Homemade Ravioli Pasta (Easy Step By Step Guide) Recipe

I’ve perfected a Homemade Italian Ravioli Recipe for big batches of spinach and ricotta ravioli you can freeze and finish quickly in a simple sage and butter sauce, a true staple for Sunday dinner and Christmas.

I never planned to fall for making ravioli, but once I rolled that dough with 00 or all purpose flour and folded in creamy ricotta cheese, there was no going back. This Homemade Ravioli Pasta guide teases out tricks I learned after messing up more times than I care to admit, and yep it makes big batches you’ll wanna freeze.

Readers call it my Ravioli Recipe Ricotta moment, and I keep it in my Homemade Pasta Ravioli arsenal. Try it and you’ll see how simple tweaks change everything, plus you get a dinner that feels special without the fuss.

Ingredients

• Flour gives structure, mostly carbs, it fuels pasta, low fiber unless whole grain used.
• Eggs add protein and richness, help bind dough, they also add fat.
• Ricotta offers creamy protein, mild tang, lots of calcium, keeps filling moist.
• Spinach gives vitamins iron and fiber, adds color and earthiness.
• Parmesan packs umami and salt, little goes a long way for flavor.
• Butter melts into sauce adds fat and silkiness not great in excess.
• Sage gives fragrant peppery herbal notes, perfect with browned butter.
• Olive oil and lemon zest give bright fruitiness and healthy fats.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups 00 or all purpose flour (about 250 g)
• 3 large eggs, room temp, yeah 3
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
• 15 ounce ricotta cheese, well drained (about 425 g)
• 6 ounce fresh spinach, cooked and squeezed dry (about 170 g)
• 1 large egg yolk for the filling, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup semolina or extra flour for dusting
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for the sauce
• 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional, if you want a little brightness

How to Make this

1. Prep the filling first so it can chill: drain 15 oz ricotta in a fine sieve or cheesecloth for 30 minutes to get rid of excess moisture, cook 6 oz fresh spinach (steam or quickly sauté), squeeze it completely dry in a towel and chop fine. In a bowl mix drained ricotta, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, the chopped spinach, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, salt and lots of freshly ground pepper to taste, and the optional egg yolk and 1 tsp lemon zest if you want brightness. Taste and adjust, but remember Parmesan is salty so go easy on added salt. Chill while you make dough.

2. Make the pasta dough: pile 2 cups 00 or all purpose flour on your board, make a well, crack in 3 large room temp eggs, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Beat the eggs with a fork and gradually pull in flour until shaggy, then knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it’s sticky add a little flour, if too dry add a tiny splash of water or an egg white. Wrap in plastic or a bowl and let rest 30 minutes at room temp, this relaxes the gluten so rolling is easy.

3. Divide and roll: cut dough into 3 or 4 pieces, keep the unused pieces covered so they dont dry out. Flatten a piece, run it through a pasta machine from thick to thin settings or roll with a pin until you have thin sheets about 1 to 2 mm thick. Dust liberally with 1/4 cup semolina or extra flour to prevent sticking.

4. Assemble ravioli: lay a sheet on a semolina-dusted board, spoon small mounds of filling (about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon depending on desired size) spaced about 1 inch apart. Lightly wet the dough around each mound with water or brush with a tiny bit of beaten egg to help seal. Lay second sheet over the top, press around each mound to force out air pockets and seal. Use a cutter, knife or pastry wheel to cut squares or rounds, press edges firmly (a fork crimp looks good and helps seal). Tip: trapping air will make them pop in the pot, so press carefully to remove all bubbles.

5. Storing and dusting: transfer finished ravioli to a tray dusted with semolina, don’t stack them or they’ll stick. If freezing, put the tray in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes until firm (flash freeze), then move ravioli to airtight bags or containers with a little semolina between layers; they keep for months. Fresh ravioli can sit on the tray for up to an hour before cooking if dusted well.

6. Boil water and cook: bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Fresh ravioli need about 2 to 4 minutes once they float and feel tender, frozen ones need 4 to 6 minutes more. Test one to make sure the filling is heated through. Use a large slotted spoon to lift them gently.

7. Make the sage butter sauce: while ravioli cook, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat, add 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves and let the butter foam and the sage crisp up slightly, watching closely so it doesnt burn. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil toward the end to give shine and stop the butter from browning too fast, and stir in optional 1 teaspoon lemon zest if using. Season with a little pepper, you probably dont need more salt.

8. Combine pasta and sauce: when ravioli are done, transfer them straight from the pot into the skillet with the sage butter (use the slotted spoon so you get rid of excess water). Toss gently for 30 to 60 seconds so they are coated, add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Tip: handle gently so you dont tear the pasta.

9. Serve and finish: plate the ravioli, spoon extra sage and butter over top, sprinkle more grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper. Eat right away, it’s best hot.

10. Leftovers and reheating: store cooked ravioli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat carefully in a skillet with a little butter and a splash of water, or bake briefly in sauce. If using frozen ravioli, do not thaw before cooking to avoid sogginess.

Equipment Needed

1. Fine-mesh sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth (to drain the ricotta)
2. Large mixing bowl (for filling and dough)
3. Floured work surface or pastry board plus a bench scraper (for dividing and handling dough)
4. Pasta machine or rolling pin (to roll thin sheets)
5. Pastry wheel or sharp knife and a fork (to cut and seal ravioli)
6. Small bowl and a pastry brush (or your finger) for sealing with water/egg
7. Baking sheet dusted with semolina or extra flour (for resting and flash-freezing)
8. Large pot and a slotted spoon (to boil and lift ravioli)
9. Skillet (for the sage butter sauce)
10. Measuring cups/spoons and a microplane or zester (for Parmesan, nutmeg, lemon zest etc)

FAQ

Homemade Ravioli Pasta (Easy Step By Step Guide) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Flour: If you don’t have 00 or AP, use bread flour 1:1 for more chew and structure, or mix 50% semolina + 50% AP for a slightly nutty bite; for gluten free use a cup for cup GF blend plus 1/2 to 1 tsp xanthan gum so the dough holds together.
• Ricotta: Swap with well drained cottage cheese blended smooth 1:1 for almost the same texture, or use mascarpone for a richer, silkier filling (use a little less salt), or for a vegan option blend silken tofu with 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast.
• Spinach: Frozen chopped spinach (thaw completely and squeeze very dry) is an easy straight swap, or use finely chopped kale or Swiss chard instead, just cook them longer and remove any tough stems; the flavor will be heartier so add a pinch of lemon zest if you want brightness.
• Butter (for the sauce): Use extra virgin olive oil plus extra sage for a lighter finish, or ghee/clarified butter to get that nutty browned-butter flavor without burning, or choose a good vegan butter if you need dairy free.

Pro Tips

1) Drain and chill the filling until it firms up, then press it a little with a flat plate or a can if you are in a hurry. Cold thicker filling seals easier and tastes less salty after you chill it, so taste and only add salt after it’s cold.

2) Rest the dough at least 30 minutes, seriously dont skip that, it makes rolling so much easier. If your kitchen is warm pop the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling or it will get gummy and stick.

3) Use semolina on the board and under the ravioli not just flour, it stops sticking and gives a nicer bottom texture when cooked. When you seal, wet the edges lightly, press out every air pocket and if you want extra insurance, chill the sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting so the parcels keep their shape.

4) Don’t crowd the pot and handle them gently in the water, one good stir right after you add them then let them float. Lift them with a slotted spoon straight into the butter and sage so you dont dilute the sauce, and use a splash of reserved cooking water only to loosen the sauce if needed.

5) Watch the butter closely when making the sage sauce because it can go from nutty to burnt in seconds, add a little olive oil toward the end to stop it browning too fast. Finish with lemon zest and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and grated Parmesan, they brighten everything up.