Easy Homemade Ravioli
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Making homemade ravioli is truly so simple and the easiest way to serve food with a whole lotta love. Use this step-by-step guide and even you'll be impressed with your pasta-making skills! You know what they say, once you go homemade, you'll never go back to the store-bought stuff (no one really says that, but you get it ā it's delicious!)
Also try making this beet gnocchi from scratch!
This is a meal to make with your whole family. Or, invite over a group of friends and make a night of it. Homemade pasta is unpretentious, delicious, and has a way of connecting everybody who helps make it.
The four ingredients you need for homemade ravioli dough
How could something so incredibly simple and humble taste so wonderful? With just 4 ingredients, you'll be on your way to homemade pasta. Here's what you need to make homemade ravioli dough:
- All-purpose flour:Ā You don't need special flour to make homemade pasta; all-purpose flour will give you nice, chewy, delicious pasta. You'll need 2 cups plus more for dusting.
- Sea salt: Add some coarse salt for seasoning, you'll need 1 Ā½ teaspoons.
- LargeĀ eggs: this homemade ravioli recipe needs 3 large eggs. They will act as the binding agent for the other ingredients and help keep the dough moist.
- Olive oil: Use good quality olive oil for homemade pasta. Since there are so few ingredients, there's nowhere to hide. With homemade ravioli, you want to taste the pasta and filling and won't be smothering it in a heavy sauce.
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 and sage
- Spinach, goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts
- SautƩed mixed mushrooms with truffle oil
- Roasted red peppers and parmesan cheese
- Arugula, goat cheese, and pistachios
- Roasted or sautƩed beets with goat cheese and lemon zest
- Dairy-free options: mushroom and walnut, pumpkin and sage, or shredded beef with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts.
How to make homemade ravioli
Follow these step-by-step instructions to make perfect homemade ravioli every time ā chef's kiss!
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt.
- Make a well for the wet ingredients: Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs and oil. Use a fork to mix the eggs, but try not to mix in too much flour as you do this.
- Form a ball of dough: Use your hands to slowly mix in the flour until it comes together in a ball.
- Knead and rest: Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. If the dough 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.
- Get out the pasta maker: 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 on the pasta machine, until it is just thin enough to see through. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough. This should leave you with long sheets of pasta.
- Filling: Lay a single layer of dough on your work surface. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of your filling in dots on top of your pasta. Make sure to leave some space between the dots so you can cut out your ravioli. Then, lay another piece of dough on top. Press gently around the filling to remove any air pockets and seal the pasta.
- Stamping: Cut the pasta out using a stamp or cookie cutter.
- Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. It should taste like the sea, so nice and salty water. Add the ravioli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once they float to the top they are done. Drain the pasta or use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water. Toss with olive oil or sauce.
There you have it! Delicious, made from scratch with lots of love, homemade ravioli!
Watch us make homemade ravioli!
Tools to make homemade ravioli
It is entirely possible to make this entire homemade ravioli recipe by hand ā it'll take some elbow grease and lots of love, but it's totally doable. Alternatively, you can employ these tools to make your life a little bit easier.
- Pasta maker: This is the pasta maker we used to test this recipe. It helps create uniform sheets of pasta to work with and gets the dough nice and thin. The pasta machine will do much of the hard work for you, starting by using the widest setting to stretch and thin the pasta, all the way until your dough is nearly see-through. You can, of course, roll up your sleeves and use a rolling pin to do this part of the process.
- Piping bag: When it comes to your filling, you can use a piping bag to squeeze out each portion. You can also spoon each portion if you don't have a piping bag.
- Ravioli stamp or cutter: To create individual pockets you can use a ravioli stamp. This will give you uniform shapes which are easy on the eyes but also cook at the same rate. Alternatively, a cookie cutter will do the trick!
The rest of the tools needed to make this recipe you likely already have in your kitchen (like a large pot, whisk, etc.) so we won't mention those in this list.
Homemade ravioli sauce ideas
You really want your pasta and the filling to shine in this dish, however, some people really like a sauce. Here are some pasta sauce ideas (none of which will mask your homemade pasta.)
- Olive oil and fresh basil (as pictured in this post)
- Brown butter sauce
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Melted butter and sage
How to store homemade ravioli
Making homemade ravioli ahead of time is a great idea. We love having some on hand for easy dinners. And if we're having friends over for dinner, it's MUCH easier and less messy to take out some premade homemade ravioli rather than make it on the spot. But what is the best way to store homemade ravioli?
The best way to store homemade ravioli is in the freezer. Ravioli stored in the fridge gets very sticky and we don't recommend it. Here's how to freeze homemade ravioli:
- Cook the ravioli in salted water for 2-3 minutes ā just until it starts to float.
- Drain the ravioli and then lay it out on a wire rack so it dries completely. This step usually takes about an hour but is largely hands-off time. You may want to flip the ravioli a few times to make sure they're completely dry.
- Once the ravioli is dry, freeze it in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once they're frozen, you can move them into a freezer bag.
Recipe FAQs
How long should I cook homemade ravioli?
Cook the ravioli for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the top of the water.
Can I freeze homemade pasta dough?
If you want to make the dough and save it for later, you absolutely can! Keep the pasta dough in a ball and pop it in an airtight container (or a double layer of parchment paper) and put it in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, let it thaw on the counter in the container or parchment paper until completely thawed.
Can I put homemade ravioli in the fridge?
Uncooked homemade ravioli gets VERY sticky when stored in the fridge, so we don't recommend it. A much better (and safer) option is to freeze the ravioli ā see the above section to learn how to freeze ravioli.
Do I have to cook homemade ravioli before freezing it?
It's a good idea. Our instructions above all for cooking the ravioli before you freeze it. The reason is that uncooked ravioli often splits open when frozen, which means you'll lose all the tasty filling when you cook it.
How to store leftover ravioli?
If you have leftovers, you can store the cooked ravioli in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Easy Homemade Ravioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- 1 Ā½ 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 Ā½ 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 the dough 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.
- 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
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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Did it! I enjoyed all of it. Including eating with my new lover. I just followed recipe. Made up some delicious guts and bam! Easy as. Thanks a bunch cutie you.
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
Hi! I have a great recipe for filling, but my dough recipe isnāt very good. I was going to try your dough, but I had a question. If my filling includes Italian sausage, should I cook it before stuffing ravioli? Seems like boiling for 2-3 minutes wouldnāt give the meat enough time to cook.
Yes, I would cook the sausage first! š
Hello, do i need to put the dough in the fridge for an hour? Or do I just need to leave it on the counter for 30 minutes? Would be very helpful if you replied, thanks!
As long as the dough is covered so that it doesn’t dry out, on your counter is fine. š
Can I leave the dough in all day?
Once you make the ravioli you can leave them on the counter. Don’t cover them or they will get sticky. They will start to dry when you leave them out, which is totally fine. š
I made this recipe last night and it worked perfectly. Will make it again, next time with different fillings. Thank you!
I’m happy to hear it turned out well for you!
Worst recipe ever. I followed it to a T and it was this wad of flaky, crumbly crap. Not dough like whatsoever. I have no idea how this has 5 stars. It went right into the trash. What a waste of ingredients and time.
I’m so sorry to hear the recipe didn’t turn out for you. It sounds like the dough needed more moisture, which is something that can happen when measuring flour with cups (as I’ve written the recipe) instead of in more accurate grams or ounces. If you have this same experience with a different recipe, try adding a little more egg. Whisk the egg first then add a little at a time until the dough comes together.
I’ve tried his recipe and it was AWESOME!! Thank you so much for sharing this!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy that you like the recipe!!
Some people are awful. I haven’t made it yet but the recipe sounds fine. Its not that hard to make pasta
Best pasta dough I have tried so far! Make sure you knead, and let rest properly! 30 minutes was perfect for me, but if you over knead, it’ll need more time to rest or a rolling machine won’t work right (found this out when I tried to reshape and reroll, which made the dough tough and hard to roll out)
I’m not the biggest fan of Al Dente, so my raviolis were a little undercooked for my taste, but easily rectified, and the leftovers were then PERFECT. keep in mind that the dough grows a lot. I had about 2in diameter discs and was rewarded with massive raviolis (which still tasted great, but still keep in mind!)
I’ll be using the dough to try my hand at penne this evening. Thank you for the detailed recipe!
I’m so happy it worked out well for you! And thank you for the note about letting it rest if it gets tough. I’ve had to do that, too!
Never made my own pasta before. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing. Simon
Homemade pasta is totally the way to go. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Enjoyed the flavor, but my dough or noodle was tough. What do you think happened? Really want this to work. Please respond
That can happen if the dough is overworked. The best thing to do is to let the dough rest (covered) until the gluten in it relaxes. š
Hi there just came across this on Pinterest. Wanted to know how you would store them in the freezer. Should I boil them first or freeze them before boiling them. Thank
I’ve never tried freezing pasta before, but I know it can be done. I would let them air dry (uncooked) for a few hours then freeze them in a single layer until they’re frozen. Once they’re frozen you’ll be able to store them in a plastic bag all together. I would cook them from frozen, rather than letting them unthaw. Hope that helps!
hihi š just wondering if i can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?
Hi Masa,
I haven’t tired it with whole wheat flour before but I suspect it would work fine. It will probably be a bit more dense, but then whole wheat pasta generally is. If you do try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
going to try it out tomorrow and let you know for sure! š i like to experiment with different flours so might try buckwheat too
Definitely let me know if you try it with buckwheat flour. I’ve gone mostly gluten free so sadly this pasta hasn’t been a part of my repertoire for a while now. I absolutely love it though and would love to be able to eat it again š
made them with buckwheat flour today and they turned out great! i did a single serving size.. 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tbsp oil, salt & 0.75 of an egg ( used the rest for the wash) & filled them with spinich, mushrooms & parmesan cheese…yumm!
The dough was a tiny bit wet when i was rolling it out but it was fine when i floured the surface.
here’s a link to a semi-crappy picture i took with my phone before i poured the sauce on :3 they’re not the preetiest but still yummy
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/ssxk.jpg/
thanks again for this great recipe! ^-^
I am unable to view the photo ā¹ļø.. thank you for sharing your recipe it sounds delicious. I am going to give it a try this week.
Any suggestions on filling combinations, my family is not hugs on mushrooms.
One of my favorites is butternut squash with sage. Ricotta with some lemon is really nice, too.
ok they were so yummy i had to make them again today (buckwheat flour )
here’s another picture this time with the sauce! The dough was perfect today..not too wet and not too dry i think i added a bit too much egg yesterday and that’s why they were wetter
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/syzj.jpg/
They look delicious! I’m going to go pick up some buckwheat flour this week and give it a go with that. Thank you so much for the inspiration!!
Pinned this.
Just came across your blog in foodgawker, I was dying to make homemade raviolis and your post is what I was looking for. And it sounds so simple ! butternut sage filling is my favourite one. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you so much, Sukanya!
This looks like such a fun dinner party idea! I always wanted to make lobster ravioli but it just seemed so intimidating but this just looks like so much fun!
Hi Jocelyn,
Lobster ravioli sounds delicious! If you make it I’d love to hear about your recipe and how it turns out š
I make my own ravioli too! Your photography skills are amazing!
Hoot hoot! It’s great to know I’m not alone in my ravioli making adventures š Thank you so much for your compliment. I still feel like quite an amateur most days so the feedback is really encouraging!
This looks soooooo yummy! I am going to make this with my boys!
Thanks, Amy! This is the perfect meal to get the kids involved in š
Your ravioli look perfect and you make it sound so simple. I love the options you list, they all sound delicious!
How fun! I’ve been looking for a good recipe for homemade pasta!