Herb & Veggie Fregola

By Jessica Swartz March 24, 2023 24 mins read 124 Views

This Herb & Veggie Fregola recipe makes a delicious and nutritious vegan meal. The fregola is a bit like Israeli couscous, with a chewy, nutty texture.

What do your everyday vegan dinners look like? You might have pasta at least once a week, vegan pizza every Friday, and taco Tuesdays every Tuesday. It's easy for us to fall into routines and repeat the same dishes over and again. Friends, this Herb & Veggie Fregola is for you!

What is Fregola?

Fregola is a pasta made of tiny balls of semolina dough. Fregola is often prepared in the same way as couscous. It has a chewy texture and a flavor that's both earthy and nutty.

Fregola, also known as fregola Sarda, is a Sardinian island. Although it looks similar to Israeli couscous the shape of Fregola is much more irregular because it is hand-made. It's also toasted in the oven, making it even more delicious than couscous.

Like couscous or pasta, fregola can also be mixed with other ingredients to create a wide variety of dishes. These include light summer salads, hearty winter stews, and even hearty winter stews. It can be used as a soup base, in pasta dishes and even in risottos.

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down the recipe card for the ingredients and instructions.

Olive oil
Red onion I love red onions in this fregola dish, but you could substitute other types of onion or shallots.
Asparagus- Asparagus is not in season You can substitute it with green beans.
Corn niblets
Garlic
Fresh Thyme This recipe is all About the fresh herbs! I do not recommend using dried herbs.
Fresh oregano
Fregola
Vegetable stock- You can either buy it in a store or make your vegetable stock.
Salt
Black pepper
Vegan butter Can't find vegan cheese in your local grocery store? Here are the steps to make your own vegan butter. A good extra-virgin oil can be substituted.
Chives
Cherry tomatoes - Grape tomatoes work too!
Lemon

What can I use instead of Fregola

If you can't find fregola locally, or order it online, Israeli couscous, or small pastas like orzo can be used in place. It will replicate some of the fregola-like flavour by being toasted in a skillet.

How to Make Herb & Veggie Fregola

This is the type of weeknight meal you will be making over and over again. Here are the steps.

Heat the oil. Place the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

The vegetables should be cooked. Add the onion, asparagus, and corn. Stir frequently for five minutes or until the onions are softened.

Add 3 more ingredients. Add the oregano, garlic, and thyme to the vegetables. Continue to cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until fragrant. Stir constantly.

Toast the fregola. Stir the mixture for five minutes until it is well toasted.

Pour the stock into the pan. Add half of the salt to the pan. Bring to boil. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until fregola is al dente.

Add the tomatoes. Stir the cherry tomatoes in. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the tomatoes have softened.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining salt and the lemon juice. Stir in the vegan butter. Serve with vegan parmesan cheese.

Success Tips

Making fregola is easy, as simple as making pasta or rice. Here are some tips to make sure your fregola is perfect.

Do not let the fregola get too hot! Stir the fregola frequently while it is being toasted to prevent it from getting burned. Once the fregola is nicely browned, and it smells toasty to you, add the broth.
Take out the herbs from the stems before you serve. You can tie them together using a piece of kitchen twine.
Heat the stock until it is absorbed. Once the stock has absorbed, heat the mixture to thicken.

Variations

Are you looking for a change of pace? This is the perfect recipe to do it!

You can use vegetables that are fresh or you have in your fridge. Mix in some baby spinach and add some mushrooms. Fregola is very adaptable.
You can add some coconut milk or vegan cream to give it a little more creaminess and richness.
You can substitute fresh herbs with savory spices such as cumin or add nutritional yeast to make it cheesy.

How to store

Keep Herb & Veggie Fregola covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to four days. Simply add a few spoonfuls of stock or water to warm it up. It will become a little looser if you add some liquid.

Can I freeze this recipe?

This fregola recipe can be frozen. You can freeze this fregola recipe for up to three months by placing it in an airtight container, or freezer-safe bag. To reheat the fregola, first thaw it in the refrigerator and then heat it on the stovetop/microwave according to the directions.

Have fun, friends! Please tag #jessicainthekitchen in your photo of this fregola recipe on Instagram. If you leave a comment and rate the recipe, we'd love it! We appreciate your kind words!

Herb & Veggie Fregola

This Herb & Veggie Fregola recipe makes a delicious and nutritious vegan meal. The fregola is a bit like Israeli couscous, with a chewy, nutty texture.

Side Dish and Course Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 Minutes

Total time HTML5_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML7_ HTML8_ HTML9_ HTML8_ HTML9_

Servings 4

Calories 494 kcal

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 red onion 82 grams, diced
10 stalks asparagus 200 grams, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup corn niblets 75 grams
3 cloves garlic minced
3 sprigs fresh Thyme
5-6 fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 cups fregola 300 grams
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock 875 ml
1 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 small bundle chives 5g, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes 124 grams, cut in half
Juice from 1 Lemon

Instructions

Oil can be added to large saute pan on medium heat.
Add the onion, asparagus, and corn. Stir frequently for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the fregola to your pot. Toast it for five minutes, stirring continuously to avoid burning.
Add the vegetable stock and half the salt to the pot. Bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until pasta is al dente.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.
Turn off the heat. Mix in the remaining salt and black pepper, chives as well as vegan butter.
Serve immediately with vegan parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can store herb & vegie Fregola in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to four days. Simply add a few spoonfuls of stock or water to the mixture and heat in the microwave or stovetop until it is warmed through. It will become a little looser if you add some liquid.

Frozen: Keep fregola in an airtight bag or container for up to three months. To reheat it, just thaw in the refrigerator and heat it up on the stovetop or microwave following the instructions.

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 81g

Jessica in the Kitchen first published the post Herb & Veggie Fregola.

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How To

How to cook plant-based meals that are delicious and filling?

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