How to Make Homemade Ravioli for an Unforgettable Italian Dinner

Fresh pasta might seem like a tedious task for the pros at your local Italian restaurant, but it's actually easy and fun to make homemade ravioli in your own kitchen. Whether you make pasta dough by hand or with a food processor (it's an easy shortcut we love using), homemade ravioli is a treat like none other. Best of all, the ravioli filling possibilities are endless. Get started by mixing up our fresh ravioli dough recipe, and then follow our Test Kitchen's easy method for cutting, filling, and crimping ravioli. Once you've got the steps for creating delicious handmade ravioli down, use our recipes and ideas to serve the family an unforgettable meal.

How to Make Ravioli

You just need four basic ingredients and about an hour to make fresh ravioli from scratch. Use our homemade pasta recipe to get started. No special equipment is needed—a rolling pin and a sharp knife or pizza wheel will do the trick. Though if you have a pasta machine ($30, Walmart), this is the time to put it to good use. Find our best tips for making homemade pasta dough here.

Step 1: Roll out the Dough

After you mix your dough, and it rests for 30 minutes, it's time to start rolling. Roll one portion of the dough into a square. If necessary, trim the sheet into a square with a small sharp knife.

Step 2: Cut Pasta Dough into Strips

Cut your rolled-out pasta dough into 2-inch-wide strips using a pastry wheel for ruffled edges. A sharp knife works just as well.

Step 3: Add Ravioli Filling

Fill the ravioli by dropping the filling at 1-inch intervals along one of the strips.

Step 4: Cover and Seal Ravioli

Cover the ravioli filling with another strip of dough. Press down firmly on the top strip of dough to seal the edges around the filling.

Step 5: Cut Ravioli into Shapes

Cut each ravioli from the strip using the pastry wheel ($8, Bed Bath & Beyond), ravioli stamp ($16, Walmart) or sharp knife. At this point, you can store your fresh ravioli in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 8 months. Of course, you can also enjoy these beauties now—just move on to the next step.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you're interested in making ravioli in bulk, you might want to invest in a ravioli press ($33, Williams Sonoma) to streamline this process.

Step 6: Boil and Serve Homemade Ravioli

To cook your DIY ravioli, boil in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Serve with your favorite sauces and enjoy.

How to Make Ravioli Out of Wontons

For a quick and easy ravioli, stuff purchased wonton or dumpling wrappers with your favorite ravioli fillings. Here's how:

1. Thaw wrappers overnight in the refrigerator if they are frozen.
2. Lay wrapper on floured work surface. Cut wrapper into squares.
3. Moisten the quarters with beaten egg. Mound about ½ teaspoon of desired filling in each of two quarters.
4. Place another wrapper on top of the first and press down, working from the center out to the edge to force out air. Seal edges well by pinching or crimping with a fork. Repeat with second filled quarter.
5. Boil ravioli in salted boiling water, following timings for handmade ravioli.

How to Make Fried Ravioli

If you haven't been introduced to fried ravioli (or toasted ravioli, if you're from its original home in St. Louis), you're in for a treat. All you have to do is coat homemade ravioli in a breading of panko and cheese before frying to golden-brown perfection. Serve the crispy squares with marinara sauce and you've got yourself a delicious appetizer.

Since you'll be making homemade ravioli all the time now, we've got you covered with some delicious mix-and-match ravioli fillings and sauces to keep your menu exciting. Enjoy a sausage ravioli with fresh marinara. Toss some butternut squash ravioli with olive oil for an easy fall meal. No matter how you choose to fill your handmade ravioli, it's going to taste even more delicious knowing you made it from scratch.