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Recipe

Bold Pasta Dough Recipe

A silky, egg-rich pasta dough with a touch of cream for extra tenderness and that dreamy bite. Easy to roll, forgiving to work with, and built for saucy weeknight noodles or a full-on ravioli moment.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
Freshly rolled pasta dough sheets dusted with flour on a wooden counter with a small bowl of cream and eggs nearby
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Some pasta doughs are tough love. This one is more like a friend who shows up with snacks and tells you your hair looks great. It is egg-forward, a little rich, and surprisingly low drama, thanks to one not-so-secret ingredient: a splash of cream.

Before the purists come for me, hear me out. The cream does not make the dough “cakey” or weird. It makes it supple, easier to roll, and just tender enough that you get that creamy, dreamy chew without fighting your rolling pin. If you’ve ever made homemade pasta and thought, “Why is this dough acting like it pays rent,” this recipe is for you.

Use it for fettuccine, tagliatelle, pappardelle, lasagna sheets, or stuffed pasta. It is also a great starter dough if you are new to homemade pasta because it is forgiving and easy to hydrate.

A close-up photo of a pasta dough ball resting under an inverted mixing bowl on a floured countertop

Why It Works

  • More tender pasta: Cream adds fat and moisture, which softens the dough’s texture without making it fragile.
  • Easier rolling: The dough hydrates faster and becomes smooth sooner, especially helpful if you are rolling by hand.
  • Built-in flavor: Eggs bring richness, cream rounds it out, and a little olive oil keeps the bite silky.
  • Flexible hydration: This dough handles small adjustments well, because flour and humidity are never consistent.

What you get: A smooth, elastic dough that rolls thin without tearing, cooks up tender with a silky chew, and tastes like you did something impressive even if you were just listening to a podcast and winging it.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store It

Dough (wrapped, before rolling)

  • Fridge: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 48 hours. Let it sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before rolling so it relaxes.
  • Freezer: Wrap the dough ball, then put it in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rest on the counter 20 to 30 minutes.

Fresh cut noodles

  • Short hold: Dust generously with semolina or flour, portion into loose nests, and refrigerate uncovered 15 minutes to dry slightly. Then cover and use within 24 hours, though same-day is best for the least sticking and best texture.
  • Freeze (best option): Freeze nests on a sheet pan until firm, then bag them. Cook from frozen, adding 30 to 90 seconds.

Lasagna sheets

  • Fridge: Layer with parchment, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
  • Freeze: Layer with parchment and freeze flat.

Matt’s tip: If your noodles clump in storage, you did not use enough flour or semolina. Be generous. This is not the moment to be delicate.

Common Questions

Common Questions

Is the cream required?

No. It is the “creamy & dreamy” part, but you can swap it for water. Start with 1 tablespoon water, then add more 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together. You will likely land around 1 to 2 tablespoons total, depending on your eggs and flour.

What flour should I use?

For accessible, reliable results, use all-purpose flour. For a slightly silkier bite, swap up to 1/3 of the flour for 00 flour if you have it. Semolina is great for dusting, not required in the dough.

Why does my dough feel dry and crumbly?

Most often it needs more time, not more liquid. Keep kneading for a minute or two. Dry pasta dough can look like a pile of “this will never work” crumbs right before it turns smooth. If it still will not come together, add 1 teaspoon cream or water, knead, then reassess. Humidity and egg size can swing this a lot.

Why is my dough sticky?

Dust your hands and counter, then knead in 1 tablespoon flour at a time until it is tacky but manageable. Sticky dough is usually from lightly measured flour, larger eggs, or too much liquid added too fast. If you are not using a scale, make sure you spoon and level your flour.

Do I need a pasta machine?

No, but it helps. You can roll by hand with a rolling pin. Aim for a thin sheet you can almost see your hand through, especially for stuffed pasta.

How long do I cook fresh pasta?

Usually 2 to 4 minutes in well-salted boiling water, depending on thickness. Start tasting at 2 minutes. Fresh pasta goes from perfect to overdone quickly, so stay close.

Can I make this egg-free?

This specific dough is built around eggs. For egg-free pasta, you will want a semolina and water dough, which behaves differently and rolls differently.

I started making pasta because I wanted restaurant texture at home without turning my kitchen into a full-time job. The first few tries were fine, but the dough always felt like it wanted to fight me. One night I added a little cream because I had some left from a sauce and I figured, worst case, I order pizza.

Instead, the dough rolled out smooth, cut clean, and cooked up tender with that satisfying bite that makes you stop mid-chew and go, “Okay, wow.” Now it is my go-to when I want homemade pasta that feels special but still fits inside a normal weeknight.