Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

Step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect homemade pasta dough with a ton of tips. No stand mixer needed, just 15 minutes of your time!

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Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (1)

This recipe shows you how to make pasta dough by hand. The dough is perfect for rolling out so there is no pasta machine needed.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2)
Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (3)

How to make pasta dough at home

Place the flour onto a clean worktop (kitchen counter works best). Make a well in the middle. Make sure the well is large enough to hold 3 egg yolks and 1 egg before you add these in.

Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. You can also add water at this stage, or you can wait and see if it is needed, once you start kneading the dough.

Making homemade pasta dough from scratch is not difficult but it requires a little patience and let’s be honest, your arms will get a good workout from all that kneading and rolling.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (4)

Now before you start kneading the dough, you have to bring the eggs and flour together. To do this, start beating the eggs and slowly incorporate a little flour into the mixture while beating.

It’s like beating eggs when making an omelet but this time you add flour as well. The reason why the eggs are in the middle and you slowly add flour to them is simple: The flour acts like a border so that you won’t end up with egg mixture all over your worktop.

When you end up with a messy mixture, it’s time to knead. This takes time so count with about 10 minutes. Just knead until you end up with a nice ball of homemade pasta dough.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (5)

The dough will not be extremely soft. Just soft enough that you can knead and roll it.

Then, flatten it out slightly, wrap in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (6)
Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (7)

Frequently asked questions

What is the best flour for pasta dough?

Italian 00 is the best one. However, because it is hard to source for many of us, I use all-purpose flour. Half all-purpose + half semolina flour is also an option.

How long can you refrigerate pasta dough?

You can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Why is my pasta dough crumbly?

It needs more water. Always add a little at a time, knead and add more, if needed.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (8)

What to serve fresh pasta with?

There are so many possibilities. I personally love easy and quick sauces, that take 15 minutes or less to make.

You can also use fresh basil pesto or cheaper alternatives – parsley pesto or arugula pesto.

One of the quickest and easiest recipes is Parmesan chili pasta with good quality olive oil, Italian cheese and a generous sprinkle of red chili flakes.

Now that being said, you feel free to use any sauce you like.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (9)

Expert tips

  • This dough will have a nice yellow color but once cooked (after you have cut it into tagliatelle, pappardelle or farfalle) the pasta will turn white-ish/pale.
  • The yellow color comes from the yolks. If you used whole eggs only, it would not be so yellow.
  • If your dough seems to be tough and hard to knead, add more water. If it feels very soft, add more flour.
  • It’s important to give the pasta dough some time to rest. 30 minutes is enough. You will also notice that it will become softer.
  • For easier rolling, divide your homemade pasta dough in two equal pieces. Wrap one in a plastic wrap and set aside for later. Form the other piece into a ball and roll out.
  • IMPORTANT: The dough has to be rolled out paper-thin in order to achieve the best results. You should be able to see your hand through it or the worktop you are rolling on.
  • Rolling does not need much flour. Just a little for the worktop.
  • Half of this homemade pasta dough should be rolled at least into 15×12 inches (40×30 cm).
  • Also it is easier to roll the pasta on the same day of making it. The following day you might need more strength for rolling.

Note that this homemade pasta dough will change color when left in the fridge overnight. By kneading it for a few times, its color changes to pale yellow.

This is an old post that has been updated with new photos and an improved recipe that makes it easier to roll out by hand.

Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (10)

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4.58 from 21 votes

Homemade Pasta Dough

Step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect homemade pasta dough with a ton of tips. No stand mixer needed, just 15 minutes of your time!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Dough

Calories: 373

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the flour onto a clean worktop and make a well in the middle. Fill the hole with egg yolks, egg and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.

  • Start beating the eggs with a fork while slowly incorporating flour into the eggs, a little at a time.

  • Once the eggs and flour are combined together into a messy mixture, start kneading. The dough will be flaky at the beginning but will come together. If you feel, it’s way too hard to work with, add water at this stage. Knead for 10 minutes. A well-kneaded dough should be smooth.

  • Flatten it slightly with your hand and tightly wrap in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out.

  • The rested dough can be then rolled out with a rolling pin.

Notes

  1. The overall time does not include 30 minutes of resting time.
  2. Use medium or large eggs.
  3. If you feel that the dough is very stiff and it’s hard to work with, add more water and keep kneading. It will come together nicely.
  4. You will get about 12 ounces (340 grams) of fresh pasta out of this recipe. This is enough for 3 portions (or 2 large ones).
  5. This dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just note that the longer it sits, the harder it is to roll. It will also lose its yellow color but if you take it out and knead several times, the color will change. It will not be as yellow as on the day of preparation though.
  6. Rolling out the dough will take about 10 minutes. It has to be paper-thin – you have to be able to see your hand or worktop underneath.
  7. For detailed information or if in doubt, I recommend reading the whole post.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy Pasta Dough Recipe, Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe, How to make Pasta Dough

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Pasta Dough

Serving Size

100 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

373

% Daily Value*

Fat

8

g

12

%

Cholesterol

187

mg

62

%

Sodium

29

mg

1

%

Potassium

96

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

48

g

16

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Protein

9

g

18

%

Vitamin A

255

IU

5

%

Calcium

33

mg

3

%

Iron

3.5

mg

19

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tried this recipe?Follow @happyfoodstube and tag #happyfoodstube

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Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

FAQs

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.

What is the best flour for pasta making? ›

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. Your choice depends entirely on which pasta shape you're craving!

What does adding water to pasta dough do? ›

But there are two things any pasta recipe absolutely needs: flour and water. That's because flour and water are how you create gluten, the network of proteins that gives pasta its stretchy texture and bite. The more you work that dough, the more elasticity it will develop.

How to make basic pasta good? ›

The Easy Secrets to Way Better Pasta
  1. Make sure your cooking water is salty like the sea, and almost as plentiful. ...
  2. Check the package's cooking time, but don't put too much faith in it. ...
  3. Reserve a little pasta water. ...
  4. Never, ever rinse. ...
  5. Finish your pasta in its sauce.
Apr 16, 2017

What happens if you add too much egg to pasta dough? ›

You're using too much egg. I use three eggs to two cups of flour and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Your dough is too soft and wet, most likely. It's probably rich though, and yellow, with all of those egg yolks.

What is the ratio of flour to eggs for pasta? ›

Two eggs per one cup of flour. Make well in flour, crack in eggs, and slowly mix with hand. Knead by hand until dough becomes smooth and pliable, adding flour to the board as necessary. Let rest for a little while before rolling it out.

What flour do Italians use for pasta? ›

Semola and semolina flour are mainly used for making pasta, couscous, and some rustic cakes. Semolina has a coarse texture similar to polenta, while semola is flour. You might use semolina to make a breakfast porridge or sweet pudding, or under your pizza dough to keep it from sticking.

How long do you let pasta dough rest? ›

Rest. Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the fridge – this is an extremely important step, so don't skip it!

Is semolina or 00 flour better for pasta? ›

The semolina flour adds a bit more structure to the dough, which is helpful for shapes like garganelli or farfalle where you want the pasta to “stand up.” You could replace the semolina flour with equal parts 00 flour for a more tender and soft dough, which could be good for something like tagliatelle.

Do you use hot or cold water for pasta dough? ›

When you are making a pasta recipe at home, especially using Perfetto's Organic whole durum wheat pasta range. To get the best results we suggest boiling the water, adding few tablespoons of olive oil to the water, and a sprinkle of salt for optimum cooking results.

Why not add salt to pasta dough? ›

In both cases, there's more than enough structure from the high-protein eggs or semolina flour that the resulting pasta is strong and resistant. Adding salt to pasta dough is unnecessary at best, and detrimental to the rolling and shaping at worst.

How to make pasta for idiots? ›

Pasta Cooking for Dummies
  1. #1 Salted water. 10:100:1000. ...
  2. #2 Boiling water. Add the pasta to the water once it's boiling, not before. ...
  3. #3 No oil, never rinse. Please, just no. ...
  4. #4 Test for doneness. The sauce shall always wait for the pasta, never the other way round. ...
  5. #5 Reserve cooking water.
Sep 8, 2020

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.

How many eggs do you need to thicken 1 cup of liquid? ›

Use 2 to 3 egg yolks per cup of liquid sauce you want to thicken. The more egg yolks you use, the thicker the resulting sauce will be.

When a recipe says 1 cup of flour how much is that? ›

A cup of all-purpose flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces or 120 grams. This chart is a quick reference for volume, ounces, and grams equivalencies for common ingredients.

How much egg is in dry pasta? ›

Dried pasta is made with a different kind of dough and without eggs, which, along with flour, are the primary ingredients in fresh pasta.

Why add eggs to flour? ›

Leavening: Eggs contribute to the leavening process by providing steam during baking, which helps the cupcakes to rise. Moisture: Eggs provide moisture to the batter, making the cupcakes tender and soft. Flavor: Eggs add flavor to the cupcakes and help to balance out the sweetness.

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