Semolina Bread

An easy bread-machine semolina bread made with durum semolina flour, buttermilk, and a touch of butter or applesauce. Semolina is the same coarse, golden wheat used for pasta, and bread made from it has a distinctive pale yellow color, a fine slightly grainy texture, and a subtle nutty flavor that sets it apart from standard white sandwich loaves.

The buttermilk is doing real work here. Its acidity tenderizes the semolina (which can otherwise feel a bit tough) and adds a quiet tang that you’d expect from a much fancier bread. The egg substitute helps bind everything without adding the eggy flavor a whole egg would.

Don’t be tempted to substitute regular flour. Semolina has a different protein structure and absorption, so swapping in bread flour gives you a totally different (denser, less golden) loaf. If you can only find fine semolina, that’s fine; coarse semolina will give a more rustic crumb.

Pro Tips

• Bring the buttermilk to room temperature before adding; cold liquids slow yeast in the machine.
• Use durum semolina specifically, not pasta semolina (also called fine semolina), for the best texture in bread.
• Choose the basic or sandwich cycle for tender crumb; rapid bake makes the crust too dense.
• Cool fully on a rack before slicing; warm semolina bread tears under the knife.

Variations

• Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds on top of the dough before baking for the classic Italian semolina look.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary for a Tuscan-style loaf.
• Substitute olive oil for the butter for a dairy-light version (the buttermilk stays).