This easy homemade pasta dough gives you smooth, silky pasta every time using just flour and eggs. After years of testing ratios, kneading techniques and rolling methods, this is the reliable dough I use for all my pasta recipes, from pappardelle to ravioli. With this simple, step-by-step guide, you’ll be making perfect fresh pasta at home with total confidence.
Why this pasta dough recipe works
Foolproof ratios with zero guesswork
Eggs vary so much in size, so I give you the weight of the eggs, it makes this dough completely foolproof and perfectly hydrated every single time.
Flexible method, by hand or in a food processor
Bring the dough together by hand on the bench or pulse it in a food processor if you want a mess-free, quicker start.
Works for multiple pasta shapes
Use this dough for silky pappardelle, tagliatelle, or homemade ravioli.
Years of testing
After countless batches testing flours, hydration levels and kneading techniques, this is the reliable, consistent dough I use for every pasta shape on my site.
I’m so excited to share everything I’ve learned after years of testing, kneading and rolling pasta dough.
Once you understand the basics, this recipe becomes second nature. I’ll walk you through exactly how to bring the dough together and roll it into smooth, silky sheets, whether you use a Marcato, a KitchenAid attachment, or a rolling pin.
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Main ingredients
Flour - I use a combination of two types of flour, '00' flour and semola rimacinata, which is a very finely milled semolina flour. You can use all 00 flour, or substitute all-purpose flour if needed.
Room Temperature Eggs - Eggs vary so much in size, so I always give you a total egg weight rather than a number of eggs. Weighing the eggs makes this dough completely foolproof and ensures perfect hydration every time. Just place a bowl on your scales, crack in the eggs, and stop when you reach the right weight.
Equipment needed
- Scales - For the most accurate results, always weigh both the flour and the eggs. This removes all guesswork and ensures perfect dough hydration every time.
- Pasta Machine - A Marcato or KitchenAid roller makes it easy to get thin, even pasta sheets. Hand-rolling works too, it’s just more effort.
- Wooden Cutting Board - Ideal for kneading and shaping. Wood grips the dough slightly, making rolling much easier than a slippery countertop.
- Plastic Wrap - Fresh pasta dough dries out fast. Keep it tightly wrapped at all times so it stays smooth and easy to roll.
- Sharp Knife or Pasta Wheel - Use a knife, pizza cutter or fluted wheel to trim sheets or cut shapes like pappardelle.
My biggest tip!
Purists might not like this, but my biggest tip for making homemade pasta is to bring the dough together in a food processor! It’s cleaner, quicker, and so much easier.
Simply add your flour and eggs, pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, then take the blade out and use your hands to squeeze everything into a rough ball. Bring it out onto the bench and knead as usual.
The result is exactly the same as doing it by hand, just faster and far less messy. Once you’ve tried it this way, you’ll never look back!
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How to make pasta dough
The full recipe, exact measurements, and video are in the recipe card below. These step-by-step photos are just a visual guide.
You can make this dough by hand, in a mixing bowl, or in a food processor. All methods give the same silky, smooth result. In the photos I’m showing the traditional bench-top method, but choose whichever option works best for you.
- Tip your flour into a mound on the bench and make a well to tip your mixed eggs into.
3. Keep mixing, incorporating the flour until the middle is thick and a scrambled egg consistency.
5. It doesn't matter how you do this and it will be a mess but it comes together I promise!
6. With the scraper or fork use a cutting motion up and down to try and get everything really evenly incorporated.
8. Bring the mixture together with your hands, squeezing it into a rough ball.
9. Squeeze and squeeze until it forms a ball. Again, it will come together, don't stress!
10. Knead for 3 - 4 minutes quite vigorously.
11. When it looks dimpled like this wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes.
After the first rest
- Continue kneading for 3 minutes or so until you have a nice smooth dough.
2. Wrap up tightly again and rest for 30 minutes or up to an hour.
Why the double rest?
The first rest lets the flour fully hydrate, so the dough becomes cohesive and easier to knead.
The second rest relaxes the gluten, giving you a smoother, more elastic dough that rolls out beautifully with far less effort.
How to roll pasta dough
Rolling pasta dough is simple once you know the rhythm. Work with a quarter of the dough at a time (or even ⅙th) and keep the rest tightly wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Smaller pieces are easier to control and help you achieve an even thickness.
- Press the quarter piece down flat with your hand or a rolling pin and dust with a little flour.
2. Roll it through the widest setting.
3. You'll have a long oval, so take the rounded ends and fold them into the middle to create a rectangle.
4. Roll it back through the roller at the widest setting and then the next setting (that is 1 and 2 on a marcato or kitchen aid)
5. Fold the rectangle in half and dust with a little flour.
6. Take it back through the widest setting.
7. Now roll it through each setting 1, 2, 3 and 4.
8. After setting 4 fold the sheet into three.
9. You might need to trim the edges if it gets too wide for the roller.
10. Now take it back to setting 2 and go through them all again stopping at 6 or whatever thickness you like.
11. This is what gets extra smooth perfect sheets, folding and re-rolling is the key!
12. You'll now have a perfect sheet to use however you wish!
You should end up with a smooth, silky sheet of pasta. Remember that there’s no single “right” way to roll pasta, every machine and every pasta maker works a little differently. Start on the widest setting and work your way thinner, and you’ll get there every time. Most of all, enjoy the process. Fresh pasta should be fun to make and even better to eat.
What is semolina flour (and the difference between semolina and semola)
Semolina is a type of flour made from durum wheat, a hard variety of wheat that gives pasta its signature bite and golden color.
The finer version of semolina is called semola rimacinata (or just semola). It’s milled extra fine, which makes it perfect for mixing into homemade pasta dough for a chewy, al dente texture. It's also used to make a Semolina Pasta Dough for hand rolled shapes.
The coarser grind, labelled semolina, is made from the same wheat but used differently, it’s ideal for dusting trays or preventing fresh pasta from sticking.
In short: semola goes into the dough, semolina goes on the tray. Both are fantastic to have on hand when making pasta from scratch.
What can I make with it?
So many things! If you’re new to making pasta at home, start simple by cutting your pasta sheets into wide ribbons for homemade pappardelle. Don't miss my pasta shapes and guides section for so many different shapes to make.
Most pasta machines include cutter attachments for fettuccine or spaghetti, which are great next steps. Just remember that fresh pasta cooks quickly, narrow shapes like these only need about two minutes in boiling water.
Once you’re feeling confident, try moving on to filled pasta. My homemade ravioli guide walks you through every step, and if you’re after something slightly easier, triangoli with a ricotta filling is another beautiful place to start.
Common pasta dough questions
I use a combination of '00' and fine semolina flour. The semolina gives a bit of bite and structure. You could use all '00' or all purpose flour too.
Yes! Traditional Italian pasta uses both egg doughs and flour and water doughs. The latter is usually made with semola rimacinata and is perfect for hand-rolled shapes like orecchiette or gnocchi sardi. For the simplest version, try my hand-rolled pici pasta, just plain flour (or '00') and water!
It depends on the shape and thickness. Thin pasta like pappardelle, fettuccine, or spaghetti needs around 2 minutes in boiling water, while filled pasta such as ravioli or cappelletti take 4–5 minutes. Always taste a piece before draining, fresh pasta cooks quickly!
I don’t recommend freezing the raw dough, it can change texture when thawed. Instead, shape the pasta first and freeze that. Fresh pasta shapes freeze beautifully, just arrange them on a tray to freeze for 20-30 minutes, then transfer to a container or bag. Boil from frozen.
In an ideal world the dough rest period is only 30mins - 1 hour at the most. You could stretch this to 3 if you have to. You could prepare it earlier and refrigerate but it will get more elastic and harder to work with the longer you leave it. It always needs to be room temperature when rolled.
Yes! Put the flour and eggs into the food processor and pulse to combine into an even mixture. Squeeze the mixture together and then knead on a clean work surface as usual. You could also knead the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
Some pasta shapes to try
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
How to Make Easy Homemade Pasta Dough
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Ingredients
- 400 grams '00' flour (please see notes on flour options below)
- 225 grams eggs (see notes on weighing below)
Instructions
- Please read all the information above plus step-by-step photos.
- Tip the flour out onto your bench. Create a well in the centre of the flour mound, I use the bottom of a bowl to do this so it is nice and firm.
- Tip the eggs into the well and start to whisk them with a fork, breaking up the yolks and gradually incorporating the flour from around the sides into the middle.
- Keep doing this until the mixture in the middle is thick enough that it won’t escape or run out – a scrambled egg consistency!
- Go in with a bench scraper and start to fold it all together, cutting the egg mixture into the flour in an up and down motion. You are just trying to get a really evenly incorporated shaggy mixture.
- Bring it all together into a mound with your hands. Knead the mixture for a few minutes until it comes together into a workable ball. It will – don’t fear! If it feels dry you can wet your hands and keep kneading.
- When it comes together and has a slightly dimpled surface wrap it in cling film and rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes knead for a further 3 - 4 minutes until you have a nice smooth dough ball. The double rest is key!
- Wrap tightly and rest for at least 30 mins but I prefer an hour.
- If you don't want to make a mess then mix in a food processor. Pulse the eggs and flour until evenly distributed (coarse breadcrumb texture) then take the blade out, squeeze into a ball and bring out onto the bench to knead as normal
Rolling
- Please check out my rolling guide in images above, it's easier to see in photos.
SuzanP says
I am very new to pasta making and have been trying different recipes and this one SHINES! Easy to follow and simply delish. What I like most about this recipe is that your tips and tricks fit to a tee. I used our mixer rather than hand mixing and it worked like a charm. Thank you!
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so happy you have started your pasta journey!! Thank you so much for a lovely review!
Amy Conley says
So I want to make sheets for lasagna and freeze to have on hand. Do I just freeze with flour in between sheets? Would like to have for future use for Lasagna and or ravioli.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Amy, I would freeze with layers of baking/parchment paper between them 🙂
Meg P says
I am going to try and make pasta for the first time! So excited! Can I dry it and store it for future use and how do I do that?
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Meg, I always freeze the pasta shapes I make, it's the best method. If you start with something like pappardelle you can freeze them in little nests open on a tray then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Cook straight from frozen 🙂
Zoe G. says
This was such a great step-by-step process on how to make your own pasta! My husband and I did this together for a date night and it was such a fun and delicious dinner. We paired it with the creamy sausage pasta sauce recipe, and it was even better than restaurant quality! Thank you!
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks for such a lovely review Zoe! So cool you made this into a date night, love that 🙂
Helen says
Made this last night (felt empowered to use the food processor without judgement!) and it turned out so well. Perfect ratios (I used two eggs and then worked out the ratio for flour to match). Lovely and silky and actually fine to roll by hand. Love love love.
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much Helen!! This is a good reminder to write different ratios up in the recipe to make it easy. Thanks so much for making 🙂
M.D. says
Hello! I haven't tried this recipe yet, but am wondering if it's okay to make the pasta dough the night before you plan to use it? I tend to have very little energy, so breaking up meal-making as much as possible is handy when possible!
Emilie Pullar says
Hi! You definitely can refrigerate it overnight. The longer it is left the more elastic it will become which makes it a little tricky to work with. Definitely give it a try. Let it come to room temp before you try to roll it.
Ellie says
So glad to know to let it come to room temp first. Thanks!
CarolG says
This pasta was delicious - made fettuccini with carbonara sauce. Didn't have a kitchen scale but used 3.5 cups of flour and 4 eggs. Did have to wet my hands twice as I kneaded the dough. Also brushed a little EVOO on outside of the dough ball to help with dryness.
HangryInLove says
Just used this recipe to make pappardelle for a short rib ragu last night and it was the best homemade pasta I’ve yet to make. 10/10! This is my new go-to.
Jaime says
This recipe could not be easier. It behaved exactly as written and the instructions for rolling it out were incredibly helpful. The repetitive rolling between settings 1 and 2 and then the first 4 really help me gain confidence in using the roller (I used a kitchen aid attachment) prior to going to the higher settings. The dough behaved so well I was able to push the scraps through and still get a silky smooth pasta, so there was practically no waste. I filled my ravioli with the white pork ragu from you that I made a few months ago and froze specifically for this purpose. My husband, who is extremely picky said it was delicious and got seconds. I was shocked.
Emilie Pullar says
Thank you for such a lovely comment Jaime!! So glad you had such great success 🙂
Michelle Vance says
Have followed this twice for lasagne and it produces wonderful silky smooth sheets.
Rym Elassal says
This recipe is literally the best! I’m so happy I came across this blog. I love the attention to detail and all the tips. Everything worked like a charm.
Larry says
I am a beginner pasta maker and your recipe and explanations are fabulous and so easy to follow. I am a coffee roaster and pour-over aficionado and as with your pasta, using a scale is the key to perfect coffee every time. Pasta turned out perfect. I am wondering if you have a comparable recipe for whole wheat pasta---perhaps same recipe but just swap out for whole wheat flour?
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Larry!! So glad you found the recipe easy to follow, that makes me so happy! I haven't tried it with wholewheat but I need to get a recipe sorted for that. Let me know if you give it a try yourself 🙂
Candy says
Can this be converted to American measurements?
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Candy, to ensure a perfect dough without any guess work a scale is a must for my recipe 🙂
Nikita says
I’ve never given a review before and I use online recipes almost everyday!
This was my first time ever making pasta and it turned out absolutely perfect the instructions and photos are so clear and made the experience so much fun. Thank you.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Nikita! This makes me SO happy!! So glad you enjoyed it and I am so excited for you to make more pasta!
Megan says
Hands down thé best pasta dough recipe. Supple and silky smooth. My favourite part is all the ingredients are by weight, and thus delivers the same dough consistently, no matter where I make it.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Megan, thanks so much for using the recipe and such a lovely review!! 🙂