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Fregola

Toasted Sardinian semolina pearls.

Fregola — illustrative ingredient image

About Fregola

Fregola is a toasted Sardinian semolina pasta shaped into small pearls. It is cooked like a grain or pasta and served in soups, broths, salads, and sauced dishes, often with seafood or vegetables. Its round form allows it to remain distinct while absorbing cooking liquid and surrounding flavours.

Toasting gives fregola a warm, nutty, lightly wheaty flavour that is deeper than plain semolina pasta. Cooked pearls are pleasantly chewy and can be tender or firm depending on cooking time. Smaller pearls soften more quickly, while heavier toasting brings a darker, more pronounced roasted character.

Dry fregola consists of irregular golden to brown semolina beads, usually sold loose in bags or boxes. It is boiled in water or stock, or simmered directly in a broth. The pearls swell as they cook, becoming softer, fuller, and more glossy while retaining their rounded shape.

Ingredient type
derived ingredient

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Where fregola appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for fregola

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Fregola

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Fregola nutrition & diet

Fregola nutritional value

Product example: TOASTED FREGOLA SEMOLINA PASTA (CASA MANCA)

Per 100 g of this specific product as recorded by USDA, per 100 g.

Calories
321kcal
Protein
3.6g
Carbs
75.0g
Fat
0.9g

A product-specific label example, not a generic average. Formulations can change; use the nutrition label on the product being eaten.

Portions & preparation

Treat fregola as toasted Sardinian semolina pearls and identify whether the reference is dry, boiled, or part of a finished dish. Cooking adds water, while broth, seafood, cheese, oil, or sauce changes the preparation. The pearl size and serving context should remain specified.

Compare the right form: Match references to toasted Sardinian semolina pearls, distinguishing dry product, cooked fregola, and any broth-based or mixed preparation.

Diet considerations

Fregola is a plant-derived durum-wheat semolina product. It is not interchangeable with non-wheat grains, and recipes may add seafood, meat, dairy, or egg. Broth-based dishes, sauces, and mixed salads can also contain cereal ingredients or coatings and create different portion-dependent carbohydrate patterns.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central branded product — TOASTED FREGOLA SEMOLINA PASTA ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .