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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First try at making pasta, I couldnāt believe how fabulous this tasted. However, I should have watched some YouTube videos about pasta making. The raviolis glued themselves to each other, to wax paper, to a plate. Even though they were a mess, they tasted amazing.Ā
I find that parchment paper works best for keeping them separated. Also, never put them into the fridge or they’ll turn into a gluey mess. The counter is best!
Would love to try this recipe, but I don’t normally work with ‘cup’ measures. Can you let me know how many grams of flour are in 1 cup?
Thank you š
There are 120 grams of flour in 1 cup. š
This is a great recipe. I have NEVER tried making pasta before tonight. I did it all by hand an yes its a work out for sure. It did take alot longer than I had anticipated. So dinner was late getting done lol oh well my family really liked it. For any of you first timers out there start way earlier so you have plenty of time to get it done. Have a great meal.
I’m so happy to hear that you made pasta for the first time. It really is the best!
If making a large amount, can you cook what is needed for a meal, and freeze the remainder without cooking?
Yes, you can! Freeze them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen you can take them off the sheet and put them together in a bag. Cook them from frozen!
I used left over pork in cider sauce, minced down to a chunky paste. I cant tell you how delicious it was. I will never buy store bought ravioli again.
What a great idea for a filling! Yum!
Are you able to freeze the rest of the filling?
That depends on what you used in the filling. š
i am thinking about making this for my school assignment. how long would it take to make this in total?
I would count on a couple of hours cause you’ll need to factor in making the filling, making the dough, and assembling the ravioli. It can take a little while the first time you do it. š
Hi, so when you are done making the ravioli can you immediately put them in the boiling water or do they have to be frozen?
You can cook them immediately after making them. Freezing is only if you want to store them. š
Should I store them in the fridge if Iām going to cook them in a couple of hours?Xx
No. They tend to go sticky if left in the fridge. I would recommend leaving them on your counter until you are ready to cook them.
Hi Ā Am making for a party in 2 days. Ā What do you think is the best way to store them? Ā (Freeze/refrigerate)
I would freeze them. Put them (uncooked) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure that they don’t overlap. Once they’re frozen, you can put them into a bag. ANd cook them from frozen adding a minute or so to the cooking time. š
Thanks, itās been too long since Iāve baked or made Pasta! No really! I j ow itās been too long because after mixing my dough earlier today I could not find my Pasta Maker or Rolling Pin! I think my better half may have put them up for safe keeping! So, I did it all from scratch! Using my hands and thumbs to createĀ Fettuccine and my palms to create Ravioli pasta! I came here to see cooking times for the Ravioli and to get some suggestions for fillings. Thanks!Ā
Wow … that’s dedication!
How many raviolis do you get from this recipe? How much filling is needed to fill the dough?
It really depends on how big you make them. We find that this recipe is enough to serve 4 people. š
Can they be frozen
Homemade pasta can be frozen before it is cooked. Freeze it on parchment paper in a single layer. Once it’s frozen you can put them into a bag. Make sure to cook them from frozen. š
Have you ever done dessert raviolis?
I haven’t but now I want to!
Havenāt tried yet. Going to make it soon, is there a way I can make this in bulk and freeze it? What would be the best way to do that?
Yes! Simply make them as per the recipe instructions then freeze them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, you can move them into a resealable freezer bag. Cook them from frozen!
I’d like to try this but I would like to know if I can do the same thing but with Whole wheat flour š
I haven’t tried this recipe using whole wheat flour so I can’t say. If I ever do I’ll update the post to let you know!
Hi!! I am currently making this now and waiting for the 30mins to pass. I’ve never made pasta before….. but this dough seems super dry for me…. couldn’t make 1 full ball with it because it kept falling apart. any recommendations or is that how its supposed to be?
It shouldn’t be super dry. That can happen because of small differences in measurements. The size of eggs or a little bit more flour in a measuring cup. I would recommend adding a tiny bit of water (start with a teaspoon) and working it into the dough. You don’t want it to be sticky but you don’t want it crumbly and dry either.