Italian Semolina Bread is a hearty homestyle Italian classic bread. It has a crunchy crust and light and chewy pale yellow crumb. Enjoy topped with sesame seeds for added texture and earthy flavour!

loaf of semolina bread on a wooden board

Semolina bread is a bit more rustic than perhaps you’re used to. The reason for that is the semolina flour which comes from durum wheat. Depending on how the semolina was ground and which type you buy, you may find it slightly darker and a bit more coarse than all-purpose or bread flour. There is no wrong kind of semolina flour to buy, but whichever you do, will determine the slight differences in texture.

Widely used in Italy, semolina has a very high gluten content. It takes a bit more to work with by hand, but it’s excellent at holding its shape, without the addition of eggs. This is why it is perfect for making bread and pasta!

This rustic style Italian bread is a yeast bread which does take some rise time. But made with only a few pantry staples, following this recipe can’t get any easier. Fill your kitchen with the smell of freshly baked bread this weekend. Your family will thank you!

bread loaf with 2 slices cut and a knife

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Water – Lukewarm
Honey
Yeast – Active dry yeast
Flour – Semolina flour
Olive oil
Salt

How to Make It

In a small bowl, add water and honey. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit. Then stir to combine.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add flour, yeast mixture, remaining water, and oil.

letting the yeast sit and mixing the flour and yeast

Start to knead and then add the salt. Continue kneading to form the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured flat surface. Stretch and fold it a few times.

making the dough and stretching and folding on a wooden board

and then place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough around so that the entire surface has been coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and move to a warm draft-free area to double in bulk. Once again, transfer the dough to a flat surface and stretch and fold a few times before forming it into the desired shape.

the dough in a bowl before and after rising and stretching and folding on a board

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm draft-free area.

the before and after rising in a loaf pan

Preheat the oven and while the oven is heating up, place an empty pan in the bottom of the oven. With a sharp knife, score the loaf. If you would like to add seeds on top, brush the loaf with a little water and sprinkle with your choice of sesame or poppy seeds.

Add boiling water to the pan that’s been sitting at the bottom of the oven, then immediately add the bread to the rack above to bake.

Once it is ready, remove it from the oven and immediately transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

before and after baking with poppy seeds on top

Enjoy a slice slathered with your favourite spreads, as a bruschetta appetizer, or fill it with your favourite sandwich fillings. You can also use it to make homemade croutons.

This is a simple bread loaded with flavour and texture. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Why do I need to add the empty pan at the bottom of the oven?

Adding boiling water to the empty pan just before adding the bread to the oven, will create a steam effect. This will help keep the crust soft long enough for the bread to expand. Once the steam is gone and no longer needed, the outer crust will then become hard.

How to store it

The fresh baked cooled bread should be kept in a paper bag, it will keep for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze it?

Definitely. This bread will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, during which time you can enjoy it as you please. After which, you can freeze it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 1 month.

Why is my dough sticky?

You might notice that this dough is a bit more sticky than you anticipated. Not to worry, that is normal. Do not add more flour!

More Delicious Bread Recipes

If you are looking for a different type of bread to make then I hope you give this Italian Semolina Bread a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!