How to Make Homemade Ravioli

Learn how how to turn sheets of fresh pasta into delicious homemade ravioli. You'll also get ravioli filling and sauce suggestions.

OK, your ravioli filling is prepped and standing by. Your homemade pasta is ready and rolled out into thin sheets across a lightly floured surface. Now let's make some ravioli.

How to Make Ravioli

You'll start with two sheets of fresh dough. One sheet will be the bottom half of the ravioli, and another sheet will be the top. Cover any dough you're not using with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out.

Cut the rolled-out sheets of dough into thin strips of uniform width.

cutting dough into strips for ravioli
Photo by Meredith.

For our filling, we're using leftover mashed butternut squash. And to scoop the filling, we're using a teaspoon measuring spoon. You don't want a heaping helping of filling. And you don't want to crowd. Space the filling far enough apart so that each dumpling has a clear border.

Filling ravioli strips with filling
Photo by Meredith.

Get the recipe: Homemade Four Cheese Ravioli

If you're using an egg-based pasta, brush an egg wash over the top sheet of pasta to help seal it to the bottom. For eggless pasta, use water or milk.

brushing strips of pasta with egg wash
Photo by Meredith.

Gently lay the top sheet of pasta over the filled bottom layer, matching up the two sheets evenly.

putting second strip over filled ravioli strip
Photo by Meredith.

Air trapped in ravioli will expand and even burst as they cook. Work out any air bubbles by pushing the air out to the edge of the pasta with your fingers.

pinching the top and bottom layers of ravioli
Photo by Meredith.

Cut the dough into individual squares with a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel if you have one.

cutting strips into individual ravioli
Photo by Meredith.

If you don't have a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel, no worries. Use a sharp knife, small cookie cutter, or even a shot glass to shape the dumplings. Shape-wise, you can make squares, circles, hearts, whatever you like. When you're done cutting, crimp the edges with a fork.

Fresh ravioli will cook in minutes, so refrigerate your ravioli, wrapped in plastic, until you're ready to cook them. Top your ravioli with a tasty sauce. A simple browned butter and herb sauce is terrific. Here are some other sauce ideas:

Beet and Goat Cheese Ravioli

"These homemade raviolis taste great and make for a stunning presentation" says Kim. "These are definitely a labor of love! Using a pasta maker allows for the dough to be rolled as thin as possible to ensure that the beautiful filling can peek through. If you don't like whole wheat pasta, feel free to substitute the whole wheat flour for all-purpose. Sprinkle with fresh dill and more goat cheese, if desired."

Beet and Goat Cheese Ravioli
Photo by Kim.

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