Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough (Printable)

Vibrant homemade pasta dough enriched with fresh spinach. Beautiful color with nutritional boost for fettuccine, ravioli, or any pasta shape.

# What You'll 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 Make It:

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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough is surprisingly forgiving once you master the moisture balance, and it freezes beautifully for lazy weeknight dinners.
  • That bright green color makes even the simplest butter sauce feel like a special occasion.
  • You can taste the difference between this and store bought pasta in the first bite, its softer and somehow richer.
  • Kids actually get excited about eating spinach when its hidden inside beautiful emerald ribbons.
02 -
  • If your dough feels wet and sticky after kneading, dust it lightly with flour, but add it gradually because too much will make the pasta tough and chewy.
  • Resting the dough is not optional, I tried skipping it once to save time and spent twice as long fighting with dough that kept springing back with every roll.
  • Fresh pasta dough should feel like soft playdough, smooth and pliable but not tacky to the touch.
03 -
  • Invest in a clean kitchen towel just for squeezing spinach and other greens, because once you've used it for this, it'll be your go to trick for getting vegetables truly dry.
  • If you don't have a pasta machine, roll the dough as thin as you can with a pin, then fold it into a loose roll and slice it with a sharp knife for rustic, uneven noodles that look charmingly homemade.
  • Always salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea, under seasoned pasta will make even the best sauce taste flat.
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