Koulouri – Greek Sesame Bagels for Breakfast Recipe
Koulouri is a classic Greek street breakfast – large, thin sesame-coated rings of bread sold from carts on the sidewalks of Athens and Thessaloniki. They are slightly crisp on the outside and soft inside, perfect with coffee or as a snack on the go. You can eat them plain, sliced and spread with cream cheese, or filled with tomato and olives.
In Athens, koulouri are sold by street vendors from early morning, and a ring in hand often replaces a breakfast sandwich. Depending on the region they differ in thickness and toppings, but sesame always remains a must.
These homemade koulouri bring the flavor of Greek street breakfasts straight to your kitchen: thin, sesame-crusted rings that are simple to make, freeze well and are perfect both plain and filled with your favorite spreads or vegetables.
Why this version works
- Soaked sesame sticks better and doesn’t fall off after baking.
- Sugar syrup or honey creates a delicately sweet, shiny crust like in the street versions.
- Longer kneading gives a flexible dough and a springy crumb.
Chef's tips
Do not add too much extra flour while kneading – a slightly soft, elastic dough will give you lighter, fluffier koulouri. Make sure the sesame seeds are well moistened so they stick in a thick, even layer and don’t fall off after baking.
How to serve
Serve warm with Greek yogurt and honey, or slice and fill with cream cheese, tomato slices, cucumber and olives for a quick Mediterranean-style sandwich. They also pair wonderfully with feta, olives and a drizzle of olive oil as part of a simple mezze plate.
Watch out for
- Water that is too hot will kill the yeast – it should feel just slightly warm to the touch.
- If the dough doesn’t double in volume, give it more time in a warm place, otherwise the rings will turn out dense.
- Don’t bake for too long – deeply browned koulouri will be dry inside.
Substitutions
- You can replace about 100 g of the wheat flour with wholemeal flour, adding 1–2 tablespoons of water.
- You can replace the sugar syrup with runny honey diluted with a small amount of water.
- Instead of using only sesame, sprinkle some of the rings with a mixture of sesame and nigella seeds.
Ingredients
- wheat flour type 550 - 500 g
- water lukewarm - 280 ml
- instant yeast or 20 g fresh yeast - 7 g
- sugar - 2 tablespoons
- salt - 1 teaspoon
- olive oil for the dough - 3 tablespoons
- sesame seeds for coating - 80 g
- water for soaking the sesame - 100 ml
- sugar syrup you can use honey diluted with water - 3 tablespoons
Preparation
- Pour the lukewarm water (280 ml) into a bowl, add the sugar and instant yeast. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes until a clear, fluffy foam appears on the surface – this means the yeast is active.
- Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix. Pour in the foamy yeast mixture and the olive oil. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic and springy; when you press it with a finger, it should slowly spring back without the edges cracking.
- If the dough is very sticky, lightly dust the counter with a minimal amount of flour – just enough to be able to knead it; too much flour will make the rings tough. Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside and turn it so it is thinly coated with oil.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, until the dough clearly doubles in volume and feels light to the touch. In the meantime, prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the sesame seeds with 100 ml of water – the seeds should be evenly moist but not floating. In a separate small bowl, mix the sugar syrup or honey with a little water until you have a thin dipping solution.
- Turn the risen dough out onto the counter and gently deflate it by pressing with your hand until it collapses. Divide into 8 equal pieces. From each piece form a rope about 40–45 cm long, trying to keep the thickness even along the whole length.
- Join the ends of each rope, pressing them together lightly and rolling at the joint so it becomes invisible. Leave a fairly wide hole in the center, as the dough will rise again and the opening will shrink noticeably during baking.
- Quickly dip each ring in the diluted sugar syrup or honey, let the excess drip off, then coat thoroughly in the moist sesame seeds, pressing the seeds in with your hand so they adhere well. Place on the tray, leaving some space between them.
- Cover the rings with a kitchen towel and leave to rise again for 20–25 minutes – they should puff up slightly and feel soft to the touch. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat).
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the koulouri are golden and the sesame is well browned and nutty in aroma. After baking, transfer to a wire rack; they are best when they have cooled slightly and the crust is gently crisp when you bite into it.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I associate koulouri with early mornings in Athens, when the streets are still quiet and the smell of fresh bread and sesame drifts from the carts. Baking them at home is an easy way to recreate that atmosphere – and they’re so versatile that they quickly become a breakfast staple.
