Making fresh homemade ravioli is one of the most rewarding things you can make. These delicious Mushroom Ravioli with a filling of Ricotta and Wild Mushrooms served with a creamy Parmesan sauce, will surely be a hit on your table. They're perfect for a weekend dinner or even a holiday feast with your family or friends.
Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. They're so versatile and so delicious. You can turn them into appetizers, main courses, or side dishes. They pair well with so many ingredients like fresh herbs, cheese, potatoes, and many more. The options are endless.
But, of course, one of my favorite ways to eat mushrooms is with Pasta. From a quick 20-minute Creamy Mushroom Pasta to an elegant Wild Mushroom Pappardelle, Cheesy Mushroom Stuffed Shells, or a more elaborate and sophisticated Ravioli. Mushrooms are always a favorite on my table.
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What are Ravioli?
Ravioli are a common shape of stuffed pasta, usually square but also commonly made round or as mezzelune (half-moon). Every region in Italy has its own traditional Ravioli which may differ in the filling and/or the shape.
To make any kind of Ravioli you need to start by making fresh egg pasta and then roll it into thin sheets. You can then prepare the filling which can be in endless variations, from fish to vegetables to meat and cheese. The important thing is that the filling shouldn't be too wet, otherwise the pasta might easily break. The perfect filling should have a patè consistency.
When the ravioli are assembled, you can cut the ravioli shape with a wheel cutter, a ravioli cutter, or even with cookie cutters. If you don't have any of these, you can also use a glass or a knife.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Eggs. Eggs are essential to make fresh pasta for the Ravioli. Unfortunately, there isn't any substitution that I know would work for this dough.
- All-Purpose Flour. Different flours give different doughs, not only in flavor but texture too. I tried making pasta with different flours but the dough becomes very difficult to handle and remains quite dry. I recommend only using the standard all-purpose flour.
- Mushrooms. You can use whichever mushrooms you like or have available, but I suggest a good mix of wild mushrooms. The mix can contain Cremini, Oyster, King Oyster Mushrooms, Shiitake, Nameko, or Enoki.
- Ricotta. Ricotta is the creamy binder for the filling. You can substitute it with cream cheese, goat cheese, or other similar creamy cheeses. Ricotta has a mild slightly salted flavor so if you substitute it make sure to taste the filling and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Herbs. Herbs give mushrooms a depth of flavor. I used fresh thyme and oregano, but you can also use dried herbs.
- White Wine. Wine also gives mushrooms a nice round aroma, but you can skip it if you want.
- Parmigiano cheese. Parmigiano or Parmesan makes everything better, from the filling to the sauce. A perfect cheesy addition.
- Cream. I used heavy cream to make the garlic parmesan sauce for the ravioli.
- Garlic. Who doesn't love garlic? I used it for both the filling and the sauce. You can also use garlic powder but the flavor will be slightly different.
How to make the ravioli dough
We can divide fresh pasta into 2 main categories, egg pasta, and semolina pasta. Semolina pasta is used for small shapes like Trofie, Orecchiette, Cavatelli, and so on. While egg pasta is used to make stretched shapes like Lasagne, Maltagliati, Garganelli, and, of course, Ravioli.
To make fresh pasta you only need 3 main ingredients: eggs, flour, and patience. The latter being the most important. It takes some time to make handmade pasta but I always use the time as a mindfulness exercise and enjoy the relaxing moments of rolling, stretching, filling, and cutting.
You first start by making the pasta dough and kneading for 5-10 minutes. Then the dough needs to rest for 10-15 minutes for the gluten to develop. You can then roll and stretch the pasta dough with a rolling pin or a pasta machine until you have a thin sheet.
With a teaspoon or a piping bag, add small balls of filling to the pasta sheet, keeping them well distanced (measure with the cutter you're going to use). Cover with another layer of pasta and then press your fingers around the filling to remove as much air as possible. Now you can cut the ravioli in your preferred shape.
If you want to learn more about homemade fresh pasta, check this guide on How to Make Pasta without a Pasta Machine.
How to make the mushroom filling
To make the best homemade mushroom ravioli, you need to make the best mushroom filling.
You can use any type of mushrooms you like or have available in the season. The most common are the Cremini mushrooms (Baby Bella). They are available all year round and have a subtle yet delicious flavor. But when I make these Ravioli, I prefer to use a Wild Mushroom mix, which may vary depending on the season. Usually, the mix contains Cremini, Oyster, King Oyster Mushrooms, Shiitake, Nameko, or Enoki.
Sautè the mushrooms with garlic, then when they start to brown add some white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. The wine enhances the flavor of mushrooms very nicely. Add some fresh thyme and oregano to give more flavor. Turn down the heat and let the mushrooms cook for about 10-15 minutes until they release all the water and it's then evaporated.
Taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Now that you have your super flavorful sautèed mushrooms, you can chop them finely or blend them, then mix them with the fresh Ricotta and Parmigiano cheese to make your perfect Ravioli filling.
Equipment
In general, you don't need many tools to make fresh pasta. As long as you have a large wooden board and a rolling pin, you can make any pasta shape. But the below tools could certainly make the process much easier and faster.
- Wooden Board. This is an essential tool to make pasta, kneading the dough by hand, and making shapes. Wood is the perfect material to make pasta, that's why it's been used for centuries.
- Pasta Machine. You can find a basic pasta machine quite cheap and it's super useful to stretch the pasta to an even and thin sheet, perfect to make Ravioli.
- Ravioli Cutters. Ravioli cutters make it much easier to cut nice and even Ravioli, just as perfect as from a restaurant.
- Piping Bag. I often use a teaspoon to add my Ravioli filling, but if you want to make perfect and professional Ravioli, a piping bag is certainly useful and super easy to use.
Storage
You can store leftover cooked ravioli in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftover uncooked ravioli, instead, you can freeze them to have them ready just as fresh.
To freeze raw Ravioli, you should place them on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper, keep them separated so they don't stick to each other. After a few hours hours, just can move the frozen ravioli to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
To cook frozen ravioli, you can toss it directly in a pot of salted boiling water without thawing first. Cook for 2-3 minutes more than the usual cook time and the result will be perfectly cooked pasta, just like freshly made!
FAQ & Tips
The main focus on a Ravioli dish should always be on the filling. So the sauce needs to complement the filling flavors or accompany it without overpowering it. The classic sauce for any type of Ravioli is Butter and Sage. Another classic is to make a creamy Parmesan sauce, as in this recipe.
Yes! Just like any other pasta shape, you can easily freeze Ravioli as long as they're not cooked yet. To freeze raw Ravioli, you should place them on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper, keep them separated so they don't stick to each other. After 8-12 hours, just can move the frozen ravioli to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
If you have leftover pasta in your freezer you can toss it directly in a pot of salted boiling water without thawing first. Cook for 2-3 minutes more than the usual cook time and the result will be perfectly cooked pasta, just like freshly made!
Related Recipes you might like
If you like this recipe, try also these other Ravioli recipes:
📖 RECIPE
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pasta Dough
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
For the Filling
- 7 oz Wild Mushrooms, see notes
- ½ cup fresh Ricotta
- 2 Garlic cloves, halved
- 1-2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1-2 sprigs Fresh Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Parmigiano cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoon White Wine
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
For the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Butter
- ½ Garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup Cream
- 3-4 tablespoon Parmigiano cheese
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
Make the Pasta Dough
- In a large bowl, add the flour and a pinch of salt. Break the eggs in the middle and whisk them with a fork.
- Slowly mix the eggs with the flour until it starts becoming a dough. When it’s too sticky to mix with the fork, start kneading with your hands. Knead for about 10 minutes until you get a smooth and non-sticky dough.
- If it’s too sticky, add more flour, if it’s too crumbly, add a few teaspoons of water until you get the right consistency.
- Cover the pasta dough in plastic wrap and set in the fridge to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a pan, drizzle some olive oil and add the halved garlic cloves. Turn on the heat and add the mushrooms.
- Sautè for a few minutes, then add the white wine and the fresh herbs. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the mushroom release all the water and it’s completely evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. You should end up with browned flavorful mushrooms.
- Remove the garlic and let the mushroom cool down, then finely chop them or give them a pulse in a food processor.
- In a bowl, mix the minced mushrooms with the fresh Ricotta and the Parmigiano cheese. Mix well with a spoon and set aside.
Assemble the Ravioli
- With a pasta machine or a rolling pin, stretch the floured pasta dough until you get thin sheets of approximately the same size.
- Dust the wooden board with flour and set one sheet of pasta. Add balls of filling the size of a walnut with a teaspoon or a piping bag. Wet the pasta around the filling with some water using a kitchen brush or your fingers.
- Take the other sheet of pasta and place it on top. Press well with your fingers around the filling to remove as much air as possible and to stick the two sheets of pasta together.
- Using a wheel cutter or a ravioli cutter, cut your ravioli and set them aside on a clean towel.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Make the Sauce
- In a pan, add the butter and the minced garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes then add the cream and the grated Parmigiano cheese. Turn down the heat and let it simmer gently.
- Gently toss the ravioli in the boiling water one by one and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain with a skimmer and add them to the pan with the sauce.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
OK this was delicious! Even though it was our first time making ravioli, and we messed up a bit when making the little pillows of ravioli, so they stuck to the plate (oops, the recipe says use a towel, and now we know why). It all tasted fantastic!
Delicious. It made more than I thought it would so I ended up doubling the sauce. But I like saucy stuff. I will be making this again.
Hi Dave, thank you so much for your feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the ravioli! 🙂
Can you make the ravioli the night before? I'm having a dinner party and want to do majority of the prep beforehand. Also, if I can make the ravioli beforehand, what would the cook time be in the boiling water?
Hi Jennifer, You can definitely make them in advance but I recommend freezing them (freezing is always the best solution to keep fresh pasta) Freeze them first distanced on a plate lined with parchment paper so they don't stick to each other, after a couple of hours you can move them all together in a freezer bag. Then you toss them in boiling water directly without thawing and cook them just a couple of minutes longer, so in total 4-5 minutes.