Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

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This crusty and delicious semolina bread is topped with nutty sesame seeds and has tender and moist crumbs. Semolina flour gives it a unique flavor, color, and texture that makes it a perfect bread for toasting. This classic Italian semolina bread is one of the most hearty and delicious bread you will ever try.

semolina bread slices and butter on the side

What is semolina bread? It is a bread made with semolina flour. Such bread may be made with one hundred percent semolina flour or some proportion of bread flour may be replaced with semolina flour. Sicilian bread recipes generally use some percentage of semolina in them. The classic Italian semolina bread is made up of 100 % semolina flour.

What does semolina bread taste like?

It has a unique flavor and texture like nothing else. The texture of the crust is very close to the sourdough crust. It is crispy and delicious to the core. The interior however is not chewy like that of the sourdough. Instead, it has very soft, moist, and tender crumbs. And they make wonderful toast. On toasting the crumbs become super crunchy and crispy. The best bread for toast making out there. Only second to the sourdough (a personal bias there 😉)

Also, it has a ton of sesame seeds on top, which makes it nutty and further delicious!

This is the only Italian semolina bread on the blog. And if you talk about sesame seed bread, it might be the first as well, but I shared one of my favorite sesame seed bagels recipe last month.

Why would you love this semolina bread recipe?

Artisan Dutch oven semolina bread. This recipe is an artisan bread style Dutch oven bread shaped into a batard.

Crusty semolina bread. Yes, it is crusty bread with a wonderful crispy crust.

Classic Italian semolina sesame bread. This recipe is inspired by the classic semolina bread. Therefore, it is topped with sesame seeds.

Unique color. This bread has a unique cream white to yellowish color.

Unique texture. This sesame semolina bread has a soft and moist crumb on the inside and a crusty crust on the outside. It is a perfect bread for toasting.

Semolina is high in protein than regular wheat flour. It is also rich in vitamin B and iron.

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Why would you love this semolina bread recipe?
🥘Semolina bread Ingredients
🍶Equipment
🔪How to make Semolina bread with sesame seeds
Step 4 Shaping the semolina bread
🍽 How to serve?
🫙 Storage Instructions
💭Pro Tips and Substitution Notes
❓Frequently Asked Questions
🍞 More Bread Recipes:
📝 Recipe
Semolina bread with sesame seeds
📋Nutrition Facts

🥘Semolina bread Ingredients

collage of images showing all the ingredinets

Semolina flour

I have used double-milled finer semolina in my recipe. Generally, there is a little confusion around semolina flour. So, let us address that first.

What is semolina flour and what to do with it ?

Semolina is a yellow-colored gritty textured durum wheat produce. Durum wheat is a hard type of wheat that usually have high protein than the soft wheat varieties. This is the reason why; it has high gluten content than regular flour. Baking with semolina flour is not easy as it needs to be worked well to develop the gluten. It takes time and effort to make its dough extensible.

Two basic types of semolina are sold in the market; doubled milled semolina ( fine) or regular semolina. It usually has a coarse texture. Maybe that is why people confuse it with sooji ( suji) rava.

Sooji is made with soft wheat, whereas semolina is made from hard wheat varieties.
It is white whereas semolina is prominently yellow.
Sooji is the same as the farina in the Western world. Sooji is the Indian name for the Cream of Wheat ( farina).
Sooji or rava is used to make halwa, upma, and many mid-west desserts, whereas semolina is used to make pasta, couscous, and sometimes bread.

Please note that semolina and sooji are not the same. And they cannot be used as a replacement in most recipes.

Bread flour

I have used bread flour in this recipe. If you will use regular all purpose flour for making this bread, the results might differ. For making light lean bread, like this semolina Italian bread, gluten plays a key role. Bread flour has higher protein content than all-purpose flour.
Hence the bread made with bread flour will be lighter. If you are interested in knowing what else makes their bread dense, do read this post on what causes dense bread.

Water

The ideal water temperature to bloom yeast is 100-110^o F. Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one. Or simply dip your finger in water, it should be hot, but you should be able to dip your finger without burning.

Active dry yeast

I have used active dry yeast in this delicious semolina flour bread. I like to use active dry yeast as it needs to be bloomed first. Hence it is a way to confirm that the yeast is active and still potent to leaven the bread.

There is no sure-shot way of confirming that with the instant yeast. You only get to know that once the dough has been kneaded and if the dough is taking super long to proof. Such incidents are not common, but it happens. And trust me it's very heartbreaking. The fault is in the yeast, and we blame the recipe.

Also, you can make semolina sourdough bread also. But it is going to be whole different recipe.

Sesame seeds

Well, how can you make a sesame semolina bread recipe without sesame seeds? Use whichever type of seeds are available to you. There are three types of sesame seeds.

1. Golden/ brown sesame seeds

2. White sesame seeds/ polished sesame seeds

3. Black sesame seeds

Use whichever is available to you. Then, I used a combination of black and golden sesame seeds to top the bread.

The black sesame seeds have a nuttier flavor whereas the golden ones have a stronger sesame seed flavor. If you like toned-down sesame seed flavor, use black sesame seeds generously.

Olive oil

I have used olive oil, you can use any vegetable oil of your choice.

To make Vegan Italian semolina bread, use vegan sugar and use the remaining recipe as such.

overhead shot of the sliced semolina bread with black and white striped sesame seeds pattern

🍶Equipment

To make this bread you are going to need the following equipment

Stand mixer
Weighing machine/ measuring cups/ measuring spoon
Dutch oven
Scoring blade
Oval Banneton
Bowls
Bread lame
Cooling Rack

🔪How to make Semolina bread with sesame seeds

Step 1 Blooming the active dry yeast

collage of images showing stages of blooming the yeast

In a bowl, take half of the measured water. In a microwave warm water to about 105^o F. Any temperature from 100-110^o F (37-43^o C) would work. Dissolve sugar in warm water and pour in the dry yeast. Stir it and let it bloom in a warm place. It may take 5-10 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature of the kitchen.

The yeast water should appear foamy and bubbly (refer to the images).

You could also make this bread with a sourdough starter. I have recently started making semolina sourdough. I will be dropping the recipe soon.

Step 2 Kneading the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate everything evenly. Now add olive oil and rub it into the flour. It’s like laminating the flour with oil. Take a minute to combine oil evenly into the flour. In the end, the flour should form into a ball when pressed in your hand.

Now, add the bloomed yeast mixture to the bowl. Also, add the remaining water. Then combine the dough to hydrate every particle of the flour using the back of a ladle. Cover the dough and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This rest helps with gluten development.

Now put the dough hook attachment on the stand mixer and start kneading the dough at low speed for 5-6 minutes. Now increase the speed to 3-4 and keep kneading for 10-12 more minutes or until the dough comes together. In the end, the semolina bread dough will leave the sides of the bowl and wrap itself around the dough hook. The dough will become manageable and smooth.

collage of images showing stages of kneading the dough

Kneading with hands

If you are going to attempt kneading the semolina bread with your hands, let me warn you that it is not easy to work with this dough. Semolina needs to be worked on so that it absorbs the water that it to make the gluten extensible.

For kneading with hands combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. (do not add oil at this stage) Now, add the bloomed yeast mixture to the bowl. Also, add the remaining water. Then combine the dough to hydrate every particle of the flour using the back of a ladle. Cover the dough and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This rest helps with gluten development.

Now, dust a work surface and transfer the dough mass onto the work surface. Now start kneading with your hands. Use the heel of your hands to stretch the dough away from you. Then, bring it back and collect it. Add oil in stages to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and keeping it manageable. Keep repeating this motion to knead the dough until it becomes smooth and stops sticking to the hands and the surface. It would take about 20-22 minutes to knead the dough with hands.

Step 3 Bulk rising the semolina dough

collage of images showing stages of bulk fermentation

Transfer the kneaded dough into a large, greased bowl with enough headroom for the dough to expand. Cover it with a cling wrap or a kitchen towel. Now place the bowl in the warm corner of your kitchen and let it double in volume. I like to place the dough in the oven with lights turned on for quicker bulk rise or proofing.

It would take 2 hours to 4 hours to bulk rise depending on the ambient temperature of your kitchen. It is advisable to look at the rise in the dough instead of following any timeline.

Bulk fermentation in an instant pot

To bulk rise and proof bread in the Instant pot, yogurt mode is ideal.

I like to grease the pot of the instant pot with cooking oil and directly place the dough in it. Let the dough proof in the ferment option(if you have it) in yogurt mode. And select the custom temperature settings. 85-95 ⁰F is ideal for yeast activity.

Step 4 Shaping the semolina bread

9 images showing stages of shaping italian semolina bread

When the dough has doubled up in volume, flip the dough on a dusted surface. Stretch the right side and bring it to the center and seal. Similarly, bring the left side to the center and seal. Now grab the right side and roll over to form a log. Seal the edges by pressing with palms.

Now to get rid of the dough loaf buts, fold the sides under the loaf and pull it towards yourself. Then let it go and jiggle the batard towards the right and left using cupped hands while trying to build tension on the surface.

Now on a plate evenly spread the sesame seeds. I have used golden and black sesame seeds and made a pattern of them, though you can use either of them.

Spray the shaped batard with a mist of water so that sesame seeds stick to the dough surface nicely. Now, flip the shaped dough into the sesame seed plate. Gently roll it on the plate to adhere to maximum seeds. Now gently flip and transfer it into a banneton basket.

I use an oval rattan basket, with the lining cloth. If you do not have a proofing basket, just DIY a proofing basket. Use any oval bowl and line it with a naturally breathable cotton cloth. Dust the cloth generously with rice flour and transfer the shaped semolina sesame bread into it with the seam side facing upwards.

Step 5 Proofing the shaped semolina loaf

collage of images showing stages proofing and scoring the dough

Place the banneton in a plastic bag and fluff it up with air and seal it with a rubber band.

Let the dough be proof at room temperature until it rises well above the rim. Alternately you can also do a poke test to check if the dough is ready to bake.

Step 6 Scoring and baking semolina bread

Now preheat the oven to 480^o F for about 30 minutes with the Dutch oven placed inside it. ( You can also bake it on a baking sheet)

When the oven and bread both are ready, you could do multiple decorative scores or a simple slash like me.

Gently flip the dough on parchment paper or a bread sling. Place the lame at 45 degrees and make a half-an-inch deep slash across the batard.

Spray the loaf with water before putting it in the Dutch oven. Close the lid and let the bread bake for 20 minutes. Then open the lid of the Dutch oven and let the bread brown for 15 more minutes at 450^o F.

When ready, remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it.

Share and enjoy!

Possible variations of semolina bread

4 cut slices of bread and the remaining loaf in the background

Variations of semolina bread that you can make are the following:

Make 100 % semolina bread. For that, you must use double-milled finer semolina.
Make it in an elongated batard shape, often referred to as filone. It is great for making bruschetta.
You can make this recipe into semolina buns or semolina rolls.
This dough can be shaped into elongated shapes to make a semolina baguette. Refer to the french baguette recipe.
Make semolina Sandwich bread by baking it in a loaf pan and sprinkling sesame seeds on top.
Use various other combinations of topping like poppy, oats, sunflower seeds, etc.

🍽 How to serve?

They make excellent toast. Love to make them into avocado toast. You can toast them on a buttered skillet, electric toasters, oven, or even in air fryers.

In a toaster you lose the sesame seeds, so just avoid toasters for heating the semolina bread slices. My go-to way is to air fry them. Set the air fryer temperature to 370 ⁰F and let the bread slices toast for 3-4 minutes or until they turn golden.

🫙 Storage Instructions

Before storing the semolina bread, ensure that it is fully cooled down. You can put it in a linen bag and close it tightly. They will keep well on your kitchen counter for 2-3 days. If you have a bread box (lucky you!) you can store them in it for 2-3 days.

You can freeze the left-over bread slices by placing them in a zip lock bag and squeezing out any excess air. Then seal the bag and cover it with foil. I like to put a date and description on the foil, so I do not lose track. It will freeze well for months.

image showing slicing the sesame semolina bread and bread knife

💭Pro Tips and Substitution Notes

If you are using regular semolina flour which is not double milled, it will absorb less water. Hence reduce the water quantity by 20 grams.
You can also use rava or sooji instead of semolina. But please note that suji does not have high gluten like semolina, hence it will need less water. So, reduce the hydration accordingly.
Please do not use roasted semolina or roasted rava for making bread.

I highly recommend using active dry yeast for making this recipe. If you use instant dry yeast, it starts acting very fast. And semolina flour takes time to absorb moisture and become extensible. So, before the optimum gluten development takes place in the dough, the dough starts to rise, and it starts to weaken the glutens before its fully activated.

Any temperature from 100-110^o F (37-43^o C) would work for blooming the yeast.
Be patient with kneading the dough. Take your time. The dough might appear wet and sticky in the beginning, but it will come together finally. Semolina takes time to become pliable.
To bulk rise and proof bread in the Instant pot, yogurt mode is ideal.

You can shape this semolina bread into semolina rolls, buns, or even a semolina baguette.
The black sesame seeds have a nuttier flavor whereas the golden and white ones have a stronger sesame seed flavor. If you like toned-down sesame seed flavor, use black sesame seeds generously.
I use an oval rattan basket, with the lining cloth. If you do not have a proofing basket, just DIY a proofing basket. Use any oval bowl and line it with a naturally breathable cotton cloth. Dust the cloth generously with rice flour and transfer the shaped semolina sesame bread into it with the seam side facing upwards.
Spray the bread load with water before putting it in the Dutch oven for baking, for getting the best rise.

Let the bread cool completely or at least for 30 minutes before slicing it.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What is semolina flour bread good for?

Semolina bread is good for making toast, and sandwiches. I can not rave enough about how delicious toast semolina bread makes.
Also, it is higher in calories than regular wheat bread. Therefore, it is great to boost energy.

How does semolina affect the bread texture?

Semolina makes the bread crust crispy and crunchy. I like to compare it with the crust of sourdough bread. It makes the crust thicker and crustier. The crumb however does not open up like that of wheat bread.

Is semolina bread better than white bread?

Well, it is a matter of personal choice, but semolina bread does have a better crust than white bread. The crumb is tender, but not light and airy like that of white bread. It is hearty and filling when compared with white bread. It makes great filling toast. Its texture and taste are pretty unique.

Can semolina replace bread flour?

Semolina flour can be used to replace bread flour. But the overall hydration and process of making the bread will also vary.

🍞 More Bread Recipes:

Have you ever made a bread recipe with semolina? Share in the comments section. I hope you enjoyed this sesame semolina bread recipe. Share your experiences in the comments section below. I am always looking forward to hearing from you. And if you liked it, please share it with your friends.

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Make it delicious!

📝 Recipe

Italian semolina bread topped with sesame seeds

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