Homemade Pasta Recipe: It’s Easier Than You Think!

There’s something almost magical about making pasta from scratch. Maybe it’s the feel of the dough in your hands, or maybe it’s that moment when those fresh, golden strands start coming out of the pasta cutter—it just never gets old.

Lately, we’ve found ourselves back in the kitchen more than usual. Sure, we’ve played around with sourdough, baked more than our fair share of cookies, and even tried our hand at Japanese okonomiyaki. But the thing we keep coming back to? Homemade pasta. Every time. It’s simple, hands-on, and honestly, just a whole lot of fun.

This is our go-to recipe. It’s the one we reach for when we want to cook something together that feels a little special but not too complicated. It’s only four ingredients, but it tastes like something out of a cozy Italian trattoria.

What You’ll Need to Make Homemade Pasta

Here’s the best part: you probably already have everything you need. No fancy flour. No exotic ingredients. Just good old kitchen basics.

• All-purpose flour – That’s right, plain all-purpose flour. We’ve tried 00 and semolina, but regular flour gives the dough that perfect bite—chewy, firm, and smooth.
• Eggs – Richness, moisture, and structure. Can’t skip these.
• Olive oil – A little goes a long way in bringing the dough together.
• Salt – It brings out the flavor, both in the dough and in the boiling water later on.

Simple, right?

Step-by-Step: How We Make Pasta?

So here’s how we do it, step by step. We usually make it using our KitchenAid pasta attachment, but if you’ve got a manual pasta roller or even just a rolling pin, you can still follow along.

1. Make a flour nest
Start by pouring your flour right onto a clean countertop or wooden board. Use your hands to shape it into a little mound, then use your fingers or a spoon to create a well in the middle. This is where the eggs, olive oil, and salt go.

2. Break the eggs and mix
Crack the eggs into the well and drizzle in your olive oil. Then, use a fork to gently beat the eggs and pull in the surrounding flour bit by bit. Keep the walls intact as long as you can—things get messy fast if they break too early.

3. Bring the dough together
Once the mixture starts getting thick and messy, ditch the fork and use your hands. You’ll end up with a shaggy, rough ball of dough. That’s totally fine. Now comes the kneading.

4. Knead it out
Set a timer for 8 to 10 minutes and get to work. Push with the heel of your hand, fold, and repeat. The dough might seem too dry at first, but give it time—it will smooth out. If it’s really not coming together, wet your fingers and knead a few drops of water in. Too sticky? Just dust a little flour on the surface.

5. Let it rest
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Don’t skip this part—it gives the gluten time to relax and makes the dough way easier to roll out.

6. Divide and flatten
Unwrap the dough and slice it into 4 pieces. Take one, flatten it gently with your hand or a rolling pin, and get ready to roll.

7. Start rolling
If you’ve got a pasta roller, set it to the widest setting and roll your dough through. We run ours through three times on setting 1 before moving on. You want the dough to look smooth and even.

8. Optional fold
This next step isn’t required, but it helps make a more uniform sheet. Lay the dough out, fold the short ends to the middle, then fold it in half again like a letter. Flatten it gently and run it through the roller again.

9. Roll to desired thinness
Keep rolling the dough, gradually moving to thinner settings. For us, it’s three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and then once each through levels 4, 5, and 6. You’re aiming for sheets that are thin but still sturdy enough to hold together.

10. Rest the sheets
Lightly flour a baking sheet and lay the finished dough on it, folded gently. Sprinkle a bit of flour between the folds so nothing sticks.

11. Cut and cook
Now comes the fun part—cutting the pasta! Use your pasta cutter or a knife to slice your sheets into noodles. Cook them in a big pot of salted boiling water for just 1 minute. That’s all it takes. They’re fresh, after all.

How We Like to Serve It

Honestly, when pasta’s this fresh, you don’t need to overdo it. Our favorite way to eat it is super simple: a bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, and maybe some Parmesan. But you can also toss it with a quick marinara, homemade pesto, or rich Alfredo if you’re feeling indulgent.

Oh, and don’t forget to reserve a bit of pasta water before draining—it’s liquid gold for making sauces stick.

Why We Keep Making This

This pasta recipe has become our favorite kitchen ritual. It’s not fast food. It takes time. But that’s kind of the point. You get to slow down, get your hands dirty, and spend an hour just… making something together.

In the end, it’s more than just dinner. It’s something you crafted from scratch, side by side. And when you sit down to eat it? It tastes better than anything from a box. Every single time.

So go ahead—give it a shot. You don’t need a fancy setup. Just a little flour, some eggs, and someone to share it with.