Homemade Pasta

Learn how to make pasta at home! This 4-ingredient homemade pasta recipe is easy to make, and it yields chewy, delicious noodles every time.

Homemade pasta recipe

This homemade pasta recipe is our new favorite cooking project! Lately, Jack and I have been spending even more time than usual in the kitchen, experimenting with bread, baked goods, and even okonomiyaki. But we keep coming back to homemade pasta. It’s super fun to make together, and it only requires a handful of basic ingredients. Of course, the fact that it’s absolutely delicious doesn’t hurt either. 🙂

My homemade pasta recipe refers to the pasta maker attachment for the KitchenAid Stand Mixer, which is how we roll out our fresh pasta at home. If you don’t have a KitchenAid, don’t worry! You could also roll out this pasta dough according to the instructions on a regular pasta maker. However you make it, I hope you try this recipe. It’s an easy, fun way to spend an hour in the kitchen with someone you love, and at the end, you get to eat a big plate of chewy noodles with a perfect al dente bite.

Flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil

Homemade Pasta Recipe Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients to make delicious fresh pasta at home, and there’s a good chance you have all of them on hand already:

  • All-purpose flour – In the past, I thought you needed 00 flour or semolina flour to make great fresh pasta, but this homemade pasta recipe proved me wrong. 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.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Whisking eggs in mound of flour

How to Make Pasta

Ready to learn how to make pasta? Check out this step-by-step guide first, and then find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!

First, make a nest with the flour on a clean work surface. Add the remaining ingredients to the center and use a fork to gently break up the eggs. Try to keep the flour walls intact as best as you can!

Kneading eggs and flour together

Next, use your hands to gently mix in the flour. Continue working the dough to bring it together into a shaggy ball.

Fresh pasta dough

Then, knead! At the beginning, the dough should feel pretty dry, but stick with it! It might not feel like it’s going to come together, but after 8-10 minutes of kneading, it should become cohesive and smooth:

Homemade pasta recipe dough

If the dough still seems too dry, sprinkle your fingers with water and continue kneading to incorporate it into the dough. If the dough becomes too sticky, dust more flour onto your work surface.

When the dough comes together, shape it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Fresh pasta dough cut into 4 pieces

After the dough rests, slice it into 4 pieces.

Rolling out homemade pasta

Use a rolling pin or your hands to gently flatten one into an oval disk.

How to make pasta with a stand mixer

Then, run it through the widest setting of your pasta maker (level 1 on the KitchenAid attachment). I run the dough through the pasta maker 3 times on this setting before proceeding to the next step. If you don’t have the KitchenAid attachment, roll out the dough according to your pasta maker’s instructions.

Folding ends of dough rectangle to meet in the middle

Next, fold the dough… if you want to. This step is somewhat optional, but it will make your final pasta sheet more rectangular, which will yield more long strands of pasta. Plus, it’s super simple! Just lay the dough flat and fold both short ends in to meet in the center.

Rectangle of fresh pasta dough

Then, fold it in half lengthwise to form a rectangle.

How to make fresh pasta with a stand mixer attachment

Once you’ve folded the dough, roll it out to your desired thickness. On my KitchenAid attachment, I run it through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and one time each on levels 4, 5, and 6.

Repeat these steps with the remaining dough pieces. Each time you finish with a piece of dough, lay one half of it on a lightly floured baking sheet. Sprinkle the dough with flour, and fold the other half on top. Sprinkle the top with flour, too!

Homemade pasta dough on a baking sheet

Finally, cut and cook the pasta. Run the pasta sheets through your desired pasta cutter attachment. Cook the noodles in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute, and enjoy!

Homemade pasta recipe

Homemade Pasta Serving Suggestions

If you’ve never had fresh pasta before, you’re in for a treat! Its chewy, bouncy texture and rich flavor make it so much better than the dried pasta at the store. In fact, these noodles are so good that we usually serve them really simply. They’re fantastic with marinara sauce, pesto, homemade Alfredo sauce, or olive oil and vegan Parmesan or Parmesan cheese.

Of course, they’re delicious in larger pasta dishes, too. Use them instead of dried pasta in any of these recipes:

Find more of my favorite pasta recipes here!

Homemade Pasta

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Homemade Pasta

rate this recipe:
4.97 from 1241 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Serves 3 to 4
This fresh homemade pasta is SO delicious and easy to make! Serve it simply with olive oil and Parmesan cheese, or use it in your favorite pasta recipes.

Equipment

Instructions

  • Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a nest. Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the center and use a fork to gently break up the eggs, keeping the flour walls intact as best as you can. Use your hands to gently bring the flour inward to incorporate. Continue working the dough with your hands to bring it together into a shaggy ball.
  • Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. At the beginning, the dough should feel pretty dry, but stick with it! It might not feel like it’s going to come together, but after 8-10 minutes of kneading, it should become cohesive and smooth. If the dough still seems too dry, sprinkle your fingers with a tiny bit of water to incorporate. If it’s too sticky, dust more flour onto your work surface. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Dust 2 large baking sheets with flour and set aside.
  • Slice the dough into four pieces. Gently flatten one into an oval disk. Run the dough through the Pasta Roller Attachment or a pasta maker three times on level 1 (the widest setting).
  • Set the dough piece onto a countertop or work surface. Fold both short ends in to meet in the center, then fold the dough in half to form a rectangle (see photo above).
  • Run the dough through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and one time each on levels 4, 5, and 6.
  • Lay half of the pasta sheet onto the floured baking sheet and sprinkle with flour before folding the other half on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the second half. Every side should be floured so that your final pasta noodles won't stick together.
  • Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Run the pasta sheets through the Pasta Cutter Attachment (pictured is the fettuccine cutter). Repeat with remaining dough. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Notes

Fresh pasta can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. 

adapted from Serious Eats

642 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Julie
    07.17.2022

    5 stars
    Just made and it was sooo yummy!! My daughter (8) loved to make them and loved to eat them even more!! Was wondering if these would be good in a baked spaghetti? Would you skip boiling them and just let them cook in the pasta sauce? Thanks

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.19.2022

      Hi Julie, oh I’m so glad she enjoyed making (and eating!) the pasta! I actually don’t think it would be great in a baked dish, I think they would clump together too much. Plus, after all of the effort, I like to enjoy them as simple as possible. BUT I haven’t tried, so I could be wrong.

  2. Kerry
    07.16.2022

    Is it necessary to hang the pasta to dry before cooking it?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.17.2022

      Hi Kerry, it’s not necessary, if it’s well floured you can put it into little nests like we did. You just don’t want the individual noodles to stick together.

  3. Elizabeth
    07.16.2022

    Have you ever used a gluten free flower to make this pasta? I’m gluten free and would love to make my own pasta if at all possible!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.17.2022

      Hi Elizabeth, I haven’t, but I imagine it would be quite different and not a 1:1 swap. I’d recommend finding a recipe that was specifically created to be gluten free.

  4. Ben
    07.15.2022

    5 stars
    My 11 year old made this pasta for dinner and it turned out amazing!she had so much fun and it looked like it came out of a 5 star restaurant!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.16.2022

      Aww, I’m so glad she had fun!

  5. K
    07.13.2022

    How long would you say you need to boil this for? I’m assuming it depends on the width?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.16.2022

      Hi K – 1 to 2 minutes, it cooks very quickly.

  6. Anpu
    07.07.2022

    5 stars
    Insanely good! Our 8 year old did almost all of this fully on her own (with my supervision) and loved the process and the magnificent results. Happy family of 4!! Thank you for a great recipe!!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.08.2022

      Oh wow, I’m so glad she had fun making it for the family!

  7. Lily
    07.04.2022

    Do you have to use a pasta cutter or can you cut it yourself?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.07.2022

      Hi Lily, a pasta cutter is best to get it thin and even enough. It’s possible without but would be much more difficult.

  8. Lauren
    06.22.2022

    Okay, so. I’ve made this pasta three times successfully, but the last two times I’ve made it, the dough has been WAY too thick and tough at the end. It won’t go through the roller. What could be the reason? When I made it previously, it was much cooler and less humid outside, so I’m wondering if the increased temp, and especially humidity, might lead to tough dough, but everything else has been the same. Nothing I google has helped.. like from what I read, it’s possibly overworking the dough, or using too much flour. But I think I’ve done it the same way each time, so I don’t think that’s the reason.

    When it’s worked, I’ve LOVED it, but the past few times have been incredibly frustrating and to my knowledge, I can’t salvage the dough at that point. Anyone have any suggestions?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.26.2022

      Hmm, yes, the humidity change could definitely be a factor, but for me that usually makes doughs more sticky, not more tough. Have you changed the brand of flour you’re using? It sounds like you could use add a bit more water as you’re kneading until it’s more pliable.

  9. Sam
    06.21.2022

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! It can take a few tries to nail, but once you get the hang of it, it’s incredible how much better it is than store-bought pasta. Highly recommend!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.22.2022

      I’m so glad your pasta was a success!

  10. kate lyon
    06.19.2022

    5 stars
    Just made pasta for the first time! It turned out wonderfully thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.22.2022

      I’m so glad it worked out well for you!

  11. Kristin Kyle Pack
    06.10.2022

    5 stars
    I found you since we carry your books at my work. I work for Le Creuset, and I have to say that I love this pasta recipe! I have tried several from the multitude of cookbooks we carry. But yours is definitely my favorite. Thanks for all you do…

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.11.2022

      Awww, I’m so glad you’ve loved the pasta and the cookbook! Your comment made my day 🙂

  12. Michelle Murphy
    05.30.2022

    Can you use the Kitchenaid to make the dough or does it have to be hand kneaded?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.31.2022

      It’s very stiff dough so I think this one is easiest to knead by hand.

  13. SK
    05.24.2022

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! Much easier than expected

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.26.2022

      I’m so glad your pasta turned out well!

  14. beth
    05.19.2022

    5 stars
    perfection, great recipe and tips!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.20.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  15. Phil
    05.17.2022

    What speed setting do you recommend for the KitchenAid? Thanks.

    • Simon
      05.18.2022

      For rolling and cutting the pasta I use mine on the slowest setting.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.18.2022

      Hi Phil, the slowest one so you can catch the dough as it comes out.

  16. Lynn
    05.16.2022

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe repeatedly and it’s wonderful.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.18.2022

      I’m so glad you’ve loved it!

  17. Rebecca Oliver
    05.07.2022

    5 stars
    Was great thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.07.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  18. Allister Bosman
    05.06.2022

    Hi if I’ve made the dough already can one store it in an air tight container over night beige making it!? Or do I have to make it straight away?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.07.2022

      Hi Allister, I’m not sure, I haven’t tried – the dough might get too dry in the fridge overnight.

      • Allister Bosman
        05.11.2022

        Hi. I made sure there was enough flour on and the airtight container was sealed correctly and it came out perfect. Thanks.

        • Cyndee J
          06.14.2022

          4 stars
          I sometimes flatten the pasta ahead of time, to desired thickness, then flour each long piece and stack them with parchment paper between them, then I can fold several long pieces and put them in a gallon size freezer bag with air squeezed out. They keep overnight or for a day or two.
          When I’m ready to cook it all I have to do is run it thru the pasta cutter. Saves time:-)

    • Jenna
      05.11.2022

      Yes you can do this!

  19. Megan
    04.28.2022

    How much pasta does this yield? If I am making a recipe that calls for a pound of pasta, will this recipe suffice or will I need to double it? Thanks!

    • sam
      07.24.2022

      5 stars
      I think it depends on how thin you cut them.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.