A creamy flavorful filling with Italian Ricotta cheese and fresh smoked salmon and parsley. These handmade ravioli are definitely worth all the work. Serve them with a lemon cream sauce sprinkled with chives and you'll love them as much as I do. This is maybe the most impressive meal you can serve your guests!
Making stuffed pasta such as Ravioli certainly requires some time. But it will be all worth it!
Each Ricotta and Smoked Salmon Ravioli is made by hand, and all the ingredients are well balanced: the aromatic smoked salmon with the ricotta, the tangy lemon with the cream, and a sprinkle of chives and pink pepper everywhere. The final result is so delicate yet so tasty. It's a show-stopper for any friends or family dinner.
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🧾Ingredients
- Flour: All-purpose flour will work fine to make egg pasta. You can also do 50% all-purpose and 50% semolina flour if you want a more chewy and flavorful pasta.
- Eggs: 1 medium-large egg per person with make a good portion of pasta or about 5-6 ravioli per person.
- Ricotta: Fresh Ricotta cheese is creamy and delicious but has still a mild enough flavor to make the smoked salmon shine.
- Smoked Salmon: Good quality smoked salmon is flavorful and delicious and will make these ravioli a show stopper.
- Lemon: A bit of lemon juice and zest will give some kick to the creamy sauce to complement the salmon ravioli.
- Cream: Heavy cream or half-and-half can be used to make the creamy lemon sauce.
- Seasonings: This recipe has simple seasonings. Salt, black pepper, parsley, and optional a bit of pink peppercorns as topping.
🍳Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Flour: You can try to substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour, but I haven't tested it and cannot guarantee the end result will be as good.
- Fresh or Canned Salmon: Instead of smoked salmon, you can use canned salmon or fresh salmon too. If you use fresh, you should cook it first in a pan with butter or oil and season it lightly.
- Cream Cheese: Instead of fresh Ricotta, you can also use cream cheese. The texture is different but you'll still get a nice creamy filling.
🥣Variations
- Smoked Tuna or Trout: Substitute smoked salmon for smoked tuna, smoked trout, or any other smoked fish you can find.
- Spinach Pasta: If you want to add more veggies to the dish, you can add ¼ cup of cooked spinach to the pasta dough. Blend them in a food processor with the eggs until smooth and add a bit more flour to the dough if needed.
- Spicy: Add some chili pepper flakes in the filling or in the creamy sauce to give it an extra kick.
📋Instructions with Photos:
Check also this post to learn more about making fresh pasta from scratch.
Step 1. Start by making the pasta dough, mixing the eggs with the flour and a pinch of salt. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes, then divide it into 4 parts.
Step 2. Roll out the dough. If you're using a pasta machine, start with the widest thickness and slowly roll it thinner and thinner until it's almost translucent.
Step 3. With a teaspoon or a piping bag, add the filling in the size of a walnut, leaving at least 1 inch in between.
Step 4. Lightly wet around the filling with water, then cover with the other sheet of pasta. Press very well around the filling, and cut the ravioli.
Make sure all the air gets out otherwise, it will create a bubble. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes before boiling, so the water dries and the pasta sheets stick well together.
🔪Equipment
To make fresh pasta you don't need to spend a lot of money on pricey machinery. All you need is a working space (a large cutting board or a table made of wood or marble) and a rolling pin. But if you want to up your ravioli game, then these tools will come in handy!
- Wooden Kneading Board
- Rolling Pin
- Manual Pasta Machine
- Electric Pasta Machine
- KitchenAid Pasta Machine Attachment
- Pasta Wheel Cutter
- Ravioli Shapes Cutters (square, round, heart)
- Pasta Drying Tray
- Sac-a-Poche (Piping Bag)
- Water Spray Bottle
🍴What to serve with Ravioli
Ravioli are a main course on their own, or they can be a fancy appetizer if served in a smaller portion. You don't need to serve anything along with a pasta dish because it should be enjoyed on its own.
But here are some other seafood dishes you can pair with these Ricotta and Smoked Salmon Ravioli.
- Avocado and Smoked Salmon Tartare
- Spinach Salmon Cakes
- Tuna and Lime Tartare
- Oven Baked Crispy Calamari
- Stuffed Calamari in Tomato Sauce
💭Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can definitely make the smoked salmon ravioli in advance. After assembling the ravioli, you can place them on a baking sheet or tray, making sure they don't touch each other, and freeze them for about an hour. Once they are firm, transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer bag. You can keep them in the freezer for up to a month before cooking. This makes it convenient to prepare them ahead of time and cook them whenever you're ready to enjoy.
If you have leftover cooked salmon ravioli, you should store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. Place the cooked ravioli in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When reheating, gently warm them in a pan with a bit of butter or olive oil, or in the microwave.
Yes, you can use fresh or canned salmon as an alternative to smoked salmon in the ravioli filling. Keep in mind that the flavor and texture will be different. If using fresh salmon, it's a good idea to cook or bake it first, then flake it into small pieces before mixing it with the other filling ingredients. Canned salmon should be drained and any bones or skin removed before adding it to the filling mixture.
⭐ Top tip
The delicate filling of smoked salmon and ricotta cheese benefits from a sturdy pasta layer that won't tear easily during cooking. Roll your pasta dough to a thickness that allows you to see your hand through it when held up to the light. This ensures that your ravioli will hold up well during cooking, preserving the integrity of the delicious filling and providing a satisfying bite every time.
You can find step-by-step photos, and tips in the post above.
🫶Related recipes you might like
If you like this recipe, try these other Ravioli recipes:
If you tried this recipe, please take a moment to rate it and share your thoughts in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me! ★★★★★
📖 RECIPE
Ricotta and Smoked Salmon Ravioli
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pasta Dough
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- 2 Eggs
For the Filling
- ¾ cup Ricotta
- 4 oz Smoked Salmon
- Parsley
For the Sauce
- ⅔ cup Heavy Cream
- 1-2 tablespoon Lemon Juice, to taste
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Chives
- Pink Peppercorns, optional
Instructions
For the Pasta Dough
- Have a large table or cutting board cleaned and ready to make the fresh pasta. Keep a clean towel next to you to rest the ravioli.
- In a large wooden board (or a large bowl) put all the flour creating kind of a mountain, make a hole in the center and break the eggs in. Add a pinch of salt and with a fork start mixing the eggs slowly.
- Still mixing with the fork, add the flour to the eggs a little bit at a time until it gets all mixed up together.
- When you've added already most of the flour and it becomes hard to mix with the fork, get your hands dirty! Mix well with your hands until it becomes a uniform dough, add some more flour to the board if necessary and knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Now cover the dough in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. Just enough time to make the filling.
For the Filling
- Finely chop the smoked salmon and mix it with the ricotta in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the finely chopped parsley. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in the fridge.
To make the Ravioli
- Remove the plastic wrap and cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Take one and cover the others again with the plastic wrap.
- With a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll the dough until it gets really thin, almost translucent.
- Proceed with the same process also for the rest of the dough.
- With a teaspoon or a sac-a-poche place the filling in the center, brush with water around the filling and cover with the other pasta sheet. Pinch with your finger starting from one side and slowly all around to also remove the air from inside the ravioli.
- Cut the ravioli, then press again the edges with your fingers to make sure they're well stick together and then set the ravioli aside on the clean cloth to rest. Proceed with the same process for the rest of the pasta.
- Bring to boil a large pot of salted water, then toss the ravioli slowly one by one being careful not to open them.
- Let them cook about 3-4 minutes (the cooking time mostly depends on the thickness of your pasta. Taste one to make sure is al dente).
- Meanwhile in a pan bring to simmer the cream and squeeze in it the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
- When the ravioli are cooked, add them to lemon cream sauce and finally add the chopped chives and parsley. Add some pink peppercorns on top for extra bold flavor.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
We made this recipe on Christmas Day and it came out great! Did everything as written.
Hi, Jessica. The ravioli you made looks so special. It is different from what I usually eat. You mix the cream filling of smoked salmon and ricotta cheese as the ravioli filling. This combination is simply amazing. There are generally two types of wonton fillings I have. One is pork filling and the other is shrimp filling. Both are delicious. Would you like to try it? I can also teach you how to make it, after all you taught me this recipe. In addition, this is my website http://www.oilpressstore.com , which sells oil presses. Can you help me click on my website? My website has just started and needs click-through rate, thank you very much! Of course, if you or your friends have the need to buy an oil press, you can also contact me, and I am very happy to serve you!
Made this the other night.... super delicious recipe! Even my 4 year old LOVED them. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks 🙂
Hi Dani, thank you for your lovely comment! I'm glad you loved them!
Thank you for a great Recipe!
How far in advance could you make the ravioli? I was planning to make this 2 days in advance of eating?
Hi Ellie!
If you make fresh pasta in advance it will oxidate in the fridge. It will still be edible but really unappetizing to see.
I suggest to freeze them, spread out on a plate so they don't stick to each other and toss in boiling water at the moment of cooking.
Thank you so much for your reply! Do I just need to put them in boiling water straight from frozen?
Yes exactly! I hope you'll enjoy them! 🙂
Jessica, it’s really awesome! This will quickly become a favorite in our house!
Thank you so much Olga! 🙂
JESSICA, thanks! Very tasty ravioli turned out. Very cool photos!
Thanks Alyssa! I'm so glad you liked them! 🙂
Yummy!! I have to try this recipe. Pics are beautiful. Great blog, thanks!!!
Thank you so much! 🙂
What a delicious, different ravioli! Your step-by-step instructions make the recipe seem incredible doable. We love homemade pasta, pinning this recipe to make soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Sally! I hope you'll make them soon 🙂
Ricotta and salmon pair so wonderful together. I love this combo. Can’t wait to make this for my family. It’s perfect family dinner if you ask me. My kiddo is such a fan of ravioli.
Yum, all those flavors! I need to try my hand at making my own pasta one day. This recipe is really making me want to do it!
Thank you! I hope you try them. 🙂