A creamy warm semolina pudding made with simple ingredients, but flavorsome and so good. It’s easy to make, and great for a chilly evening, can be finished and devoured in 30 minutes!
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Well in Arabic cuisine, as other cuisines, puddings can be cold like this rice pudding, and this orange milk one or warm like our recipe for today, and other famous ones.
This pudding is fairly easy and made with pantry items. In the middle east, old desserts mainly consists of flour, semolina, butter or ghee. No fancy ingredients, or special equipments, most of the times. The wives or women in the family make it for quick fix in the evening, since the lunch is the main meal in the day.
My mom used to make it a lot, but not anymore actually. She is not a fond of making desserts, but I truly do! Making desserts is million ways better than having them ready in restaurants and cafes. It is more rewarding and satisfying! So I loved making this pudding, even it’s very simple, but warm food to me feels especial. It’s very comfortable, whether its summer or winter, snowing outside, or people are do sun bathing outside. Warm food and drink goes to the soul first, i’m sure of that 🙂 It’s a feeling taht you can’t deny!
The main reason I’m republishing this, that is one of my most popular recipes and the photos as you see down are not so good. Well I shot better ones, not great, bit more presentable at least 🙂
And also, because two of my Instagram friends , Nadia and Sawsan, started an initiative called #TrulyPalestinian . The goal is to revive and documents the Palestinian heritage of food. Recipes by mothers and food bloggers written in Arabic and English. With an emphasis on old recipes, whether they are appetizers, main or desserts. Because if we don’t make these old recipes for our families, and keep it alive, who will??
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Old Content
I started a series “Arabic cuisine” featuring my traditional food. Today the dish is Semolina pudding (Halawet El Smeed).
This is one of my dad’s favorite desserts, he asks mom to make all the time. It wasn’t my favorite dessert, since we used to have it a lot. And I can’t deny that, it’s color is not so appealing. But the cheese gives it’s saltiness, along with crunchy buttery nuts, and sweet smooth semolina, that was really good!
Years, and years after, just when I decided to start the Arabic cuisine series, all of the memories of good food are popping in my head. I’m so grateful for this series, it makes me think of the traditional dishes, that I’m not making so often. It’s just like visiting my home again, and again. Every time! Especially the old ones, just like this pudding.
A small confession, this is the first time I make this dessert at my home! Because In the past, I wanted to try different desserts. The ones that weren’t available when I was young. But I watched mom hundred times making this dessert. It’s easy to fix, creamy, and delicious. Tastes the best when it’s eaten warm.
Semolina
Comes from a drum wheat, when its milled, the endosperm left to make the semolina granules. And its healthy because:
- It has good amounts of Protein, B vitamins like folate, B1 and B2.
- Contain good amounts of minerals such as Selenium, Manganese, Iron, and Potassium.
- There is an enriched semolina, it has added vitamins, and minerals. And apparently there is a semolina diet !
- Easy to digest, and incorporating it with a protein like cheese, or milk (like in most western puddings) will add a nutrition boost. Or making a savory dishes, with added veggie,s and other ingredients like in Inidian cuisine .
Therefore, semolina can be a great part of a healthy diet. But its still a high carbohydrate source, and has a high glycemic index value! Also it has a high content of gluten, which isn’t a bad thing in itself. But it’s not suitable for a celiac patients, or individuals who has gluten sensitivity.
There are other delicious, and more complicated Arabic semolina recipes (my recipe is a Palestinian) to name a few : Lebanese mafroukeh Sudanese Kuindiong , and Algerian bread Called khobz el dar , which means bread made at home.
I used the traditional white cheese (Nabulsi). It’s better if you can find a cheese that melts, like Akawai. But since this one is hard to find too, you can substitute it with fresh mozzarella or even queso. It’s flavor is less sharp, but it will do the work.
🇵🇸 Heritage Note
Halawet El Smeed has many variations across Palestinian homes. Some families make it simply with semolina, sugar, and water, while others enrich it with white cheese for a creamier texture. Both versions are authentic and part of our food heritage — each household has its own memory of this warm, comforting dessert.
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FAQs – Palestinian Semolina Pudding (Halawet El Smeed)
1. What type of semolina should I use?
Use fine semolina (sometimes labeled as farina or cream of wheat).
Coarse semolina will give you a grainier, less smooth texture.
2. Can I use a different cheese instead of Nabulsi or Akawi?
Yes. If you can’t find traditional white cheese, you can substitute with:
-
Fresh mozzarella
-
Queso fresco
-
Queso panela
These melt well and work beautifully in this recipe.
3. Do I need to soak the cheese before adding it?
If the cheese is salty, soak it in water for about 20 minutes to remove excess salt.
If you’re using mozzarella or queso fresco, you can skip this step.
4. Why toast the semolina first?
Toasting semolina in butter gives the pudding:
-
a deep, nutty flavor
-
better aroma
-
richer color
-
no “raw flour” taste
This step makes a big difference.
5. Why did my pudding turn too thick or too thin?
This depends on how fine your semolina is:
-
Very fine semolina → needs less water
-
Medium semolina → needs the full amount
If it becomes too thick, add a splash of hot water.
If too thin, let it simmer a little longer.
6. Can I make this ahead?
This pudding tastes best warm and fresh, but you can make it ahead and reheat gently.
Add a small splash of water while reheating to bring back the creaminess.
7. Can I make it without cheese?
Yes — absolutely.
In many Palestinian families, Halawet El Smeed was originally made without cheese — just semolina, sugar, water and flavorings.
Cheese is a later variation that adds richness and stretchiness, but the pudding is still authentic and delicious without it.
8. Is this recipe gluten-free?
No. Semolina is made from wheat and naturally contains gluten.
It’s not suitable for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
9. Can I reduce the sugar?
Yes. The sweetness is flexible in this pudding — adjust it to your taste or dietary needs.
10. How do I serve this pudding?
Serve it warm, topped with toasted almonds or walnuts for extra flavor and crunch.
It’s a comforting dessert for any season.
Semolina pudding (Halawet El Smeed)
Semolina pudding is a popular dessert in Arabic cuisine. It's comforting, creamy, and of course delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine Semolina
- 1 cup of sugar (or upon desire)
- 4 Tb of butter
- 6 ounce of your choice of white cheese*
- 4 cups of water*
- Optional but recommended:
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
- 1 Tb ghee
Instructions
- In a deep pan, add the butter.
- Toast the Semolina with butter on medium heat, until you reach the right golden brown color (Aka not burned).
- Mix water, and sugar together.
- Add the water slowly to semolina, and mix it very well.
- Add the cheese.
- Keep stirring, and leave it until its starts to boil, lower the heat to minimum, and stay 5 minutes
- Remove it from the stove.
- Optional:
- In a small skillet, add 1Tb of ghee.
- Add blanched almonds, and walnuts.
- Toast them until they have a nice brown color, and add them immediately to the pudding.
- let the pudding stand for 10 minutes and Serve it warm
Notes
*If the cheese is salty ,It's better if you soak the cheese in water for 20 minutes before adding to the pudding you can use queso cheese too or mozerrla ** You many need less water if the semolina is very fine.
Have you tried semolina before? Would you try it? Please share your thoughts!
