Semolina Bread Recipe

💕 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Homemade bread recipes are so satisfying to make. Here are some of the many reasons why you'll love this crusty bread recipe:

• This bread is perfect for dipping, toasting, topping and sandwiches
• Even if you are not an experienced bread baker, you can make this this delicious homemade bread!
• No bread machine, dutch oven, or proofing basket required
• Crisp crust with a nutty flavor from the sesame seeds and a soft and flavorful inside from the semolina flour

🧾 Ingredients & substitutions

To make Semolina Bread, you'll need a few basic ingredients:

• Bread flour: This type of white flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, giving the bread more chew. If you do not have bread flour or you are having trouble finding it, you can easily substitute for all-purpose flour. The texture may not be as chewy as with bread flour, but the baked bread will still be delicious
• Active dry yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh. There's nothing worse than realizing your yeast is dead when your bread does not rise. If you only have instant yeast, that will also work. Pay attention to the bread while it's rising, as it will likely rise faster than the instructions call for if you use instant yeast. Avoid overproofing the dough by checking it often
• Lukewarm water (90° to 100°F): I recommend using a thermometer to check the temperature of the water. This will ensure the water isn't too hot which will kill the yeast, resulting in dense, flat bread
• Olive oil
• Salt: fine salt is recommended
• Semolina flour: Semolina flour is made from durum wheat, has a coarser texture than all-purpose flour, and an earthy aroma. This flour can be found in most grocery stores in the flour aisle. Look for fine semolina flour. I would not recommend substituting semolina flour for any other type of flour in this recipe.
• Sesame seeds
• Large egg: Mix with water to make the egg wash. This gets brushed on the surface of the loaf to create a golden brown exterior when baked

🥣 How to make 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!

This recipe yields two loaves of bread.

Step 1: Make the Poolish: This is just a yeast mixture that pre-ferments to provide flavor and leavening to your bread. To make it, stir together flour and yeast in a medium bowl then stir in the warm water until blended and you have a shaggy dough.

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 place (a cold oven with only the light on works really well). The dough will have lots of little bubbles and should jiggle

Step 2: Make the bread dough: To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the yeast and lukewarm water. Whisk together to combine and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Yeast should be foamy at the edges. Using the paddle attachment, 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 dough rest for 20 minutes.

Step 3: After 20 minutes, switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for several minutes until you have a smooth dough, about 7-8 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl (a large bowl that's been lightly coated in vegetable oil), turning the dough to cover in oil. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for one hour or until a finger gently pressed into the top of the dough does not immediately bounce back. This is an indication it's fully proofed

Step 3: 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 a short edge toward you. Starting with the far edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Repeat with second piece. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes

Step 4: Shape dough: On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough 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 until you have a 14 inch long loaf. Repeat with second loaf. Place loaves side-by-side on a sheet 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 up for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven

Step 5: 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. 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

Step 6: Make the egg wash by lightly whisking the egg together 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 lame.

Step 7: 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 in the preheated oven. 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; baking time may vary based on your oven, so check the loaves often. Remove from the oven and cool at least one hour on a wire rack before slicing

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips 

• 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
• I would not recommend substituting the ingredients in this recipe, as it will likely change the end result of the baked bread
• This bread is best when it's consumed the same day it's made, just like Banh Mi baguettes. The crust may lose some of it's crustiness or crispiness the next day. It'll still taste great and will make for wonderful toast or even french toast

➕More Recipes

For all my bread recipes, click here.