Can I refrigerate spinach pasta dough?

While refrigerating spinach pasta dough (before it's been rolled and cut) is perfectly fine, it's not recommended to refrigerate homemade egg pasta (especially filled pasta like ravioli, tortellini , etc.) because the humidity can ruin the pasta and the flavor can change. If you really need to refrigerate homemade egg pasta I recommend doing it for no longer than 24 hours and it's even better if you can use it within 18 hours.

Can I make spinach pasta dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare pasta dough up to 2 days in advance and store it well-wrapped in cling film inserted into an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling. If you'd like to store it longer, you can freeze the dough for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. For storing rolled spinach pasta or pasta shapes, see above including photos for the best ways!

Do I need special equipment to make spinach pasta?

While a pasta machine makes the process easier, you don't absolutely need one. You can roll the dough by hand using a rolling pin on a well-floured surface. For cutting, a sharp knife or pizza cutter works well. That said, if you plan to make pasta regularly, a basic pasta machine is a worthwhile investment.

Which type of spinach is best for pasta dough?

Both fresh and frozen spinach work well in this recipe as long as you blanch them before using (even frozen spinach). Fresh baby spinach has a milder flavor. If using frozen spinach, be sure blanch then thaw and squeeze out ALL excess moisture before incorporating it into your dough just as you would using fresh spinach. This is crucial for achieving the right texture and color.

Why is my spinach pasta dough too dry or crumbly?

If your dough feels dry, it's likely because spinach naturally varies in moisture content. Add spinach blanching water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together. If it's too wet, dust with small amounts of flour until you achieve a smooth, pliable consistency that's not sticky (see troubleshooting photos above) .

How do I get bright green pasta dough?

For vibrant green pasta like in this post, blanch fresh spinach briefly (30 seconds) in boiling water, then immediately plunge into ice water. For frozen spinach, use the same procedure except blanch it for 3 minutes. This sets the color. Squeeze out all excess moisture thoroughly before blending. If using fresh spinach, opt for baby spinach which typically results in a brighter green than mature spinach leaves.

Can I make spinach pasta dough without eggs?

Yes! While eggs provide richness (aka flavor) and help bind the dough, you can make eggless spinach pasta using just flour, spinach, and a small amount of olive oil. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious. You may need to adjust the moisture level by adding some of the green blanching water since eggs won't be providing liquid to the dough.

How long does fresh spinach pasta last?

Fresh pasta cut and shaped pasta can be stored uncooked in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and spinach pasta dough (balls) can be kept for up to 2 days. For longer storage, either dry the pasta completely (12-24 hours at room temperature or longer in humid environments) or freeze it. Frozen fresh pasta will keep for up to 3 months. Dried pasta can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Can I use this dough for any pasta shape?

Absolutely! This versatile dough works well for any pasta shape from long noodles like fettuccine and tagliatelle to filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini. Just adjust the thickness when rolling based on your intended shape - thinner for delicate noodles, slightly thicker for filled pasta. Recommended pasta thickness setting can be found in the Variations section above.

Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough (Using 00 Flour + Video)

Description

This 3-ingredient Spinach Pasta is incredibly easy to make! Use this spinach pasta dough to make delicious sheets of homemade 'lasagna verde' for Bolognese, silky ribbons of green pappardelle pasta, spinach spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettuccine, ravioli, farfalle, mezzaluna, tortellini, or any favorite pasta shape!

Ingredients

Scale

5 ounces frozen or fresh spinach (142g) *see note for making lighter pasta color
14 ounces 00 flour (about 3 1/4 cups) (400g)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten (100g)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Blanch the spinach. Add the frozen spinach to a pot of boiling water and blanch it for about 3 minutes (blanch fresh spinach for 1 minute only). Strain it reserving the liquid being sure to squeeze out all of the excess liquid. Use a blender, immersion blender, or food processor to purée the spinach to a fine paste and set aside. *Alternatively, finely mince the spinach.
Make the dough. Add the flour to a countertop or large bread bowl and make a "well" in the middle. Add the eggs, and spinach to the center and begin agitating the mixture to combine it with the flour being sure to keep everything in the center of the "well". Work in a circular motion incorporating more flour into the center until the mixture is combined and forms a shaggy dough.
Knead the dough. Remove the dough to a work surface and knead it by turning it clockwise a quarter turn and repeating until the dough becomes softer and more pliable, or about 10 to 12 minutes. It should be much smoother and more elastic at this point. *Alternatively, you may knead the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment on medium-low speed (speed #2 on a KitchenAid).
Rest the dough. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep the others covered), flatten into a disc thin enough to feed through the pasta machine's widest setting (0 or 1). Pass the dough through rollers dusting lightly with flour as needed and letter-fold the ends to the middle to form a rectangle. Pass the dough back through the widest setting until the sheet is long and rectangular. Then pass it through each successive setting (1, 2, 3, etc.) until reaching the desired thickness (typically setting 6).
Cut the desired pasta shapes. Cut pasta using machine attachment or hand-cut by rolling and slicing sheets to desired width. Dust cut pasta with semolina flour and either form into bird's nests, hang on a pasta drying rack, or for lasagna, leave sheets whole or trim to size. If cooking immediately, let pasta dry 10-20 minutes before boiling.

Notes

I recommend measuring everything in grams as it is the most precise way to get consistent results. If you don't have a scale, I've given the approximate cups of flour you'll need - just be sure to use the 'scoop and level' method.
I've used frozen spinach that I've blanched from frozen for 3 minutes for this recipe but you can use sautéed or blanched fresh spinach.
If you want a darker spinach pasta, use up to 5 ounces (142g) of fresh or frozen spinach.
For a lighter spinach pasta, use 4 ounces or (115g) of fresh or frozen spinach.
Do not use cold eggs straight out of the refrigerator. Let them warm up to room temperature first. You can speed up this process by covering cold eggs in hot tap water until warmed to the proper temperature.
If the pasta dough seems too dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of reserved spinach water as needed until desired consistency is reached. If pasta looks/feels too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to your hands.
Do not add salt to the dough.
You can store fully dried homemade dried pasta for up to 1 month in an airtight sealed container. You may also freeze fresh pasta (my preferred method as taught to me by my family here in Italy. Try to use it within 1 month).
Cook homemade fresh pasta in plenty of water. I typically cook store-bought pasta in small amounts of water because it truly doesn't need that much water to cook properly. But when I cook pasta fresca or freshly made pasta, I use more water so the fresh noodles have room to cook without sticking together. If you have thoroughly dried homemade pasta first before cooking, you can use less water.
Never wash your pasta machine with water because the water and flour will act like glue and can clog up the rollers.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Category: Pasta
Method: Mix & Knead
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 ounce serving