Shorbat Freekeh: The Soup Our Grandmothers Got Right

Serves: 4  |  Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 25 min

Before "gut health" was a hashtag, there was shorbat freekeh. Every Levantine kitchen had a pot of it on the stove as the weather turned. It's smoky roasted green wheat simmered slowly in a real bone broth, with a squeeze of lemon at the end.

We've kept the ritual and cut out the hours. Our Chicken Bone Broth has already simmered for 15, so you get the depth of a grandmother's pot in about 35 minutes.

Method

1. Build the base. Warm the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and sweet. Stir in the garlic and spices for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
2. Toast the freekeh. Add the rinsed freekeh and stir for 1–2 minutes to wake up its smoky notes.
3. Pour in the broth. Add the Chicken Bone Broth and bring to a gentle boil. If you're using raw chicken, add it now. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the freekeh is tender but still has some bite.
4. Finish. Stir in the shredded chicken to warm through. Season with salt and pepper, then add the lemon juice just before serving.
5. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

• Too thick? Freekeh keeps drinking the broth as it sits. Loosen leftovers with a splash more broth when you reheat.
• Make it plant-based: Use our Vegan Umami Broth and swap the chicken for a tin of drained chickpeas.
• Meal prep: It keeps for 3 days in the fridge, and the flavour is even better on day two.

Freekeh is harvested young and roasted, so it's naturally rich in fibre. Paired with a collagen-rich bone broth full of minerals, electrolytes and amino acids, it makes a bowl that's gentle on the gut and deeply satisfying. Sip it, slurp it, heal with it.

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