Homemade Ravioli Recipes for National Ravioli Day 2025: 3 Cheesy Fillings

Did you know that March 20th is National Ravioli Day? This fun food holiday gives us the perfect excuse to enjoy those tasty little pasta pillows filled with cheese, meat, or veggies. While you could grab a can or frozen package from the store, making ravioli at home is easier than you might think – and the taste is so much better!

In this post, I’ll share how to make basic pasta dough from scratch and three yummy cheese fillings that will make your family think you’ve been taking secret Italian cooking classes. Don’t worry if you’ve never made pasta before. I’ll break it down into simple steps that anyone can follow.

The best part about homemade ravioli is that you can customize the fillings with flavors your family loves. These three cheese options range from super simple to a bit fancy, but they’re all delicious and perfect for celebrating National Ravioli Day in 2025!

Ravioli Filling	Main Ingredients	Difficulty	Cook Time	Best Served With
Classic Ricotta	Ricotta, Parmesan, herbs	Easy	3-4 minutes	Tomato sauce
Three-Cheese	Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan	Medium	3-4 minutes	Brown butter sage sauce
Spinach & Cheese	Ricotta, spinach, nutmeg	Medium	3-4 minutes	Garlic cream sauce

Basic Pasta Dough Recipe

Before we get to the fillings, let’s start with a simple pasta dough that works perfectly for ravioli. Don’t be scared – it only needs a few ingredients!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons water (if needed)

Steps

1. Put the flour on a clean counter and make a well (like a volcano crater) in the middle.
2. Crack the eggs into the well. Add the olive oil and salt.
3. Use a fork to beat the eggs and slowly mix in the flour from the inside edge of the well.
4. When it gets too thick for the fork, use your hands to mix everything together.
5. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and stretchy. This means pushing it with the heel of your hand, folding it over, turning it, and repeating.
6. If the dough feels too dry, add a little water, one tablespoon at a time.
7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This important step lets the gluten relax so the dough will roll out better.

If you have a food processor, you can make this even easier:

1. Put all ingredients except water in the food processor.
2. Pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
3. Run the processor until the dough forms a ball.
4. Knead by hand for just 1-2 minutes to make sure it’s smooth.
5. Wrap and rest as above.

How to Roll and Form Ravioli

You don’t need fancy equipment to make ravioli, but if you have a pasta machine, it will make the job easier. Here’s how to do it both ways:

By Hand:

1. Cut your dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time and keep the rest covered.
2. On a floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin until it’s very thin – you should be able to see your hand through it.
3. Cut the dough into two equal pieces.
4. On one piece, place small spoonfuls of filling about 1½ inches apart.
5. Brush water around each mound of filling.
6. Lay the second piece of dough on top and press around each filling to seal.
7. Cut between the mounds with a knife, pizza cutter, or ravioli stamp.

With a Pasta Machine:

1. Cut your dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time.
2. Flatten a piece of dough and run it through the widest setting on your pasta machine.
3. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter, and run it through again.
4. Keep running the dough through, making the setting thinner each time, until you reach the second-to-last setting.
5. Lay the sheet on a floured surface and add your fillings, seal, and cut as described above.

Classic Ricotta Filling

This simple filling lets the fresh flavor of the cheese shine. It’s a hit with both kids and adults.

Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese (drain if watery)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)

Steps

1. Put the ricotta in a bowl and stir it with a fork to make it smooth.
2. Add all other ingredients and mix well.
3. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
4. Use about 1 tablespoon of filling for each ravioli.

This classic filling pairs perfectly with a simple tomato sauce. For an extra-special touch, add a little grated lemon zest to brighten the flavor!

Three-Cheese Filling

When one cheese isn’t enough, try this richer three-cheese blend. The mozzarella adds a nice stretchy texture when the ravioli are hot.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, drained
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, chives)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg

Steps

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up (this makes it easier to work with).
3. Use as directed in the ravioli forming instructions.

This filling is amazing with a brown butter sage sauce. Just melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan until it turns light brown and smells nutty, then add a few sage leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour this over your cooked ravioli and top with more Parmesan.

Spinach and Cheese Filling

This filling adds some veggies to the mix for extra nutrition and a pretty green color.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed fresh spinach
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, drained
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg (this makes spinach taste amazing!)

Steps

1. Wilt the spinach in a pan with a splash of water (or microwave it for 30 seconds).
2. Let the spinach cool, then squeeze out all the water with your hands.
3. Chop the spinach very finely.
4. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
5. Use as directed in the ravioli forming instructions.

This green-flecked filling goes great with a garlic cream sauce. To make a quick one, sauté a minced garlic clove in 2 tablespoons of butter, add 1 cup of heavy cream, and simmer until slightly thickened.

Cooking Your Homemade Ravioli

Fresh ravioli cook very quickly! Here’s how to do it right:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil (not a hard, rolling boil).
2. Add a generous amount of salt to the water.
3. Carefully lower the ravioli into the water with a slotted spoon.
4. Cook for only 3-4 minutes. They’re done when they float to the top.
5. Remove with a slotted spoon and place directly into your sauce.

Tips for Perfect Ravioli Every Time

Making ravioli gets easier with practice. Here are some tips to help you out:

1. Don’t overfill! Use about 1 tablespoon of filling per ravioli.
2. Make sure to seal the edges well so the filling doesn’t leak out.
3. Let the ravioli dry for about 30 minutes before cooking. This helps them hold together better.
4. If you’re not cooking right away, dust the ravioli with flour, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
5. Cook frozen ravioli without thawing – just add an extra minute to the cooking time.
6. Always test one ravioli first to check if your cooking time is right.
7. Don’t crowd the pot – cook in batches if needed.

Make-Ahead Options

Ravioli-making can take some time, so here are ways to split up the work:

1. Make the dough a day ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before rolling.
2. Make the fillings up to two days ahead and keep them in the fridge.
3. Form the ravioli and freeze them uncooked for up to a month.
4. Cook the ravioli ahead of time, toss with a little oil, refrigerate, and then reheat in simmering water for just 1 minute.

Fun Ravioli Facts for National Ravioli Day

Impress your family with these fun ravioli facts while you enjoy your homemade meal:

• The word “ravioli” comes from the Italian word “riavvolgere,” which means “to wrap.”
• The first mention of ravioli was in the writings of a merchant from Venice in the 14th century.
• In Italy, ravioli are often served as a first course (primi piatti), not as a main dish.
• Different regions of Italy have their own ravioli traditions – some use squid ink in the pasta dough to make it black!
• The world’s largest ravioli was made in Genoa, Italy, and measured nearly 30 feet long!

Making homemade ravioli is a fun project that brings big rewards. The taste of fresh pasta with your own special filling can’t be beat by anything from a can or package. Plus, it’s a great activity to do with kids or friends.

This National Ravioli Day, try your hand at making these cheese-filled pillows of goodness. Your family will be so impressed, and you’ll be surprised at how satisfying it is to create such a special meal from scratch.

Buon appetito and Happy National Ravioli Day 2025!