Spinach Ricotta Ravioli (Printable)

Delicate pasta parcels filled with creamy ricotta and fresh spinach, served in vibrant marinara sauce. An Italian comfort classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Filling

04 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
06 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg yolk
08 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves
16 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Mound flour on clean work surface and create well in center. Add eggs and salt, gradually mixing with fork while pulling flour inward until dough forms. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
02 - Steam or sauté spinach until wilted. Drain thoroughly and squeeze out excess moisture, then finely chop. Combine ricotta, chopped spinach, Parmesan, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in bowl until well combined.
03 - Divide rested dough in half. Roll out each half into thin sheets approximately 1/16 inch thick using pasta machine or rolling pin.
04 - Place 1 teaspoon filling portions spaced 2 inches apart on one pasta sheet. Brush edges with water, place second sheet on top, and press around filling to seal. Cut into squares using knife or ravioli cutter. Press edges with fork to ensure proper seal.
05 - Bring large pot of salted water to gentle boil. Cook ravioli in batches for 3-4 minutes until they float to surface. Remove with slotted spoon.
06 - Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add marinara sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes.
07 - Spoon sauce onto plates. Top with hot ravioli, additional sauce, fresh basil, and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pasta dough is surprisingly forgiving, even if you've never made it before, and the tactile joy of kneading it is better than any stress ball.
  • The creamy ricotta and earthy spinach filling tastes like comfort wrapped in silk, especially when you add just a hint of nutmeg that makes people ask what the secret is.
  • You can make a big batch, freeze half, and have homemade ravioli ready to impress on a random Tuesday without the effort.
  • It's vegetarian but hearty enough that even the most devoted meat eaters at my table have gone back for seconds without a single complaint.
02 -
  • If your ravioli edges aren't sealed properly, they will burst open in the boiling water and release all that beautiful filling, so take an extra second to press them firmly and check for gaps.
  • Don't skip squeezing the spinach dry, I learned this the hard way when my first batch of filling turned into a watery mess that slid right out of the pasta.
  • Use a gentle boil, not a vigorous one, because ravioli are delicate and too much turbulence will knock them apart before they even finish cooking.
  • Let the pasta dough rest, it seems like an unnecessary step but it makes rolling so much easier and the texture of the cooked pasta noticeably better.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of water nearby while shaping ravioli so you can easily brush the edges without stopping to wash your floury hands every two seconds.
  • If your dough feels too dry and crumbly while kneading, wet your hands slightly and keep working it, the moisture will absorb and save the dough without making it sticky.
  • Taste your filling before you start assembling, it's the only chance you get to adjust the seasoning, and under-seasoned filling will make even perfect pasta taste flat.
  • Use a pasta machine if you have one, it makes rolling consistent thin sheets so much easier, but a rolling pin and determination work just fine if you don't.
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