How to Make Ravioli From Scratch

When the mood strikes for a comforting dish that's both delicious and impressive, there's nothing quite like homemade ravioli. A delectable Italian dumpling made with a simple-to-make pasta dough, they can have a plethora of flavorful fillings that can range from butternut squash to ricotta, and is usually paired with a sauce to bring everything together. This guide can help you make ravioli from scratch in no time with a few ingredients and some tools.

Homemade ravioli recipe

When making homemade ravioli, you'll need to roll out pasta dough before moving onto the filling and sauce. While this is a traditional four cheese ravioli with a homemade tomato sauce recipe, you can use the tips provided to make your own unique ravioli combination. You can roll out the pasta by hand, or you can streamline the process by rolling out your dough with a KitchenAid^® stand mixer and Pasta Roller Attachment.

YIELDS

• 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTA DOUGH:

Pasta dough can be made in a few different ways. Most doughs are made with a combination of all-purpose flour, salt, eggs, oil, and water. Some recipes can be modified to use almond flour or other wheat-free options, as well. Here is a list of common ingredients:

FOR THE RAVIOLI FILLING:

You can get as creative as you want with your ravioli filling. Most filling recipes will call for eggs, but you can choose if you include meat, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, herbs, and spices. For a cheese filling, here are some common ingredients:

FOR THE RAVIOLI SAUCE:

When tomatoes are in season it is a great time to make homemade sauce for fresh flavors. Tomato sauces can include fresh, chopped tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings such as parsley and oregano. You might even choose to include other fresh vegetables such as zucchini. Here are some ravioli sauce ingredients you may want to have on hand:

Step 1. Knead dough and let rest

In the bowl of your KitchenAid^® stand mixer, mix the flour and salt together and create a hole in the center of the mound of flour to form a well. Place the eggs and the oil or water (if using) in the middle of the hole and continue to mix. Gradually incorporate the flour using your stand mixer, until all the ingredients are mixed together, forming a single mass that's wet and sticky.

Use your KitchenAid^® stand mixer to knead your dough using the dough hook. Once the dough forms into a firm and smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. 

Step 2. Prepare filling

Place the cheese, egg, herbs, and other ingredients in your stand mixer mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients together until it comes together to form the texture of a paste. Set aside.

Step 3. Make the tomato sauce

Start by heating up olive oil before adding in seasonings and ingredients such as chopped garlic and oregano. Next, add in herbs such as fresh chopped parsley and basil. For some added depth of flavor, you can also add balsamic vinegar. Next, add in tomatoes and salt. Stir everything together and use either a fork or a potato masher to break down the tomatoes further. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and check salt and seasoning and adjust to taste.

Step 4. Roll out the pasta dough

Once you're ready to make the ravioli, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place onto a floured surface. To keep your dough from drying out, work in quarters and keep the rest covered under a towel or wrapped in plastic. Use the KitchenAid^® Pasta Roller Attachment to make thin sheets of pasta that are no thicker than a nickel. Carefully place the pasta sheets onto parchment-lined baking trays. 

NOTE: You can also use a rolling pin and roll out the dough by hand. 

Step 5: Add filling and seal ravioli 

If you're working by hand, place a tablespoon of the four cheese blend onto the bottom half of the pasta dough, about an inch apart from each other. You can either brush an egg wash or some water on the edges of the dough and fold the top half of the sheet over the filling. 

Press the dough gently shut with your fingers and use a knife or a ravioli stamp/roller to seal the filling in. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pasta, and cover under a towel to keep the ravioli from drying out. To save time and to make the process more efficient, you can use a ravioli maker.

Step 6: Cook the ravioli and serve  

Bring a pot of salted water to a  boil and cook the ravioli for around three minutes, or until tender. Serve with the tomato sauce (or any sauce of your choice) and enjoy!

What is the best way to cook homemade ravioli?

You can cook homemade ravioli by bringing salted water to a boil and cooking for 3-5 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Adding salt to the water before cooking helps to season the pasta and make it more flavorful.

What type of fillings work best for ravioli?

While traditional recipes call for cheese filling, you can use anything from butternut squash to ground meat, goat cheese or anything else that appeals to your palate. Experiment with new flavor combinations like roasted root vegetables and sage or decadent lobster ravioli. Just remember that for best results, avoid fillings that are too liquidy or too rough in texture to prevent the dough from opening or tearing.

What are some popular sauce options for ravioli?

Like most pasta dishes, ravioli is an extremely versatile meal that pairs well with a number of sauces. Anything from a zesty tomato sauce, a silky, cream-based alfredo or even a delicate butter sauce works great with ravioli.

You can let your creativity flourish by experimenting with your own combinations of homemade sauces and fillings. From a classic marinara sauce that can be paired with a variety of fillings that range from cheese to mushrooms or beef and everything in between, to more unique combinations like beet ravioli with Meyer lemon goat cheese in a brown butter sage sauce, the possibilities for new flavors are endless.  

Can I freeze homemade ravioli?

If you've made a large batch of ravioli, you can freeze them by first placing the filled pasta on a single layer of parchment paper-lined baking tray and storing in the freezer until frozen solid. Once frozen, store in an airtight container. You can keep ravioli in the freezer for up to six months, and they can be cooked frozen. 

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