Homemade Ravioli Recipe
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Homemade ravioli is easier than you might think, and THIS family recipe of mine proves it. With simple ingredients and clear step-by-step instructions, you’ll be whippin’ up restaurant-quality pasta in your own kitchen. Get ready to impress yourself and have some fun!
If homemade ravioli feels a little intimidating, I want to gently encourage you—it’s absolutely doable, and far less fussy than it sounds. I intentionally developed this recipe using all-purpose flour because it’s what most of us already have in our pantries. It makes a slightly softer, more tender pasta, which I actually love for ravioli. If you prefer a chewier bite, you can swap in 00 or semolina flour, but starting with all-purpose keeps this approachable and forgiving.
The process itself is very straightforward and breaks down into just four steps: making the dough, rolling it out, filling the ravioli, and giving it a quick boil. None of the steps are complicated, but they do take a bit of time—this isn’t a recipe to rush through. For me, that’s part of the appeal. I find the rhythm of kneading, rolling, and filling incredibly relaxing, especially with a glass of wine nearby and no agenda other than enjoying the process.
There’s also something deeply satisfying about how simple it all is. With just flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt, you end up with pasta that tastes rich, fresh, and far greater than the sum of its parts. Homemade ravioli feels humble and special at the same time, and every time I make it, I’m reminded that a little patience in the kitchen is often rewarded with something truly memorable.
Homemade ravioli filling options
When it comes to choosing your filling, you can get creative. There are no wrong answers, and whatever you choose will be delicious. Here are a few suggestions to get you going:
- Butternut squash, sage, and brown butter
- Spinach, goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts
- Sautéed mixed mushrooms with truffle oil
- Arugula, ricotta, and pistachios
- Roasted or sautéed beets with goat cheese and lemon zest
Tools for making ravioli
The first few times I made ravioli, I used a rolling pin and a cookie cutter. It takes a lot of elbow grease, but it’s doable. That said, having the proper tools will make your life easier. Here are the tools I reach for:
- Pasta maker: This is the pasta maker I have, and it makes a big difference. It helps create evenly thin sheets of pasta with much less effort, starting on the widest setting and gradually rolling the dough until it’s nearly see-through. You can absolutely do this by hand with a rolling pin, but the machine takes on most of the hard work.
- Piping bag: A piping bag makes filling the ravioli quick and tidy, allowing you to portion the filling evenly. If you don’t have one, a spoon works just fine—just take a little extra care not to overfill.
- Ravioli stamp or cutter: A ravioli stamp creates neat, uniform pockets that look beautiful and cook evenly. A simple cookie cutter works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
How to store homemade ravioli
Making homemade ravioli ahead of time is a great idea. I love having some ready to go for easy dinners, and if I’m hosting friends, it’s far less messy (and much more relaxed) to pull premade ravioli from the fridge or freezer instead of assembling them at the last minute. Here’s how I store homemade ravioli, depending on when I plan to cook them.
- Short term: Ravioli can be stored in the fridge for 3–4 hours. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching. I like to loosely drape a clean kitchen towel over the top so they have a bit of airflow without drying out.
- Long term: For longer storage, the freezer is your best option. Place the ravioli in a single, non-touching layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to cook, boil the ravioli straight from frozen, adding about 1 extra minute to the cooking time.
Ravioli Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Ravioli filling of your choice
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the flour and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt, 3 large eggs
- Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs and oil. Use a fork to mix the eggs, trying not to mix in too much flour.
- Use your hands to slowly mix in the flour until it comes together into a shaggy ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes. It might seem dry at first, but it will come together. If it hasn't started to come together after 5-6 minutes, wet your hands and keep kneading. Form the dough into a ball and put it back into the bowl, covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel, for 30 minutes. (I use this time to make the filling.)
- Divide the dough into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand and then run it through the widest setting on your pasta machine. Fold the dough so that it resembles a rectangular package then run it through again at the widest setting. Continue to run it through, narrowing the opening, until it is just thin enough to see through. Setting #7 is usually right. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Lay one rectangular piece of dough on your work surface. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of your filling in dots on top of your pasta and then lay another piece of dough on top. Press gently around the filling to remove any air pockets and seal the pasta.
- Cut the pasta out using a stamp, roller, or cookie cutter.
- To cook the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once they float to the top they are done. Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil or sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This worked exactly as written, thanks!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for giving it a try and letting me know it worked well for you.
2nd generation Italian here, NEVER salted or put oil in dough. Flour and eggs period! My great grandmother’s recipe from Calabria!
I was trying to knead this and it wasn’t coming together until I added about 1 tbsp or so of water. Is that normal?
Yes that can happen if there was too much flour added. We use cups (rather than grams) as most of our audience is from North America and uses cups. But the downside is that it’s possible to add more flour when using volume instead of weight.