A 2 lb bag of semolina holds about 5.6 cups. The arithmetic is simple: 2 lb is 907 g, and one cup of semolina weighs 163 g spooned and levelled, so 907 divided by 163 is 5.6 cups. Semolina is the heaviest flour per cup in the ingredient table — 163 g, compared with 120 g for wheat flour — because it is coarsely ground durum wheat, and the dense, sandy grains pack down tightly. That is why a 2 lb bag holds only 5.6 cups, while a 2 lb bag of wheat flour holds 7.6 cups. Semolina is sold in 2 lb bags because most home cooks use it for pasta, pizza and bread, and go through it more slowly than wheat flour.
Five point six cups is about five batches of fresh pasta at 1 cup each, or eleven pizza doughs at half a cup each, or two loaves of semolina bread at 2 cups each. Semolina is the flour of pasta: it is made from durum wheat, which is harder than bread wheat, and it gives pasta its firm bite and its golden colour. Knowing the bag holds 5.6 cups lets you plan: if a pasta recipe uses 2 cups, a bag covers two batches with a cup and a half to spare, and you will know when it is time to buy another bag.
Bag of semolina conversion table
The table below shows how many cups you get from fractions of a 2 lb bag, and how many cups of semolina weigh how many grams. All figures use 163 g per cup, spooned and levelled.
| Amount | Cups (approx.) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 bag | 1.40 cups (about 1 3/8 cups) | 227 g |
| 1/2 bag | 2.80 cups (about 2 3/4 cups) | 454 g |
| 3/4 bag | 4.20 cups (about 4 1/4 cups) | 680 g |
| Full bag | 5.60 cups (about 5 5/8 cups) | 907 g |
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 163 g |
| 2 cups | 326 g |
| 3 cups | 489 g |
| 4 cups | 652 g |
| 5 cups | 815 g |
| 10 cups | 1,630 g |
Semolina is the heaviest flour per cup in the ingredient table (163 g vs 120 g for wheat flour), so a 2 lb bag holds only 5.6 cups. It is coarsely ground durum wheat, and the dense grains pack down tightly.
Worked examples
Fresh pasta for a dinner party
A batch of fresh pasta for four people uses 2 cups of semolina, mixed with two eggs and a pinch of salt, then kneaded until smooth and rested for thirty minutes. One 2 lb bag holds 5.6 cups, so it covers two batches with a cup and a half to spare — eight servings of pasta. The semolina gives the pasta a firm bite and a golden colour that wheat flour cannot match. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, rest it wrapped in cling film, then roll it thin and cut it into the shape you want. Fresh pasta cooks in two to three minutes in boiling salted water.
Pizza dough with a crisp base
A pizza dough for two pizzas uses 1/2 cup of semolina mixed with 2 cups of bread flour, which gives the base a crisp, golden crust and a slightly nutty flavour. One 2 lb bag holds 5.6 cups, so it covers eleven pizza nights — nearly three months of weekly pizza. Dust the worktop and the peel with semolina instead of flour when you shape the dough: the coarse grains act like tiny ball bearings and stop the dough sticking, and they toast in the oven to give the base a crisp, sandy texture.
Semolina bread for the weekend
A loaf of semolina bread uses 2 cups of semolina and 1 cup of bread flour, mixed with water, yeast and salt, and left to rise slowly. One 2 lb bag holds 5.6 cups, so it covers two loaves with a cup and a half to spare. Semolina bread has a golden crumb, a crisp crust and a slightly nutty flavour, and it keeps well for several days. The dough is stiffer than a wheat dough, because semolina absorbs water slowly — let it rest for twenty minutes after mixing so the flour can hydrate fully before you knead it.
How the figure is worked out
There is no weighing involved in the headline answer — it is arithmetic on two published numbers. The package weight is a standard 2 lb (907 g) bag of semolina. The cup weight comes from the ingredient table, and dividing one by the other gives the cups in the package. That is also why the answer is approximate: scoop a cup differently and the grams per cup change, so the cups per bag move with it. For anything where the amount truly matters, weigh the ingredient instead of counting cups. The cup weight used here is 163 g per cup, spooned and levelled, sourced from King Arthur Baking.
Practical guidance
Semolina is for pasta, and that is where it earns its place. Durum wheat is harder than bread wheat, and the flour it produces is coarser and higher in protein, which gives pasta its firm bite — the quality Italians call al dente. Pasta made with soft wheat flour is softer and paler, and it goes mushy more easily. If you make fresh pasta regularly, semolina is worth buying, and the 2 lb bag is the right size: it covers two batches of pasta for four, and it keeps for up to a year in an airtight container. Do not confuse semolina with semolina pudding mix or with cream of wheat — they are different products, and they behave differently.
Measure semolina by weight. A cup weighs 163 g spooned and levelled, but semolina is coarse and sandy, and a scooped cup can weigh significantly more — which in a pasta recipe that uses 2 cups is a large error. Weighing removes the variable: 2 cups is 326 g, every time. Store semolina in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a year. It is a dry, stable flour with little oil, so it keeps well. Freeze it for 48 hours when you buy it to kill any pantry moth eggs. And use it to dust your worktop and peel when shaping pizza and pasta: the coarse grains stop sticking better than flour does, and they toast to a crisp finish in the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Is semolina the same as durum wheat flour?
Semolina is coarsely ground durum wheat. Durum wheat flour is the same wheat ground more finely. Both weigh about the same per cup, but semolina is coarser and gives pasta a firmer bite. For fresh pasta, semolina is the traditional choice; for bread, either works, though semolina gives a coarser crumb.
How many cups are in a 1 lb bag of semolina?
About 2.8 cups. A 1 lb bag is 454 g, and at 163 g per cup that divides out to 2.79 cups. That is about one batch of fresh pasta for four at 2 cups, with a little left over for dusting the worktop.
Can I use semolina instead of wheat flour?
In pasta, yes — semolina is the traditional flour for pasta, and it gives a firmer bite. In bread, semolina can replace up to two thirds of the wheat flour for a golden crumb and a crisp crust. In cakes and cookies, semolina is a poor substitute: the coarse grains make a gritty crumb, and the high protein makes the bake tough.
How long does semolina keep?
Up to a year in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Semolina is a dry, stable flour with little oil, so it keeps well. Freeze it for 48 hours when you buy it to kill pantry moth eggs, and keep it away from strong smells, which flour absorbs.
Is semolina gluten-free?
No. Semolina is made from durum wheat, which contains gluten — in fact, semolina is high in protein and gluten, which is why it makes firm pasta. It is not suitable for people with coeliac disease, and it should never be used as a gluten-free substitute.