An easy guide on how to store ravioli. Making fresh ravioli at home is time consuming work and you don't want any of it going to waste because of bad storing. This guide on how to store ravioli will help you keep all your pasta fresh and delicious.
How to store ravioli
Hello! This is a guide I wish I had read when I first started making my own fresh ravioli at home. In my recipes I often suggest making filled pastas days (or weeks!) before serving.
Often you are making ravioli for friends and family and it's a big process so I like to already have it done before the day so you aren't tired and stressed! That means finding the best ways to store it so it tastes as fresh and amazing as it would boiling it fresh. I have to credit Tina from Tina's Table for introducing me to the main technique I'll be sharing.
How to store ravioli in the freezer
Storing ravioli in the freezer is what I have done from day one. You can cook it straight from frozen and it will keep for around three months. There are two ways you can do this. Firstly you can flash freeze the ravioli on a baking tray open in the freezer until frozen.
This usually takes about 20 minutes then you can transfer the ravioli into a freezer bag or container. The second and most preferred way that I will be detailing is to blanch them first, air drying then freezing.
How to freeze fresh ravioli
I am going to outline the whole process, it's SUPER simple I promise!
- Make your ravioli as normal using my homemade pasta dough recipe, any shape works with this method.
- Get a pot of well salted water on to boil and cook the ravioli for one minute. Usually this is about the time it will float to the top.
- Drain or lift them out with a spider strainer and place on a cookie/baking cooling rack. Make sure none of them are touching each other.
- Air dry! They need to be completely dry so leave them on the rack, uncovered until dry to the touch.
- You can rotate them and flip them over every once and a while to make sure the bottoms are drying too.
- The time it takes will entirely depend on your environment, mine usually take around 45 minutes.
- You'll notice they feel rubbery and look like the kind of texture store bought ravioli are. That's what you want!
- Transfer them to a lined baking tray dusted with a little course semolina. Place in the freezer, open on a tray for 15 - 20 mins. This just makes sure they won't stick in the end container.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or container and leave in the freezer!
- For extra protection put them in a bag then in a container. Helps prevent freezer burn, but hopefully they are only going to be in there for a few days!
- Boil straight from frozen for 4 - 5 mins.
Why does my ravioli crack in the freezer?
Ravioli cracking in the freezer was my number one kitchen nightmare before I started blanching them first. Your ravioli will no doubt have a percentage of liquid in it, be that from a meat ragu or a ricotta. What happens to liquid in the freezer? It expands!
The filling gets bigger and bursts the pasta creating hair line cracks that can lead to bigger cracks and explosions when cooking. Blanching them first solves this problem completely. No more cracks!!
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Can I store fresh ravioli in the fridge?
Short answer? I'd rather not! Filled pasta can get really sticky in the fridge, I haven't had much success with it and would rather the security of freezing. Even if I am cooking the ravioli the night I am making it I will still do the blanching and freezing process.
If you REALLY have to then make sure the tray they are on is lined with baking paper and dusted with a VERY thick layer of course semolina. I also find plastic wrap gets a lot of condensation in the fridge, adding to the stickiness so storing them in a pizza box is a great way to keep them dry. A little extra time taken to freezing really is going to pay off in the long run.
How do I store left over ravioli?
You have left overs?! I'm shocked! Hopefully your dinner guests have fought over the last pieces and there will be nothing left to worry about. Truth be told I hate left over pasta. The sauce has usually dried up and I find the pasta really thick and chewy when reheated. If you must, allow it to cool completely then store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 - 3 days.
Making fresh ravioli at home
I have a few recipes for filled pastas that you should try! For a really easy beginner shape try my triangoli with a simple ricotta filling. The ricotta filling is the perfect quick and easy filling for any filled pasta. For a more intricate shape try my spinach and ricotta agnolotti in a sage butter or my roast pumpkin agnolotti.
Making any filled pasta takes a lot of time so I often go for a simple butter sauce which lets the pasta shine. Make sure you check out my guide to the best butter sauce for pasta.
A tip for the best ravioli filling is to save a little container of any meat sauce you make. Throw some into an airtight container and freeze so you have a delicious ravioli filling on hand. You could make my best bolognese or white pork ragu for this reason!
How to store other pasta shapes
I generally freeze everything! For anything other than filled shapes I just freeze in a single layer open in the freezer. Have your pasta on a lined baking tray, dusted with semolina. The pasta shapes should be in a nice even layer with little to no touching.
Pop the tray into the freezer with no covering and when frozen (usually 20 mins or so) transfer to a bag or container. I don't find the blanching technique is necessary for other shapes like orecchiette, gnocchi sardi or even long shapes like pappardelle.
Used this guide and loved it?
I would love it so much if you could leave a review down below! Also please tag me or send me a photo on instagram it seriously makes me day seeing your creations! Feel free to get in touch any time to ask me questions, I love chatting pasta with you!
Recipe
How to store ravioli
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Ingredients
- 1 x batch of ravioli or any other filled pasta
Instructions
- Make your ravioli as normal using my homemade pasta dough recipe, any shape works with this method.
- Get a pot of well salted water on to boil and cook the ravioli for one minute. Usually this is about the time it will float to the top.
- Drain or lift them out with a spider strainer and place on a cookie/baking cooling rack. Make sure none of them are touching each other.
- Air dry! They need to be completely dry so leave them on the rack, uncovered until dry to the touch.
- You can rotate them and flip them over every once and a while to make sure the bottoms are drying too.
- The time it takes will entirely depend on your environment, mine usually take around 45 minutes.
- You'll notice they feel rubbery and look like the kind of texture store bough ravioli are. That's what you want!
- Transfer them to a lined baking tray dusted with a little course semolina. Place in the freezer, open on a tray for 15 - 20 mins. This just makes sure they won't stick in the end container.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or container and leave in the freezer!
- For extra protection put them in a bag then in a container. Helps prevent freezer burn, but hopefully they are only going to be in there for a few days!
Notes
- Make sure you read all the notes above as there's lots of photos to show you the process.
Mishizzy says
does the flour on the baking sheet need to be coarse semolina, or would AP flour work?
Emilie Pullar says
It really does need to be coarse semolina as it's the best for the stick factor. Regular flour is better than nothing but it will more likely absorb rather than help the sticking 🙂
Bruna says
I've always been hestitant to try making homemade filled pasta but saw your method to freeze them and decided to give it a try. Your instructions are easy to follow and give perfect results. Thanks for sharing this secret!
Irini Amerikanou says
Decided to have friends over and make ravioli, but I was scared to make them last minute and possibly end up with nothing! Decided to try and freeze them, equally worried of failing (haha). Was pretty amazed at the fact that they did not leak at all, neither while blanching nor while actually cooking them! (And I consider myself far from an expert).
Had a success rate of 49/50 raviolis (and probably the 1 that leaked was my fault) So I can confidently say this method works!
Pretty easy and straightforward even for beginners!
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Irini, 49/50 is great going! Also well done for making 50 ravioli that is so much work!! 🙂
Sue says
Forgive me…I loved making my mushroom ravioli; honestly almost too cute to eat. I’m 69yo and just got back to making homemade pasta, sourced Semola and 00 flours. It’s such a satisfying process once you get it down. I don’t have broadband and I’m not on social media or I’d send a pic of my little babies. 100g mixed flours, 1lge egg works a treat. Thank you so so much for advice about blanching pre-freezing. They look amazing as they’re drying.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Sue, so glad you enjoyed the guide! I am so happy that you are getting back into pasta making! 🙂
Sherry @threechicas @floureggwater says
I never had any success freezing stuffed pasta until I tried your method. Your method is now my method.
Emilie Pullar says
It's the best right?! No more cracks!
RICH says
Thanks for the article help me alot.
Emilie Pullar says
No probs! 🙂
Evie says
This guide was such a revelation! The luxury of having fresh handmade pasta from the freezer in just a couple of minutes was actually such a thrill and they tasted just as good as they had fresh. Now I know how well this works I feel like I'm going to be unstoppable in my pasta making! hehe