Homemade Fresh Pasta

Fresh homemade pasta is surprisingly easy to make. It requires just a few simple ingredients and only about 10 minutes to make the dough, followed by a short 30 minute rest, then you can roll it out and shape it. Once you've got your pasta, you can use it in all of your favorite pasta dishes.

I'll admit, on occasion, I still used boxed pasta. It's really convenient to throw together a quick meal in a pinch. But making fresh pasta is so quick and easy and definitely worth the extra effort. Whether you top it with tomato sauce, pesto, a slow-cooked bolognese, a rich and creamy alfredo, or make a stuffed ravioli or tortellini, any way you use it, it's simply delicious.

Ingredient Notes

• Flour - I don't stock a lot of specialty flour in my pantry, so I use all-purpose flour for my pasta. Italian "00" is a finer milled flour, and it will produce a silkier pasta. Semolina is another common flour for pasta that is a bit grainier and produces a more textured pasta which helps the sauce cling to the noodles. Some recipes will call for a mixture of semolina and 00 to get the best of both worlds, but all-purpose works great too.
• Eggs - With so few ingredients pasta recipes are all fairly similar, but one area you will see a big difference is with the eggs. Some call for only yolks, and others use whole eggs. I like to use a combination of 3 whole and 1 yolk for every 2 cups of flour. This results in rich, flavorful pasta with a nice golden color.
• Salt - You can use table salt or kosher salt in this recipe. I prefer to use Kosher salt. Just make sure not to use coarse sea salt.
• Olive Oil - Adding olive oil will add a little flavor to the pasta and help hydrate the dough a little, but you can skip it if you want.

How to Make Pasta Dough

Stand Mixer Method

If you have a stand mixer the process is extremely easy, especially if you have the pasta roller attachment.

1. Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the mixer fitted with the dough hook. Then add the eggs and mix on low until a rough, shaggy dough forms. Increase to medium speed and mix until it forms a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour and let it mix in for 1 minute. Repeat if needed.
2. Let the dough knead for about 5 minutes then remove to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for another minute or two.
3. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for around 30 minutes at room temperature.

By Hand

If you don't have a stand mixer fear not, it's easy to make by hand as well, and you'll get a good workout kneading the dough by hand.

1. Scoop your flour in a mound on a smooth surface such as a stone countertop or large wooden cutting board.
2. Using a fork, make a large well in the center, about 3-4 inches wide. Add your salt and oil, then your eggs to the well. With your fork, begin stirring the mixture gradually incorporating some of the flour until it's combined and forms a rough dough. You may need to use a bench scraper towards the end to work in the last bit of the flour
3. At this point, you can flour your hands and form the dough into a ball. Then knead the dough by hand for 7-8 minutes.
4. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for around 30 minutes.

If you don't plan to use your dough right away you can refrigerate the dough for up to a day. Just let it come up to room temperature before you roll it out. You can also freeze the dough for 2-3 weeks.

How to Roll Out the Dough

Before starting to roll the dough, you'll want to make sure everything is lightly floured. Your hands, the pasta machine, the working surface, and your rolling pin should all be dusted with flour to avoid any sticking.

1. Cut the dough into fourths. You'll roll out each piece individually, so keep the other pieces wrapped in plastic or covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out while you work.
2. Take the first piece and roll it out with a rolling pin to around the width of your pasta machine. Set your pasta machine to the thickest setting and pass the dough through 2-3 times.
3. Next, you'll laminate the dough which basically means to fold it over into layers. This helps the gluten formation and gives a chewier texture to the finished pasta. Lay the pasta out lenghtwise so that the uneven ends are going from left to right. At one end, fold around one-third of the dough over towards the center. Then fold the other end over that piece. You should have a fairly rectangular piece now. Feed this through the machine another two or three times.
4. Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and feed the sheet through two more times. Repeat this, stepping down one setting each time, until you reach your desired thickness. If the sheet gets too long, you can cut it in half and continue. Just be sure to cover or wrap the piece you're not working with.

For noodle pasta like papradelle or fettuccini or lasagna sheets, I go to the third or fourth from the last setting on my machine. For a ravioli, you'll want to go a bit thinner until it's almost translucent. On my machine that's the second to last setting.

Repeat this process with the other 3 pieces of your dough. You'll want to cut the sheets into noodle length pieces, around 12 inches. Lightly dust the rolled sheets and cover them until you're ready to cut them.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it goes quickly and it's kind of fun. It's like rolling out play-doh as a kid!

If you don't have a pasta machine, you can roll it out with a rolling pin. Just be sure to keep everything floured to avoid sticking.

How to Cut Pasta

Pasta machines typically have a roller attachment for cutting as well. On my machine there is a section for fettuccini and another for spaghetti. The attachment hooks onto the base of the machine and the hand crank is inserted into the cutting attachment.

You then feed the sheet of pasta through to cut it. After you've cut the pasta, toss the noodles with flour to coat then shake off any excess.

The noodles should appear dusty so they don't stick together. Then fold them or twist into little "nests" and set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

If you want different widths, such as lasagna or pappardelle, or if you don't have a pasta machine, you can roll or fold the pasta sheet and use a sharp knife to cut the noodles to the desired size.

Cooking Homemade Pasta

Homemade fresh pasta cooks very quickly. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. Cook for around 2-3 minutes until al dente.

Storing Fresh Pasta

If you want to save the cut pasta for later, you can allow the noodles to dry for around 30 minutes, then refrigerate in an airtight container. They will keep for 1 to 2 days. They may discolor a little, but it will not effect the taste. You can also allow it to completely dry and it will keep for up to two weeks.

For longer storage the freezer is best. To freeze place the entire baking sheet with your arranged noodle folds or nests in the freezer and allow them to completely freeze. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to two months.

Frozen or fully dried pasta will take an extra 1 to 2 minutes to cook.

Serving Suggestions

Homemade pasta is delicious simply tossed in melted butter or olive oil and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. But it's also perfect for tossing in a flavorful homemade sauce.

For a quick and easy option you can serve a classic fettuccini alfredo, or dress it up with fall flavor with my Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta. And for a spicy twist on alfredo try my Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

Fresh homemade pasta sheets are a great way to elevate your next lasagna. For a classic red sauce lasagna, try my lasagna with homemade pasta. And for a white sauce lasagna, try my Chicken and Spinach Lasagna.

Another great sauce for your fresh homemade pasta noodles is my Homemade Pesto Sauce. It's bursting with fresh summer flavors!

📖 Recipe

More Pasta Dishes!