14/08/2026
Semolina is a coarse flour made from durum wheat. It’s usually pale yellow and has a slightly grainy texture.
Common uses:
* 🍝 Pasta — especially traditional durum-wheat pasta
* 🍮 Desserts — semolina pudding, halwa, basbousa
* 🍞 Bread — adds texture and a golden color
* 🥣 Breakfast porridge — cooked with milk or water
If you mean semolina for cooking, tell me what you want to make and I can give you a recipe.
Semolina is a coarse flour made from durum wheat. It’s usually pale yellow and has a slightly grainy texture.
🍝 Semolina Pasta
Ingredients — 2–3 servings
* 200 g fine semolina (preferably semola rimacinata)
* 100–110 ml warm water
* ½ tsp salt
* 1 tsp olive oil (optional)
Method
1. Put the semolina on a work surface or in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Gradually add the water while mixing with your fingers or a fork.
3. Knead for 8–10 minutes until you have a firm, smooth dough. It should not be sticky.
4. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
5. Knead briefly again, then roll out and cut into your preferred shape—tagliatelle, pappardelle, or simple hand-cut pasta.
6. Dust lightly with semolina to prevent sticking.
7. Cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for about 2–5 minutes, depending on thickness. Fresh pasta cooks quickly.
Tip: Semolina-and-water dough is particularly good for orecchiette, cavatelli and other rustic pasta shapes. If the dough feels too dry while kneading, add water a teaspoon at a time rather than adding a lot at once.
🍮 Semolina Halwa — 4 servings
Ingredients
* 100 g semolina
* 60 g butter or ghee
* 500 ml milk
* 70–100 g sugar, to taste
* ½ tsp vanilla extract
* ½ tsp ground cardamom
* 30 g raisins or chopped nuts (optional)
Method
1. Warm the milk in a saucepan with the sugar, vanilla and cardamom.
2. In another pan, melt the butter/ghee over medium-low heat.
3. Add the semolina and stir continuously for 5–7 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.
4. Slowly pour in the warm milk while stirring constantly—it will thicken quickly.
5. Cook for another 3–5 minutes until creamy.
6. Stir in raisins or nuts if using.
7. Serve warm, or let it cool and set.
For a richer dessert: replace 100 ml of the milk with double cream and add a little extra butter/ghee.
🍞 Semolina Bread
A soft, slightly golden bread with a lovely chewy texture.
Ingredients
* 250 g semolina flour
* 250 g strong white bread flour
* 7 g instant yeast
* 10 g salt
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 350–380 ml warm water
* 1 tsp sugar or honey
Method
1. Mix the semolina, bread flour, yeast and sugar.
2. Add 350 ml warm water and the olive oil. Mix until a rough dough forms.
3. Add the salt and knead for 8–10 minutes. Add a little more water if the dough feels very stiff.
4. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 1–1½ hours, until roughly doubled in size.
5. Shape into a loaf and place on a baking tray or in a loaf tin.
6. Cover and leave for another 30–45 minutes.
7. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
8. Score the top of the loaf and bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
9. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Tip: If you have fine semolina (semola rimacinata), use it for a softer loaf. Coarser semolina gives a more rustic, chewy bread.
🥣 Semolina Breakfast Porridge
A quick, creamy breakfast using the semolina you have.
Ingredients — 1 serving
* 40 g semolina
* 250 ml milk
* 1 tsp honey or sugar
* ½ tsp vanilla
* Pinch of cinnamon
* Fresh fruit, nuts or raisins, optional
Method
1. Heat the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.
2. Slowly sprinkle in the semolina while whisking continuously.
3. Cook over low-medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring until thick and smooth.
4. Stir in the honey/sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.
5. Pour into a bowl and top with banana, berries, nuts, raisins or a little honey.
For extra creamy porridge: use 200 ml milk + 50 ml cream.
For a savoury version: skip the sugar and vanilla, and add salt, grated cheese, a little butter and a fried egg on top.
