Σεμολίνα Χαλβάς / Halvas (Semolina Halva)

Greek Fast With Oil Published April 10, 2026

Halvas is the fasting dessert of Greece — served at memorial services, during Lent, and wherever something sweet is needed without eggs, butter, or dairy. It is made by toasting semolina in olive oil until golden and nutty, then shocking it with a hot sugar syrup so it seizes into a dense, fragrant pudding. The whole process takes fifteen minutes and the result is extraordinary — warm, cinnamon-scented, studded with pine nuts, with a texture somewhere between polenta and cake.

This is one of the few Greek fasting recipes that is also a celebration food. It appears at funerals and feast days alike.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil
SERVINGS: 8-10
TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 strips of orange peel (use a vegetable peeler — avoid the white pith)
- 3 whole cloves

For the halva:
- 120ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 cups coarse semolina
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup blanched almonds, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving

METHOD

1. Make the syrup first: combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, orange peel, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and almonds (if using) and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until they are golden. Watch carefully — they burn quickly.

3. Add the semolina and ground cinnamon. Stir constantly over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. The semolina will gradually turn a deep golden-brown and smell intensely nutty. Do not stop stirring and do not rush this step — properly toasted semolina is the difference between good halva and great halva.

4. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully and slowly pour the warm syrup into the semolina — it will bubble and sputter violently. Stand back and pour steadily. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.

5. Return to low heat and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pot in a cohesive mass.

6. Pour into a lightly oiled bundt pan, ring mold, or bowl. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Let cool for 15-20 minutes.

7. Invert onto a serving plate. Dust with ground cinnamon. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into slices or wedges.

NOTES

- The syrup must be warm (not cold, not boiling) when it hits the semolina. Cold syrup will seize unevenly; boiling syrup is dangerous.
- Use coarse semolina, not fine semolina flour. The coarse grain gives the halva its characteristic texture.
- Some modern recipes use vegetable oil, but olive oil is traditional and gives a richer, more complex flavor.
- Halvas sets firmly as it cools. Serve within a few hours for the best texture, though it keeps covered at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- A splash of brandy or Metaxa added to the syrup is not traditional for fasting, but is common at memorial services.