Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel)

Simit (also known as Simit Bread or Turkish Sesame Bagel), is a sesame-crusted circular bread that is usually served for breakfast. It is often sprinkled with sesame seeds and has a slightly sweet and nutty taste. Same as Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns), simit bread is one of the most popular street foods in Turkey and you can easily buy them from cafes, bakeries, or small food carts.

Learn how to make homemade Turkish Simit with this step-by-step tutorial and video. 

Jump to:

• What is Simit?
• History of Simit Bread
• Difference Between Simit and Bagel
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Homemade Simit?
• Top Tips From the Chef
• How to Eat Simit?
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel)

In Turkey, nobody would bother making this delicious simit bread at home as they are widely available and they are so good&cheap. But if you live abroad like me, it is almost impossible to find a good one to buy.

I had this simple recipe for many years but only started making them when I moved to the U.K.

What is Simit?

Simit is a circular-shaped Turkish bread traditionally sold by street vendors on the streets of Turkey. It is mainly served for breakfast along with Kuymak (Mihlama) or Menemen - Turkish Scrambled Eggs and some cheese, olives, tomatoes, and a cup of Turkish tea or Ayran (Turkish Yogurt Drink).

Simit is also known as Turkish Bagel or Gevrek and is typically coated with molasses and covered with sesame seeds before baking. 

History of Simit Bread

Simit is a popular Turkish bread with a rich history dating back to the Ottoman Empire. The name "simit" comes from the Arabic word "samīd," meaning "white bread." While the bread has been around for centuries, it was in 16th century Istanbul that the familiar ring-shaped bread with a sesame seed coating became a popular street food. Vendors would balance trays of freshly baked simit on their heads and sell them throughout the city.

Today, simit is a staple of Turkish cuisine, enjoyed throughout the country as a breakfast food, or a snack. It is often paired with cheese, olives, and tea for a satisfying and delicious meal.

Difference Between Simit and Bagel

Simit is crustier than a bagel on the outside and softer, light and delicate on the inside.
Bagel has a thick crust and a dense, chewy interior.
Simit has more flavor than a bagel thanks to loads of sesame seeds and grape molasses.
The bagel is boiled before the baking process, Simit is dipped in molasses&water mixture and covered with sesame seeds before baking.

Why This Recipe Works

• This delicious breakfast bread "Simit" is crunchy and nutty on the outside, soft and a little chewy on the inside.

• You can prepare the simit dough in advance and store it for up to 2 days.

• They freeze beautifully, you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• All you need is 5 ingredients (including the salt) to make this popular Turkish street food!

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Flour - The best flour to make simit is a high-protein flour of at least 12% protein. They are usually labeled as "strong flour" or "strong bread flour". You can also use plain or all-purpose flour but you won't be able to achieve the chewy texture that a traditional simit has.

• Yeast - I use fast-actioned dry yeast as it doesn't need the activation process but you can use fresh or dry yeast instead. You will need 7 grams of dry yeast or 15 grams of fresh yeast for this amount of dough.

• Salt - It is necessary for flavor as well as balancing the rising action of the dough.

• Water - Use lukewarm water, make sure it's not too hot as it would kill the yeast.

• Grape Molasses - It is known as "pekmez" in Turkey and it is a crucial ingredient for simit. It makes the sesame seeds stick to the dough as well as gives simit its characteristic flavor and golden brown color. You can buy them online on Amazon or from Turkish/Mediterranean shops.

• Sesame seeds - The other crucial ingredient for Turkish simit is the sesame seeds. Use toasted sesame seeds for a good simit taste. If you can’t find them toasted in the shops, toast them yourself as described in the recipe card. 

How to Make Homemade Simit?

Although it takes a little time to make this iconic Turkish street food, it is very easy to make them with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and a short video tutorial:

Prepare the Dough

Place the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and then add the water gradually. Mix them with your hand to form a dough.

Knead it for a few minutes, until you get a smooth and elastic dough and it doesn't stick to your hand anymore. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or cling film and let it rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. The rising time depends on the temperature of the room.

Prepare the Dipping For Simit

If you don't have toasted sesame seeds, you can toast them while the dough is rising. Simply place them in a large non-stick pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, and toast until they turn golden brown, 20-25 minutes. 

When cooled down, place the toasted sesame seeds on a separate large plate, and then set them aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the molasses and water, and then set it aside. 

Shape the Simit

After an hour, check the dough and transfer it to a floured surface if it doubled the size. 

Shape it into a log, cut it into 12 equal pieces, and then turn them into balls. 

Grab two dough balls and roll them into a cylinder length of 40cm/16". Put them parallel to each other and then stick the ends by pinching.

Twist them in opposite directions to make a braid.

Shape it into a circle and dip it into the molasses mixture making sure it's covered on both sides.

Put the simit circle into the sesame seed plate, making sure it is fully coated.

Transfer it onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and then repeat the same with the remaining dough balls.

Rest the Simits and Bake

Preheat the oven to 230° C (450° F) and let the dough rings rest for another 20 minutes.

Place the baking sheet in preheated oven and then bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 210° C (410° F) and bake for another 5 minutes, until golden brown, fully baked, and crispy.

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Top Tips From the Chef

• When making the simit dough, make sure the water is not too hot, it should be warm to the touch.

• Knead the dough well: Kneading the dough well is important to ensure that it is smooth and elastic. This will help the simit to rise properly and result in a nice texture.

• You can make the dough the night before and store it in the fridge overnight to bake the next day fresh for breakfast. Before using the dough, remove it from the fridge, bring it to room temperature, and let it rise.

• Use a mixture of molasses and water: The mixture of molasses and water gives simit its characteristic shiny appearance and slightly sweet taste. Be sure to dip the rings in the mixture before rolling them in sesame seeds.

• Roll the rings in sesame seeds generously: Rolling the rings in sesame seeds generously ensures that they are evenly coated and gives them a nice crunchy texture.

• Bake at a high temperature: Simit is best baked at a high temperature to ensure that it cooks evenly and develops a nice golden brown color.

• You can make kumru bread using simit dough for making these scrumptious grilled cheese sandwiches called "Izmir Kumru - Turkish Sandwich".

How to Eat Simit?

Same as Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns) and Cheese Borek (Peynirli Borek), Simit is usually served for breakfast with feta cheese, olives, cucumbers, and tomatoes accompanied by a glass of Turkish tea. They are great for dipping in Cilbir - Turkish Poached Eggs, Kuymak (Mihlama), Muhammara - Acuka (Red Pepper Dip), Menemen, or Shakshuka!
I sometimes cut it in half and bake it in the oven with some sucuk (spicy Turkish sausages) and kasar cheese on top for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. You can also have it as a snack with a cold drink, usually Ayran or a soda drink.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious Turkish bread&bakery recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these Turkish sesame bagels called "Simit" as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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