Sfouf
A yellow semolina cake coloured and flavoured with turmeric, made with oil rather than butter and no eggs at all. Cut into diamonds and eaten with tea.
Image note: Illustration, generated by AI · not a photograph of this dish
Method
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
-
Brush a 23 cm square tin generously with the tahini, including the corners.
-
Whisk the semolina, flour, sugar, turmeric, baking powder and salt together thoroughly so the turmeric is evenly distributed.
-
Stir in the liquid and the oil and mix to a loose, pourable batter.
-
Leave it to stand 15 minutes so the semolina hydrates. It will thicken noticeably.
-
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Pour the batter into the tin and scatter the pine nuts and sesame seeds evenly over the top.
-
Bake 35 minutes, until risen, deep yellow and a skewer comes out clean.
-
Cool 15 minutes in the tin, then cut into diamonds and lift out.
Chef’s Tips
- A full tablespoon of turmeric. Less makes it sweet and flat.
- Rest the batter 15 minutes or the crumb stays gritty.
- Tahini in the tin, not butter — it flavours the crust.
Pairing Suggestions
- Sweet mint tea
- Arabic coffee
- Fresh apricots
Storage & Reheating
An airtight tin for 5 days; it stays moist because of the oil. It freezes for 2 months.
Common questions
How long does Sfouf take to make?
About 50 minutes in total — 15 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 12.
What are the key tips for making Sfouf?
A full tablespoon of turmeric. Less makes it sweet and flat. Rest the batter 15 minutes or the crumb stays gritty. Tahini in the tin, not butter — it flavours the crust.
What should I serve with Sfouf?
Sweet mint tea; Arabic coffee; Fresh apricots.
Can Sfouf be made ahead or frozen?
An airtight tin for 5 days; it stays moist because of the oil. It freezes for 2 months.
Is Sfouf suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Sfouf?
About 310 kcal per serving, with 5 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate and 12 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
Cooked this? Leave a review
Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
Related Recipes
More Lebanese cooking and baking ideas from Weekly Delight.
Shish Taouk
Chicken cubes marinated in yoghurt, garlic and lemon with a little tomato purée, grilled hard and served with toum…
Moutabal
Aubergine charred whole over a flame until it collapses, then whipped with tahini, lemon and garlic into a smoky…
Maamoul
Semolina shortbread moulded around dates, walnuts or pistachios, pressed in a carved wooden mould and baked pale…
Spiced Lamb Lettuce Cups
Lamb mince fried hard with cumin, cinnamon and Aleppo pepper, spooned into cold lettuce cups with pickled onion — 31…