Three-Cheese Ravioli

By
Jessica Harlan
Jessica Harlan
Freelance food writer, trained chef, and kitchen equipment expert Jessica Harlan has written eight cookbooks on topics such as quinoa and ramen.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/14/21
Homemade 3 Cheese Ravioli

The Spruce

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 3 mins
Total: 28 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
456 Calories
13g Fat
60g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 456
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 172mg 57%
Sodium 1189mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 330mg 25%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 297mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Homemade cheese ravioli is easier to make than you think. With the help of your pasta maker, you can get flat sheets of pasta dough, fill the ravioli pockets with a delicious cheese medley, and have ravioli ready to boil in less than 30 minutes. It's a fun kitchen project and freshly made ravioli is the perfect start to a fantastic dinner.

This cheese ravioli recipe uses a ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese filling for a great combination of creamy texture and flavor. Top the ravioli with your favorite pasta sauce, or even just butter and Parmesan cheese. This recipe also works with spinach pasta. Serve the ravioli with a green salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup ricotta

  • 1 cup grated mozzarella

  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting

  • 1 recipe for homemade pasta dough

Steps to Make It

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this homemade ravioli dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Ravioli

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for ravioli
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  2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk or fork.

    Beat eggs
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  3. Add the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and mix well with a fork. Set aside.

    Add the cheese
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  4. Fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

  5. Meanwhile, lightly dust a work surface or a pastry mat with flour.

    Flour surface
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  6. Fill a small bowl or custard cup with room-temperature water.

  7. Use a bench cutter or a knife to cut the dough into 4 to 6 equally sized portions and cover them loosely with plastic wrap.

    Cut into four pieces
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  8. Take one piece out and roll it into a thin sheet, about 5 to 6 inches wide, according to your pasta maker's instructions.

    Roll dough to thin sheet
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  9. Lay the piece of dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. Place teaspoon-sized dollops of filling about 2 inches apart in the center of the bottom half of the dough.

    Roll dough out
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  10. Use your finger to moisten the area around each dollop of filling, then fold the top half of the dough over the filling to meet the other edge. Press down around each dollop of filling, making sure to press out any air bubbles.

    Put in filling
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  11. With a sharp knife, a pasta cutter, or a small pizza cutter, cut each ravioli apart by making a cut halfway between each portion of filling, as well as trimming the bottom edge of the pasta.

    Cut out ravioli
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  12. Place ravioli on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pasta dough and filling. At this point, the pasta can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for up to a day.

Cook the Ravioli

  1. To cook the pasta, add remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the stockpot of boiling water. Drop the ravioli into the boiling water.

    Boil ravioli
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  2. Cook in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the pasta floats to the surface.

    Cooking ravioli
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  3. Serve with the sauce or topping of your choice and enjoy.

Tip

  • A small cookie scoop is perfect for portioning the filling onto the rolled-out pasta dough.
  • Raw homemade ravioli can be frozen for up to six months. Start by freezing the ravioli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. There's no need to thaw ravioli before cooking; add them to boiling water and cook for about six minutes, or until they float.

How Do You Keep Ravioli From Falling Apart?

It's common for ravioli (both homemade and store-bought) to fall apart in the water, and there are a few ways to prevent it. When making the ravioli, make sure there are no air pockets that can burst open under pressure. Using water and pressing firmly will also ensure the ravioli is tightly sealed. After adding ravioli to the boiling water, reducing the heat a little can help. Also, treat the cooked ravioli gently; use a colander spoon or scoop to lift ravioli out of the water rather than pouring the pot into a strainer to drain.