Semolina Bread is a crusty, hearty loaf of bread. It makes for the perfect addition to your dinner table. This bread recipe is made using semolina flour and is topped with sesame seeds, giving this bread a wonderful flavor. Yields 2 loaves.
Serve this crusty bread with Meatless Baked Ziti for a hearty weeknight meal!
Love baking homemade bread? Try my popular 3 Ingredient Bread and Condensed Milk Bread recipes. And for a flavor variation of this Semolina recipe made with plain flour, try my Italian Herb Cheese Bread.
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The secret to this homemade bread
Homemade bread recipes are so satisfying to make. The secret to this one is the semolina flour. It gives the loaf a wonderfully soft texture with lots of flavor. Semolina flour has a bit coarser of a texture than all-purpose flour and a more earthy aroma and flavor which carries through to the baked bread.
You may be tempted to substitute the semolina flour and/or bread flour in this recipe for all-purpose flour. I would not recommend replacing the semolina flour because of its unique flavor and texture. However, you may replace the bread flour if needed. The texture of the baked loaf may not be as chewy as with bread flour, but the bread will still be delicious.
The sesame seeds give this bread a nutty flavor that is reminiscent of the loaves served at Italian restaurants. Feel free to leave off the sesame seeds if you prefer.
The magic behind a crisp crust
The very best way to get a crisp crust is to bake this bread on a preheated baking stone. If you do not have a baking stone, use instead an overturned baking sheet.
The trick to getting lofty loaves is to place an empty baking dish (use aluminum, not glass!) on the oven rack beneath the baking stone while the oven preheats. When you slide the bread dough onto the baking stone, immediately fill the baking dish with a cup of water and close the oven door. The water will create steam helping to get a great rise on these loaves.
Note: do not use a glass baking dish. Adding cold or room temperature water to a hot glass dish is a recipe for disaster. The glass will likely shatter creating a huge mess.
How to make the world’s best semolina bread
Don't be intimidated by any of the bread making terms used in this recipe. It's not a difficult bread to make, even if it is your first time. Like most bread recipes made with yeast, this recipe does take time to make. Patience pays off because time equals flavor! No bread machine, dutch oven, or proofing basket required. So even if you are not an experienced bread baker, you can make this delicious homemade bread!
As an experienced home baker with dozens of bread recipes on my site, I can say this bread is well worth the time and patience.
Note, this recipe yields two loaves of bread.
Pro tip
As with most homemade bread recipes, pay attention to what the dough looks and feels like more than watching the clock. For instance, when kneading the dough, look for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl and to look smooth with some elasticity to it. These signs are an indication the dough has been kneaded enough. If this takes more or less than 7-8 minutes, that's perfectly okay. The time is a rough gauge of how long it typically takes, but this can vary based on the climate in which you live, the temperature of your kitchen, the speed at which you knead, etc
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How to store this homemade bread
This bread is best when it's consumed the same day it's made, just like Italian Herb Cheese Bread and Banh Mi baguettes. The crust may lose some of its crustiness or crispiness the next day. It'll still taste great and will make for wonderful toast or even french toast.
Store the cooled bread at room temperature in a brown paper bag or bread bag for up to one week. Transfer to the fridge and store in the fridge for longer storage. The bread may dry out slightly in the fridge.
To freeze a loaf, wrap loaf in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
To freeze sliced bread, place slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze at least one hour then transfer frozen slices to a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. The slices may dry out a little when frozen this way. Thaw at room temperature.
Here’s the best way to reheat bread in the oven to make it crisp as if it was just made.
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Ingredients
Poolish
- 1 cup bread flour
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¾ cup lukewarm water 90° to 100°F
Dough
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¾ cup lukewarm water 90° to 100°F
- Poolish from recipe above
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups semolina flour
- ¾ cup bread flour
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the Poolish
- Stir together flour and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in water until blended. This dough will be like thick cake batter. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, in a warm spot (cold oven with only the light on works really well). The dough will have lots of little bubbles and should jiggle1 cup bread flour, ½ teaspoon active dry yeast, ¾ cup lukewarm water
Make the Dough
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast and lukewarm water. Whisk together to combine and allow to sit for 10 minutes*. Yeast mixture should be foamy at the edges. Using the paddle attachment on the stand mixer, stir in poolish from step 1, olive oil and salt until thoroughly blended. Add semolina flour and bread flour. Stir until combined. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.½ teaspoon active dry yeast, ¾ cup lukewarm water, Poolish, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 2 cups semolina flour, ¾ cup bread flour
- Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for several minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 7-8 minutes. Place in a large bowl that’s lightly coated in vegetable oil, turning the dough to cover in oil. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for one hour or until a finger gently pressed into the dough does not immediately bounce back. If the dough does bounce back immediately, allow it to rest for a few more minutes, then check again
Pre-Shaping
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently press to deflate dough. Divide in half. Working with each portion separately, shape into a rough rectangle (6 x 9-inches) with the short edge closest to you. Starting with the far edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Repeat with second piece. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes
Final Shaping
- Flatten the dough again to a rough rectangle (6 x 9-inches) with a long edge toward you this time. Roll into a tight log, pinching to seal. Turn the loaf over and gently roll back and forth to about 14 inches long. Repeat with second loaf. Place loaves side-by-side on a piece of parchment paper set on top of a pizza peel or upside down baking sheet. Leave a few inches of room between the loaves to allow room for rising. Cover and let rise with seam side down for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven
- For best baking results, place a baking stone or pizza stone on the middle shelf of the oven and place an empty baking dish on the bottom shelf. Note: do not use a glass baking dish; be sure to use an aluminum baking pan. If you do not have a pizza stone, bake the loaves on the parchment on the overturned baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 475°F for 30 minutes
Make Egg Wash
- Lightly whisk together the egg with the water. Lightly brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash (you likely will not use all of it) then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Score each loaf with 3 slashes using a sharp knife, blade or lame1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water, ¼ cup sesame seeds
Bake
- Depending on the size of your baking stone, bake 1 or 2 loaves at a time. Gently and carefully slide the parchment paper and loaves onto the pizza stone. Quickly pour one cup of water in the baking pan that’s sitting on the shelf beneath the pizza stone, closing the oven door quickly to prevent the steam from escaping. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until tops are golden brown and the internal temp is 200°F. Remove from the oven and cool at least one hour on a wire rack before slicing
Video
Notes
- *if using instant yeast, you do not need to wait ten minutes before mixing in the flours
- Bread is best the day it is made
- Store cooled bread at room temperature in a brown paper bag or bread bag for up to 4 days
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week
- The bread may lose some of its crispy and crustiness when stored.
Nutrition
Comments
David Denmark says
My first time making this bread. It turned out fantastic. I used a baguette pan and sprayed the breads with a mist of water every few minutes like I do when I make baguettes. Very pleased and will make them again
Kimberlee Ho says
Thanks so much for sharing, David!
Rosemarie says
This recipe was wonderful, tasty and easy to follow instructions. First time making bread using Semolina. It was delicious and didn’t last long enough to remember to take a photo. It looked like the type of Italian bread my Nonna made and tasted similar.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’ll definitely be making this again, maybe I’ll remember to take a picture.
Kimberlee Ho says
Loved hearing this, Rosemarie!! ❤️
Nellie says
I am a former NY'er who now lives in Phoenix. The weather is beautiful, the bread game out here, not so much. My family and I have been on the search for a delicious NY Deli loaf, soft, crunchy, perfect for sandwiches. I tried this recipe the other night and quickly corralled my family into the kitchen. With a schmear of soft butter, I had them each close their eyes while I shoved a slice of this heaven into their mouths. We all giggled in delight, crushed two loaves and a stick of soft butter within 30 minutes. Absolute Perfection!
Kimberlee Ho says
This is my favorite comment!! Thank you for sharing ❤️