How to Make Semolina Pasta Dough
If you love homemade pasta but aren’t the biggest fan of the process of making it, then semolina pasta dough is your answer! With just two ingredients and a few minutes, you can whip up dry pasta shapes and leave them in the pantry whenever you feel like cooking up a batch—no need to stock up on store-bought packets when you can make your all-natural semolina pasta at home.
Semolina is coarse wheat flour that home cooks use to make pasta dough. It’s also great for adding texture to cookies and other baked goods. The key thing to keep in mind when using semolina is that it’s very absorbent—this means that if you use too much water when mixing up your dough, it will become too sticky and difficult to work with. So start with a small amount of water before adding more if needed!
Watch Semolina Pasta Dough video recipe:
How to Make Pasta with SEMOLINA FLOUR

Vincenzo’s Top Tips To Make Semolina Pasta Dough
Storing the Fresh Pasta
If you plan on eating only some of the fresh pasta right away, you can save it for later. Transfer the pasta from the rack to an airtight container. Refrigerate or freeze the pasta.
Give the Pasta Dough Enough Time to Rest
Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap, put it in a plastic bag, or cover it with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This rest period allows the flour to absorb and hydrate the liquid. It also allows the gluten to unwind.

Semolina Pasta Dough
Print RecipeEquipment
- Wooden bench
- knife
- Butter knife if making orrecchiete
Ingredients
- 300 ml Warm water, 1.26 cups
- 500 grams Semolina flour, 17.63 oz
Instructions
- Semolina pasta dough has 2 ingredients, so start with great quality semolina.
- Pour 500g/17.63oz semolina on a wooden bench, create a well, add water, a little bit at a time and mix with the semolina pinching the sides in, then mix it through, creating a paste-like consistency.
- Repeat this until the semolina pasta dough has completely absorbed the water.
- Start to knead the dough to bring it altogether and help improve the semolina pasta dough consistency.
- When kneading, press using the palm of your hand, toward the front, fold back then repeat this motion.
- Add more water if it feels too dry and keep kneading.
- If it feels sticky, add another sprinkle of semolina flour and knead through.
- Let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- TO MAKE ORRECCHIETE:
- Cut a piece of the semolina pasta dough and roll it into a snake like shape.
- Cut this into small pillows, then using a butter knife, press down on it and gently roll it forward.
- Shape it around your finger pressing in the middle so it becomes wider.
- This will create the ear like pasta shape, known as orrecchiete!
- TO MAKE CAVATELLI:
- Follow step 1 & 2 of how to make orrecchiete.
- Don’t peel it off and press in with your finger, just leave it how it is.
- This semolina pasta dough can be used to make pasta to eat right away, or, leave it out for 48-72hr on a pizza tray or drying rack before you store it in your pantry.
Video
How to Serve Semolina Pasta Dough
Depending on the pasta shape you make, visit https://www.vincenzosplate.com/recipe-type/pasta/ and choose a recipe! Choices for sauces to accompany your pasta are endless so try one of mine, or let me know your favourite. Just remember semolina is hard durum wheat, so cooking time is longer than usual and lengthens the thicker your pasta shape is.
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