How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (2024)

A simple tutorial and fresh pasta recipe for making homemade pasta in minutes with or without using a pasta maker.

You’ll never want to buy a box of dry pasta again!

How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • The Best Homemade Pasta Recipes
  • Why You’ll Love Making Your Own Homemade Pasta
  • Tools to Make Homemade Pasta
  • Homemade Pasta Ingredients
  • How to Make Homemade Pasta
  • Tips
  • Notes on Cooking with Fresh Pasta
  • What Are the Different Types of Pasta?
  • How to Store Fresh Pasta
  • More About Pasta
  • Homemade Pasta
  • Explore More

A few years ago, I invested in the pasta maker attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer and I have never looked back. If I had only known how easy it was to make fresh pasta, I would have tossed the boxes away years ago!

In fact, we have enjoyed it so much, that I have purchased additional pasta roller attachments as well. The options are endless when you are making homemade pasta.

Let me just say it here, homemade pasta is delicious and so much easier than you might think!

The Best Homemade Pasta Recipes

Pasta is an incredible comfort food, and it’s been one of my favorite foods for my entire life. I’ve shared many pasta recipes with you over the years, so don’t ever listen to me if you’re trying to watch your carb intake.

Topped with savory red sauces like Amatriciana, Vodka Sauce, or Tomato Sauce, or white sauce like Alfredo, Cacio e Pepe, or simply butter with salt and pepper. There is not a pasta dish that I don’t love!

Learn How to Cook Pasta right here, with all my favorite tips and tricks.

A homemade pasta recipe can be so versatile, becoming the perfect base for almost every Italian meal.

How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (2)

Why You’ll Love Making Your Own Homemade Pasta

  • Pasta is very family-friendly! Who doesn’t love a spaghetti dinner? Like all good meals, it brings people together.
  • My girls love to help me in the kitchen and making pasta is no exception! They love to measure out the ingredients, roll the pasta dough, and could watch the pasta come out the pasta machine for days! Those times are memories I will cherish forever.
  • Homemade pasta is also very budget friendly. It costs no more to make your own pasta than it does to buy a box at the store. In my opinion, homemade pasta is the gourmet choice between the two.
  • In addition, it is more delicious topped with your favorite sauce and it can be served for any event.
  • While tools are handy, you don’t need anything special to make homemade pasta!
  • This is a very quick process. I typically spend only 15 minutes making the dough and pressing it through the pasta maker attachment.
  • The dough is only a few ingredients and rolling it through the pasta maker can be done in a snap.
How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (3)

Before we get to the ingredients, you’ll need to know about TOOLS.

You don’t need any of these specific tools to make homemade pasta, but they can make your life a little easier, and more fun!

Tools or no tools, I know it can be intimidating if you’ve never done this before.

However, even without the shortcut attachments, I think it is worth the extra few minutes to roll out the dough by hand and use a rolling pin and pizza cutter to make the pasta shape you desire.

How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (4)

The ingredients for pasta are really simple and likely are already on hand in your pantry. A basic noodle recipe usually consists of equal parts of white flour and semolina flour, olive oil (or butter), eggs, and water.

Homemade Pasta Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Flour – All purpose will work just fine, but I prefer to use equal parts all purpose and semolina flour. (Read more about semolina below.)
  • Eggs – The binding agent for fresh pasta.
  • Salt – A hint of salt for added flavor. A finely ground salt is best here.
  • Water – to moisten your dough as needed.
How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (5)

How to Make Homemade Pasta

  1. Combine – In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, combine flour, eggs and 2 tablespoons water with your paddle attachment. You don’t want the dough to be crumbly or sticky…just doughy! Add an additional tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency on speed 4.
  2. Knead – With a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook knead for 2 minutes on speed 4, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface .
  3. Make Pasta Sheets – Set the pasta roller attachment on level 1. Make a flat dough ball and feed through. I usually like to do this on speed 4…fast enough, but not too fast. Continue to place the dough through increasing the setting each time – level 2, 3, 4 and finally 5 for fettuccine. Do this with all of your dough. You have to gage your dough…if it is too sticky, add a little flour to your hands and recreate your dough ball. If it appears to be too dry and not smooth enough, add a touch of water to your hands and recreate your dough ball. You’ll get the hang of this in no time! By hand: roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin.
  4. Make Pasta Noodles – Switch to your fettuccine or linguiniattachment unless you’re making pappardelle or ravioli. Feed the dough through, catching the noodles with your other hand and immediately place into your pot of boiling water. By hand: Use a pizza cutter to create noodles. How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (6)
  5. Boil Noodles – In a pot of salted, boiling water, boil noodles 3 minutes. Toss with sauce and serve or follow the instructions below to store. How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (7)

Tips

Substitutions and Variations

  • Semolina Flour – In this recipe I only call for one type of flour and the noodles turn out beautifully. However, you can substitute half the flour with semolina flour for a more traditional noodle. Semolina flour is a more coarsely ground wheat and has a yellowish color. Most local supermarkets keep this in stock.
  • Gluten Free – Feel free to experiment with gluten free flour mixes for a homemade gluten free noodle. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a great substitution.
  • Arugula Pasta – Add 5 ounces of arugula to a food processor. Combine with flour, eggs, salt and water.
  • Spinach Pasta – Add 5 ounces of spinach to a food processor. Combine with flour, eggs, salt and water.

Pasta is very forgiving. Don’t be afraid to substitute, take risks and try something new!

Consistency

  • Dough should not be at all sticky when you run it through your pasta maker or it will stick to the machine. If your dough feels sticky sprinkle lightly with flour.
  • If your noodles end up a little crumbly or gummy it is most likely because the dough is under developed and needed a little more kneading.
  • You can let your pasta dough rest for 30 minutes after kneading to let the gluten relax. Letting the gluten relax after kneading makes for a loser dough and is easier to mold into more intricate noodle shapes.

By Hand

  • If you are rolling the pasta dough out by hand, use a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough our very thinly. Don’t worry about too much extra flour as it will shake off as you cut the pasta or rinse off in the boiling water when cooking.

Notes on Cooking with Fresh Pasta

  • Fresh pasta can be cooked right away.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the noodles and cook for about four minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Drain over the sink in a colander and then toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Top with your desired sauce and serve!

What Are the Different Types of Pasta?

The shapes of pasta are almost endless! Favorite homemade pasta shapes in my house include angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, Pappardelle, bucatini and of course the classic spaghetti noodle!

How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (8)

If you love family friendly pasta dishes, don’t skip this incredible round-up of Chicken Pasta Recipes!

How to Store Fresh Pasta

To Dry

  1. After the pasta is cut or pressed, hang over a drying rack or lay out on the counter with plenty of space between each noodle and let air dry. (30 minutes at a minimum but can take up to 12-24 hours.)
  2. Turn the noodles periodically to keep them from sticking to the surface they are on. You can also cover them with a towel to keep any dust from settling on them while they dry. Store in an airtight container.

To Refrigerate

  1. Place fresh noodles on a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Dust with flour and loosely fold them into nests. Allow them to dry another 30 minutes.
  3. Place in an airtight container and store refrigerated 2-3 days.

To Freeze

  1. Store in an airtight container. Keeps well up to three months.
  2. To Use: Add frozen pasta to a pot of salty boiling water and prepare al dente.
How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (9)

If you love pasta as much as I do, don’t be intimidated, go ahead and try it! After the first time or two, you’ll have noodles ready almost as quick as it takes to prepare them from a box.

You can buy a good pasta but when you cook it yourself it has another feeling.
-Agnes Varda

How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (10)

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How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (15)

5 from 8 votes

Homemade Pasta

By Julie Blanner

A simple tutorial and fresh pasta recipe for making homemade pasta in minutes with or without using a pasta maker. You'll never want to buy a box of dry pasta again!

Prep: 7 minutes mins

Cook: 3 minutes mins

Servings: 8

PinRatePrint

Ingredients

  • cups semolina flour substitute all purpose
  • 4 eggs
  • water 2 tablespoons at a time, up to ¼ cup

Instructions

  • Combine flour, eggs and water with your paddle attachment. You don’t want the dough to be crumbly or sticky…just doughy! Add an additional tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency, mixing on speed 4.

  • Using your dough hook, knead for 2 minutes on speed 4.

  • Put your pasta roller attachment on level 1. Make a flat dough ball and feed through. I usually like to do this on speed 4…fast enough, but not too fast. Continue to place the dough through increasing the setting each time…level 2, 3, 4 and finally 5 for fettuccine. Do this with all of your dough.

  • Switch to your fettuccine or linguini attachment unless you’re making pappardelle or ravioli. Feed the dough through, catching the noodles with your other hand and immediately place into your pot of boiling water.

  • Boil noodles 3 minutes & drain.

Julie’s Tips

Substitutions and Variations

  • Semolina Flour – In this recipe I only call for one type of flour and the noodles turn out beautifully. However, you can substitute half the flour with semolina flour for a more traditional noodle. Semolina flour is a more coarsely ground wheat and has a yellowish color. Most local supermarkets keep this in stock.
  • Gluten Free – Feel free to experiment with gluten free flour mixes for a homemade gluten free noodle. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a great substitution.
  • Arugula Pasta – Add 5 ounces of arugula to a food processor. Combine with flour, eggs, salt and water.
  • Spinach Pasta – Add 5 ounces of spinach to a food processor. Combine with flour, eggs, salt and water.

Consistency

  • Dough should not be at all sticky when you run it through your pasta maker or it will stick to the machine. If your dough feels sticky sprinkle lightly with flour.
  • If your noodles end up a little crumbly or gummy it is most likely because the dough is under developed and needed a little more kneading.
  • You can let your pasta dough rest for 30 minutes after kneading to let the gluten relax. Letting the gluten relax after kneading makes for a loser dough and is easier to mold into more intricate noodle shapes.

By Hand

  • If you are rolling the pasta dough out by hand, use a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough our very thinly. Don’t worry about too much extra flour as it will shake off as you cut the pasta or rinse off in the boiling water when cooking.

How to Store Fresh Pasta

  • To Dry –After the pasta is cut or pressed, hang over a drying rack or lay out on the counter with plenty of space between each noodle and let air dry. (30 minutes at a minimum but can take up to 12-24 hours.)Turn the noodles periodically to keep them from sticking to the surface they are on. You can also cover them with a towel to keep any dust from settling on them while they dry. Store in an airtight container.
  • To Refrigerate –Place fresh noodles on a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Dust with flour and loosely fold them into nests. Allow them to dry another 30 minutes. Place in an airtight container and store refrigerated 2-3 days.
  • To Freeze –Store in an airtight container. Keeps well up to three months.To Use: Add frozen pasta to a pot of salty boiling water and prepare al dente.

Video

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 3mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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How to Make Homemade Pasta | Fresh Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is homemade pasta made of? ›

In it, regular all-purpose flour yields chewy, bouncy noodles every time. Eggs – The key ingredient for adding richness and moisture to the dough! Olive oil – Along with the eggs, a splash of olive oil moistens the dough and helps it come together. Salt – Add it to the dough and the pasta water for the best flavor.

What 3 basic ingredients are used in the production of pasta? ›

Pasta products contain milled wheat, water, and occasionally eggs and/or optional ingredients. Pasta manufacturers typically use milled durum wheat (semolina, durum granulars, and durum flour) in pasta production, although farina and flour from common wheat are occasionally used.

Do you need special flour for homemade pasta? ›

Pasta dough also needs some plasticity for it to be moulded into all of those wonderful shapes. All-purpose flour does what it says on the tin, so it's perfectly fine to use for making pasta. However, most pasta recipes will recommend either semola or “00” flour.

Can I use plain flour for pasta? ›

You can use plain flour to make the pasta, but 00 flour gives it a little more bite. This pasta is called pappardelle, the thick, silky ribbons pair really well with everything - from hearty sauces to a simple pesto.

What kind of flour do you use to make pasta? ›

White Flour Is Best for Egg Pasta Dough

Italians make fresh pasta using a particular type of lower-protein white flour called doppio zero, or 00 flour, with a talcum powder–like grind. Its protein content is similar to that of all-purpose flour, but the proprietary blend of wheat makes a difference.

Does pasta need egg? ›

Ingredients-wise, making fresh pasta is actually incredibly straightforward – all you need is flour and eggs. The same goes for equipment, you don't need a pasta machine for our fresh pasta dough recipe, just a few common kitchen utensils and a clean work surface.

Should you use egg or no egg in pasta? ›

Egg-based noodles are generally stickier and more flexible compared to their egg-free counterparts. According to Sharma, this is because fats and proteins in the egg yolk hinder the over-development of gluten in the flour, binding the dough without letting it get too tough.

Do I need to boil homemade pasta? ›

When you do cook it, remember that homemade pasta cooks much more quickly than the dried pasta you buy in stores. Give it about four minutes in salted boiling water, taste it, and keep checking in one-minute increments until the pasta is al dente. Ready?

How long do you let homemade pasta dry? ›

Next, lay the strands of pasta in a single layer on a baking sheet or clean cloth towel, or hang them from a drying rack. You will need to let your pasta completely air dry. This can take anywhere from 12-24 hours or longer, depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen.

How many eggs for 1 cup of flour for pasta? ›

One large-size egg weighs about 2 ounces; one cup of flour weighs about 5 ounces. Use one large-size egg for each full serving you want to make, to that add 1 ½ the egg's weight in flour. (You can do this with a simple kitchen scale.) If you don't have a scale, use 2 eggs per 1 cup of flour to make 1 serving.

Does all pasta have eggs? ›

While there are different types of fresh pasta, the packages for sale in the refrigerated section are typically egg pasta. Dry pasta can also contain eggs, but it is more often made from only semolina flour and water.

How long should pasta dough rest? ›

Resting the dough gives the flour a chance to fully absorb the eggs so that it develops the proper consistence that you need for rolling and cutting it into the right shapes. Pasta dough should rest for at least 10 to 30 minutes, but you can let it sit for up to an hour for the best results.

Can I use plain flour instead of 00 flour for pasta? ›

All this said, it's generally fine to substitute all-purpose flour for “00” flour. You'll notice a texture difference if you grew up in Europe or are very familiar with with products made from “00” flour, but all your recipes will still come out just fine.

Is 00 flour the same as semolina? ›

There are two basic types of flour used to make almost all pasta doughs: type '00' flour and semolina flour. Type 00 flour is a finely ground soft wheat flour while semolina is a finely ground durum wheat flour.

How is pasta made 4 steps? ›

How to Make Fresh Pasta
  1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add the eggs. Create a deep well in the middle of the flour and crack eggs into it.
  3. Combine the flour and eggs. ...
  4. Knead the dough. ...
  5. Rest the dough. ...
  6. Divide the dough. ...
  7. Begin rolling out the pasta. ...
  8. Thin the pasta.

How is flour turned into pasta? ›

Pasta processing is the process in which wheat semolina or flour is mixed with water and the dough is extruded to a specific shape, dried and packaged.

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