Homemade Semolina Pasta Dough

Name: Homemade Semolina Pasta Dough
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups semola rimacinata flour (fine, double-milled durum wheat semolina); ½ cup finely grated fresh Parmigiano cheese; ¼ cup ricotta cheese, strained; 1 Pinch of salt; ¾-1 cup water (as needed); Extra semola rimacinata (for rolling and dusting)

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I first learned to make this semolina pasta dough during a cooking class at the Anna Tasca Lanza school in Sicily. Their version included a touch of ricotta and Parmesan cheese, which I’ve kept in my recipe because it softens the dough and makes it easier to knead. After testing it many times at home, both with and without ricotta, I found this version gives the best texture — tender, not overly chewy, and easy to work with.

Bowl of homemade semolina pasta topped with tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.

This semolina pasta dough is our homemade recipe for authentic Italian pasta, which comes together with minimal ingredients and is also great to prepare in advance. It’s a foolproof, restaurant-style pasta that you can shape multiple ways and pair with your favorite sauces.

Two of my favorite pairings are my Chicken Bolognese, a lighter twist on a classic meat sauce, and my Spaghetti with Lemon Cream Sauce, a bright and creamy dish that balances beautifully with this rustic pasta dough.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients. Just flour, water, Parmesan cheese, ricotta, and salt.
Softened texture. I tested semolina dough both with and without ricotta, and I 100% prefer the version with ricotta. It makes the dough easier to knead and gives the pasta a tender bite instead of being overly dense or chewy.
Flexible. Shape it into cavatelli or other rustic pastas like orecchiette or strozzapreti.
Pairs with any sauce. From tomato to pesto, bolognese to cacio e pepe, this dough works with it all.
Make ahead friendly. Shape and freeze for meal prep or entertaining — they cook from frozen in minutes.
Family-friendly. Rolling and shaping the pasta is fun for kids and makes this recipe a great one to cook together.

Ingredients

Fine durum wheat semolina flour – the base of this pasta dough, giving it a rustic, authentic texture.
Parmesan cheese – finely grated, ideally a high-quality Parmesan from Italy, for flavor and richness.
Ricotta cheese – just a small amount, strained, which softens the dough and makes it easier to knead.
Salt – enhances the flavor of the dough.
Water – added gradually until the dough comes together; the exact amount depends on humidity and flour.

How to Make Semolina Pasta Dough

In a large bowl, mix together the fine semolina flour, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt until combined.
Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface, such as your countertop or a large cutting board. Shape it into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the ricotta to the well.

Pouring semolina flour into a mixing bowl with a gold measuring cup on a wooden surface.

Well of semolina flour with ricotta in the center on a wooden surface with a fork nearby.

Pour about one-third of the water into the well with the ricotta. Use a fork to begin pulling the flour into the center. Add more water a little at a time, only as needed, until the dough starts to come together. Once most of the flour is incorporated, use a bench scraper to cut and gather it into a shaggy, coarse dough. It will look dry at first — that’s normal.

Semolina flour and ricotta mixture forming a dough well on a wooden surface with a spoon.

Shaggy-looking semolina pasta dough on a wooden surface with a bench scraper.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The dough should not feel sticky.

Hands kneading semolina pasta dough on a floured wooden surface.

Ball of semolina pasta dough resting on a floured wooden surface with a bench scraper nearby.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Cut off a small piece of dough, keeping the rest wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Roll the piece into a thin log, about ⅜ inch (9–10 mm) in diameter — roughly the width of your finger.

Hand rolling semolina pasta dough into a long rope on a floured wooden surface.

Cut the log into small pieces about ½ inch (1.3 cm) long. Using a cavatelli board, fork, or machine, roll each piece into cavatelli. Place the shaped pasta on a tray dusted with semolina.

Hand shaping semolina pasta on a wooden gnocchi board beside freshly rolled pasta pieces on a floured surface.

Hand shaping semolina pasta on a wooden gnocchi board.

At this stage, you can cook the pasta right away, refrigerate the shaped cavatelli for a few hours, or freeze them in a single layer for later. If cooking immediately, let the pasta sit out briefly while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the cavatelli to the boiling water. Fresh pasta will cook in 2–3 minutes, while frozen pasta will take 4–5 minutes. The pasta is ready when it floats to the surface and is al dente. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce.

Tray of freshly shaped semolina pasta pieces resting on a floured surface before cooking.

Expert Tips

Expect it to look shaggy at first. Don’t panic if the dough looks dry or crumbly in the beginning — that’s completely normal. Semolina hydrates slowly, and the dough will smooth out as you knead.
Add water slowly. Be patient and avoid adding extra water too early. If after several minutes of kneading it still feels crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time.
Wet your fingertips for easy kneading. Lightly wet your fingertips with water while kneading if the dough feels just a little too dry. This introduces moisture gradually without over-hydrating.
Always add the ricotta. After testing several batches both with and without ricotta, I can confidently say the ricotta-enriched version is easier to knead and gives the pasta a softer, more balanced texture. The 100% semolina dough is very chewy and much harder to work with.
Keep it covered. Always keep unused dough wrapped in plastic while you roll and shape to prevent drying.
Let the dough rest the full amount of time. Don’t skip the 30-minute rest — it relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.

Storage and Freezing

If you’re making the dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it come back to room temperature before rolling and shaping.

Once shaped, spread the cavatelli on a tray dusted with semolina. Refrigerate uncovered for a few hours or freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a bag or container. Cook directly from frozen (no thawing needed) — they’ll be ready in 4–5 minutes.

Serving & Using Semolina Pasta Dough

This dough makes beautiful cavatelli, small ridged shells that hold onto any sauce perfectly. It’s the shape I usually make at home, and it’s fun to roll and shape by hand.

You can also use this dough for other traditional shapes like orecchiette (“little ears”) or strozzapreti (a twisted pasta from central Italy). I’ve made orecchiette and strozzapreti in Italy, but at home I usually stick with cavatelli since it’s the easiest and most fun to shape.

Sauce Pairings:

Chicken Bolognese
Spaghetti with Lemon Cream Sauce
Pesto Genovese
Tomato Pomodoro
Cacio e Pepe

Helpful Tools:

A cavatelli board to create ridges that catch the sauce.
A bench scraper for cutting and moving dough.

FAQs

Can you use semolina instead of all-purpose flour for pasta?

Yes, but the results are very different. Semolina is made from durum wheat and gives pasta a firmer bite and rustic texture, while all-purpose flour makes a softer, smoother dough. For traditional southern Italian shapes like cavatelli or orecchiette, semolina is the preferred flour.

What is the ratio of semolina to 00 flour for pasta?

It depends on the recipe. Some cooks use a 50/50 mix for balance — semolina adds texture while 00 flour keeps the dough silky. My recipe is made with 100% semolina (plus a touch of ricotta), so it’s best for rustic shapes.

Why use semolina instead of 00 flour?

Semolina has a coarser grind and higher protein, which gives pasta structure and a pleasant chew. It also holds sauce especially well. 00 flour, by contrast, is very finely milled and creates delicate egg-based pastas like tagliatelle or fettuccine.

What’s the difference between an egg pasta dough and a semolina pasta dough?

Egg doughs (often made with 00 flour and eggs) are soft, silky, and best for rolled and cut shapes like tagliatelle, ravioli, or lasagna. Semolina dough (made with semolina flour and water, sometimes with a little ricotta) is firmer, chewier, and best for hand-shaped pastas like cavatelli or orecchiette.