Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough (Printable Version)

Vibrant homemade pasta dough enriched with fresh spinach for beautiful color and nutritional boost. Perfect for fettuccine and ravioli.

# What You Need:

→ Spinach

01 - 3.5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and stems removed

→ Dough

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1⅓ cups Italian 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
04 - ⅓ cup semolina flour (optional, for texture)
05 - ½ tsp fine sea salt

# How-to Steps:

01 - Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add spinach and blanch for 30 seconds until wilted. Drain, rinse under cold water, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
02 - Finely chop the spinach or blend in a food processor until very smooth.
03 - On a clean work surface, mound the flour (and semolina, if using) and salt. Make a well in the center.
04 - Add eggs and pureed spinach to the well. Using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients.
05 - When a shaggy dough forms, knead by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If sticky, add a little flour; if too dry, sprinkle a few drops of water.
06 - Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
07 - Roll out the dough with a pasta machine or rolling pin to your desired thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
08 - To cook: Boil fresh pasta in salted water for 1–2 minutes until al dente.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough turns a stunning natural green that makes every dish feel special without any artificial color.
  • It freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch and have homemade pasta ready whenever the craving hits.
  • Working with your hands to knead this dough is surprisingly meditative after a long day.
  • Fresh pasta cooks in under two minutes, meaning dinner can be on the table faster than you think.
02 -
  • Squeezing out every last drop of water from the spinach is not optional, I learned this after my first attempt turned into a sticky green mess that required nearly a cup of extra flour to salvage.
  • Resting the dough really does make a difference, without it the dough springs back and fights you every time you try to roll it thin.
  • If the dough feels too stiff after resting, let it sit uncovered for a few minutes to warm up slightly, cold dough from the fridge can crack when rolled.
03 -
  • Always weigh your flour if you can, volume measurements can vary wildly depending on how you scoop, and pasta dough is all about precision.
  • If you don't have a pasta machine, roll the dough as thin as you can with a rolling pin, then fold it into a loose roll and slice it with a sharp knife for rustic, uneven noodles that still taste incredible.
  • Dust your work surface and the dough with semolina instead of regular flour when rolling, it won't get absorbed into the dough and leaves a nice texture on the surface.
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