Semolina: What It Is, Nutrition, Gluten and How It Compares to Flour

Semolina is a coarse, pale yellow flour milled from durum wheat, and it is the first flour named in FDA’s standard for dried macaroni products. This guide explains what semolina is under federal food standards, how semolina flour differs from ordinary flour and from durum flour, what USDA data show for enriched and unenriched semolina, why semolina is not gluten free, and how cooks use it.

Peptide Labs does not sell semolina or any semolina products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is semolina?

In the United States, semolina has a legal definition. Under 21 CFR 137.320, semolina is the food prepared by grinding and bolting (sifting) cleaned durum wheat to such fineness that it passes through a No. 20 sieve, but not more than 3 percent passes through a No. 100 sieve. The same regulation says it is freed from bran coat, or bran coat and germ, and caps its moisture at 15 percent. In plain terms, semolina is a sandy, granular meal of durum wheat with the bran removed, not a soft powder.

Durum is its own kind of wheat. FDA’s allergen guidance lists durum wheat as Triticum durum and gives semolina the same botanical name, so the allergen rules for wheat also cover semolina. Packages may say semolina, semolina flour or durum wheat semolina; the regulation’s name for the coarse product is simply semolina. A bag labeled durum flour is a different, finer grind, described in the next section.

Semolina vs flour

FDA’s cereal flour standards in 21 CFR Part 137 separate these products by two things: the kind of wheat and how fine the grind is. The table summarizes what each regulation says.

So the comparison of semolina vs flour comes down to wheat and texture. Semolina and farina share the same coarse grind, but FDA’s farina standard requires wheat other than durum wheat, while semolina must be durum. Under 21 CFR 137.105, ordinary white flour is ground from wheat other than durum and is fine enough that almost all of it passes the No. 70 sieve. Durum flour is made from the same wheat as semolina but milled as finely as white flour. For a whole-grain comparison, our whole wheat flour guide covers the bran-and-germ version of common wheat.

Semolina nutrition

USDA SR Legacy has two semolina entries, enriched and unenriched. The table shows them per 100 g of dry semolina next to enriched all-purpose flour and whole durum wheat kernels, with Percent Daily Values (%DV) based on FDA Daily Values.

Three patterns stand out in the USDA semolina nutrition data. First, the two semolina entries are identical for calories, protein, carbohydrate and fiber; enrichment changes only the added nutrients, with the enriched entry listing more iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Second, USDA lists 12.7 g of protein per 100 g for semolina against 10.3 g for enriched all-purpose flour. Third, the whole durum kernel entry lists about three times the magnesium and more than twice the potassium of either semolina entry; FDA’s standard requires semolina to be freed from the bran coat, or bran coat and germ. Semolina is eaten cooked into other foods, so the label on the finished product is the place to check per-serving numbers.

Enriched vs unenriched semolina

FDA’s Part 137 has a standard for semolina and a separate standard for enriched farina, but no separate standard titled enriched semolina. Enrichment shows up in other standards. Under 21 CFR 137.165, enriched flour contains added thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron. Under 21 CFR 139.115, enriched macaroni products must contain set minimum and maximum amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin or niacinamide, folic acid and iron in each pound, and may also contain added vitamin D and calcium. To know whether a bag of semolina is enriched, read the name and the ingredient list; enriched products list the added vitamins and iron.

Is semolina gluten free?

No. NIDDK explains that gluten occurs naturally in wheat and types of wheat, such as durum, emmer, semolina and spelt, as well as in barley, rye and triticale, and that it is found in foods made from those grains, including pastas, breads and baking mixes. FDA’s allergen guidance says wheat is a major food allergen and that “wheat” means any species in the genus Triticum, naming semolina (Triticum durum) in its list. A food that contains semolina therefore has to declare wheat on its label.

• Celiac disease: NIDDK says people with celiac disease need a gluten-free diet, and a doctor or registered dietitian can guide it. NIDDK also advises talking with your doctor about testing before you start avoiding gluten, because avoiding it first can make test results inaccurate.
• Wheat allergy: wheat is one of the nine major food allergens under US law, so FDA requires it to be declared on the label of foods that contain semolina.
• Gluten-free labels: NIDDK notes that FDA requires foods labeled gluten-free to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
• Cross-contact: NIDDK warns that gluten can reach gluten-free foods when they are grown, processed, stored, prepared or served, so a shared scoop or bin matters.

NIDDK lists flours made from rice, corn, potatoes, soy, nuts, cassava, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat or beans as safe for people with celiac disease. For a gritty texture similar to semolina, some cooks use cornmeal or polenta; see our cornmeal guide and polenta guide, and choose products labeled gluten-free. Related grain guides: quinoa, buckwheat, spelt, einkorn and kamut, plus our guide to foods with gluten.

Is semolina healthy?

Semolina is a refined grain product: FDA’s standard requires it to be freed from the bran coat, and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans list pasta and other refined-grain products in the refined grains group and state: “Refined-grain choices should be enriched.” The same guidelines describe a healthy dietary pattern as including grains, at least half of which are whole grain. Whole durum flour exists under its own standard (21 CFR 137.225), and products made from it keep the bran and germ that semolina leaves out. Our refined carbs guide explains the refined grain category, and our high fiber foods guide lists whole grains with more fiber per serving. For a rice-shaped food often made from semolina, see ourorzo guide.

What you serve with semolina shapes the meal more than the semolina itself. Salt, butter, cheese and sugar added in cooking change the totals, and the Nutrition Facts label on a packaged food gives per-serving values for that product.

How to use semolina flour

• Fresh dough: semolina flour, alone or mixed with other flour, gives fresh dough a firm, slightly chewy bite. Our pasta guide covers the finished dried product, and FDA’s standard for macaroni products (21 CFR 139.110) lists semolina first among the permitted flours.
• Couscous: traditional couscous is made from durum wheat semolina; our couscous guide explains how.
• Bread and crusts: a little semolina in bread dough adds color and crunch, and a dusting on a baking sheet or pizza peel keeps dough from sticking.
• Porridge and puddings: semolina simmered in milk or water thickens into a smooth porridge or pudding.
• Cakes and gnocchi: semolina gives cakes a slightly grainy texture and is the base of baked semolina gnocchi.
• Storage: keep semolina in a sealed container in a cool, dry cupboard and follow the package date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Orzo: What It Is, Nutrition, Gluten and Orzo vs Rice, Pasta Nutrition: Enriched, Whole Wheat and Is Pasta Healthy?, Whole Wheat Flour: Nutrition, vs White Flour, and Baking Tips, Foods With Gluten: Full List and Hidden Sources of Gluten.