Moroccan Bread (Khobz)

These easy Moroccan Bread Rolls are typical North African white bread, called Khobz, and are traditionally served as a side to Moroccan meals. They are crispy on the outside, with a light semolina flour crispy layer, and soft in the middle.

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Moroccan cuisine is very popular in France, where I’m from. It’s one of the most popular cuisines in the country. Khobz bread is often eaten with my friends during Iftar, the first evening meal fasting people serve during Ramadan.

You will fall in love with this bread’s taste and texture, which is close to pizza dough but so much more flavorsome. It’s crispy on the edges and sometimes covered with a thin layer of semolina flour that makes the texture absolutely divine. So let me share with you how to make easy Moroccan Bread at home.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this Moroccan flatbread, you need the following:

• All-Purpose Flour – or bread flour, which is just wheat flour.
• Lukewarm Water about 110°F (38°C).
• Active Dried Yeast – to make it rise.
• Sugar – or any unrefined or sugar-free alternatives.
• Olive Oil – I choose extra-virgin olive oil.
• Semolina Flour – Using semolina flour or ultra-fine semolina can optionally be used to coat the bread before baking.

How To Make Moroccan Bread

It’s very easy to make Moroccan bread with a few ingredients and a little bit of patience, as this is a yeast dough.

1. First, add the yeast to a medium bowl. Next, stir in the sugar and a cup of warm water at about 110°F (38°C) and stir to well dissolve the yeast.
2. Then, seal the bowl and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast blooms (when it makes a foam).
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add the yeast-water mixture, oil, all-purpose flour, and salt.
4. Stir the ingredients using the dough hook attachment or a wooden spoon. I used speed 4 of my KitchenAid stand mixer.
5. Knead for two minutes on low speed, then transfer the dough to a lightly floured benchtop.
6. Flour your hands and knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is soft. It should bounce back when pressed with a finger. It shouldn’t be sticky, wet, or too dry. If too wet, simply add more flour as you knead the dough.

7. Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Use olive oil to lightly oil the paper. Set it aside.
8. Divide the dough into two even balls. Place each dough ball on the prepared pan, leaving about a hand of space between each, so they don’t touch as they grow.
9. Slightly dust semolina flour on top of the balls and gently press with floured hands to stick semolina to the dough. If you have some semolina flour, skip this step and simply sprinkle a little flour on top of each dough ball.
10. Cover the tray with plastic wrap. I like to seal the tray so no air comes in. Cover the tray with a towel. I microwave my towel for 40 seconds to make it warm.
11. This helps the dough rise faster. You can also pop the tray in an oven preheated to 105°F (40°C).
12. Let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. It won’t rise much, but the dough gets softer.

13. Place one of the dough balls on a floured benchtop and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 1/4-inch flat shape.
14. Sprinkle more semolina flour on both sides of the bread and press it gently to make it stick to it.
15. Return the rolled bread to the previous baking sheet and repeat the above steps for the next dough ball. You now have two round bread rolls on the baking sheet. Cover the sheet with a warm, clean kitchen towel and set it aside for 60 minutes.
16. Another option, if it’s too cold where you live, is to preheat the oven to 105°F (40°C), and place the tray still with a towel on top in the oven.
17. Preheat the oven to 425°F (225°C).
18. Remove the towel from the top of the baking sheet and prick the bread with a fork.
19. Bake the bread rolls on the center rack of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown on top. It should sound hollow in the middle when you tap the bread.
20. Let the rolls cool down on a wire rack before serving.

Serving

This Moroccan bread is delicious with any Mediterranean dish. Below are some serving suggestions:

• Zaalouk
• Ratatouille
• Baked Feta Dip
• Whipped Feta Dip
• Shirazi Salad
• Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Storage Instructions

Store the bread rolls wrapped in a clean kitchen towel at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days. After that time, the bread hardens. You can also freeze leftover Moroccan bread in zip-lock bags and thaw it at room temperature the day before.

Allergy Swaps

If you are allergic to some of the ingredients in this Moroccan Bread recipe, you can try some of the following substitutions.

• Gluten-Free – We didn’t try this recipe with gluten-free flour, and we can’t guarantee the same results using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, but it might work.
• Sodium-Free – You  can skip the salt in the recipe if needed.
• Oil Choice – You can also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or any oil you prefer.
• Sugar – Sugar only activates the yeast. It doesn’t leave any sugar in the recipe at the end.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Mediterranean Recipes

If you like Mediterranean diet recipes, you’ll love these: