Carbohydrate 40g14%
Dietary Fiber 9.8g40%
Sugars 3g
Protein 17g34%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Notes:
  1. Southwest Vegetarian bake that is is great with or without meat.  This recipe has about 300 calories per serving. 
  2. If desired, use low- or no-sodium ingredients to reduce the overall sodium in the dish. Use chiles and salsa to your desired spiciness.

Ingredients

 1 cup cracked freekeh
 2 ½ cups water
 ½ tsp salt
 1 small onion, diced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
 15 oz kidney beans (Canned), rinsed and drained
 10 oz diced tomatoes with chiles (Canned)
 4 oz diced green chiles or jalapenos
 1 cup corn kernels, canned or frozen
 1 cup salsa
 2 cups Colby-jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11x7 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2

In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add freekeh and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until water is absorbed or about 20 minutes. If using frozen corn, add to the freekeh the last 3 minutes of cooking.

3

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Set aside to cool.

4

In a large bowl, combine the kidney beans, diced tomatoes with chiles, green chiles, corn kernels, freekeh, salsa, onions, and garlic. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese.

5

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake 5 to 10 minutes more until cheese is melted.

6

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, additional chiles, and salsa.

7

Enjoy!

Southwest Freekeh Casserole
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
 

About the Author

ChuckH
I am a family physician who has served in the US Army. In 2016, I found myself overweight, out of shape, and unhealthy, so I made a change to improve my health. This blog is the chronology of my path to better health and what I have learned along the way.

Be the first to comment on "Recipe: Southwest Freekeh Casserole"

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.