This easy homemade sourdough pasta couldn’t be easier. You only need 3 ingredients and can use an active sourdough starter or discard. Whip up a quick version or long ferment for more health benefits and better digestibility.
Pasta is one of the easiest recipes to make and takes only 3 ingredients and a little time. Yet, it is something most of us don’t think twice about buying pre made. Why make homemade pasta when you can just pop open a box?
Foremost, there is no comparison in taste and texture between homemade and boxed. Especially when you add the sourdough factor, the taste is more complex and flavorful.
The one problem I have with making it myself…the pasta maker.
I have a pasta roller/cutter attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer, but I hate getting it out. This is what stops me from making pasta 99% of the time. It’s a small thing, but in the middle of a busy day it’s an impossible task to me.
This sourdough pasta dough is so easy to roll out paper thin by hand, that I find I can skip digging all the clunky implements out of the pantry.
Now, I have zero excuses.
Sourdough Pasta Making Tips:
- You can make this recipe with or without a pasta maker. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough super thin and slice with a pizza cutter or knife.
- The dough may get quite sticky while you are thinning it out. Just add more flour.
- You can make a quick version of this recipe or long ferment for better digestibility.
Why you will love this recipe:
Flavor: This sourdough version packs tons of flavor especially compared to regular, store-bought, dried pasta. Want even more flavor? Long ferment the dough to bring out more of that sourdough tang.
Healthy: The best part about making food from scratch is control of the ingredients used. For instance, pasture raised eggs are incredibly nutritious. Also, I love using freshly ground wheat, which contains more nutrients compared to flour that has been sitting on a shelf for months. No time to grind your own? Use unbleached flour without synthetic vitamins added. Lastly, sourdough starter contains fermented grains which are easier to digest.
Easier to digest: One of the main benefits of sourdough, besides more nutrients and better nutrient absorption, is that it is much easier to digest, particularly for those that may be sensitive to gluten. If you are sensitive to gluten, I suggest allowing the dough to ferment for 24 hours. See directions below.
Ingredients:
Sourdough starter – Discard or fed starter will work for this recipe. This is a great way to use up discard that would usually just be tossed out.
Flour – All-purpose flour or freshly ground.
Eggs – Preferably pastured raised, but any egg will do.
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Tools you may need:
Stand mixer (optional)
Pasta maker/cutter – like this one (optional)
Measuring cups
Pasta drying rack (optional)
FAQ:
Is sourdough pasta better for you?
Yes! Thanks to the fermentation process of the flour from the sourdough starter, the grains become more digestible and the phytic acid is broken down making the nutrients available in the flour easier for your body to absorb.
Is sourdough pasta easier to digest?
As long as the dough is fermented, it will be easier to digest. This is because the fermentation process helps break down some of the gluten making it more tolerable to those that have gluten sensitivities.
What type of flour should I use?
All-purpose, spelt, or freshly ground wheat will work in this recipe.
What type of sourdough starter can I use?
Discard or active starter can both be used in this recipe.
How long does pasta need to dry?
Fresh homemade pasta needs to dry 12-24 hours or longer before storage. For fresh cooking, allow to dry for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Can I make other shapes of sourdough pasta?
Yes! You are not obligated to just make fettuccine or spaghetti with this recipe. You could also use it to make ravioli, penne, bow tie (farfalle), orecchiette, and more.
How To Make Sourdough Pasta
Quick Version
Place the ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
Mix on low/medium until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes. You can also do this by hand. Add flour to a clean surface, make a well. Add eggs and sourdough starter to the well and whisk together the wet ingredients. Incorporate the rest of the flour and knead by hand for 10 minutes or so.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
How To Make Long Fermented Sourdough Pasta
Make the pasta as directed above in the quick version.
Instead of only allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes, allow it to ferment covered for 2-6 hours and then refrigerate up to 24 hours. You want to cover it so it doesn’t dry out.
Rolling And Shaping
To make pasta without a pasta cutter:
Divide dough into 8 equal parts.
Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.
Roll the dough out as thin as possible with a rolling pin and cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
Move the pasta to a towel and lay flat to dry, or hang on a pasta drying rack and allow to dry for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 hours).
To shape pasta with a pasta cutter:
Divide dough into 8 equal parts and shape into a ball.
Flour a clean surface and pat out dough balls until it forms a 4″ by 4″ square.
Place the pasta through the pasta maker on the thickest setting (which is an 8 on my machine), catching it as it goes through.
Fold into thirds, lengthwise, then run through the thickest setting again.
If at any point the dough starts to get too sticky, place it on a floured surface and pat the flour over the entire surface of the dough.
Continue running the dough through the pasta maker, changing the setting lower and lower each time.
Once the dough has passed through the thinnest setting, change out the attachment to the pasta cutter.
Run dough one last time though the cutter, guiding it and catching the pasta strands as they come out.
Lay flat to dry on a towel, or hang on a pasta drying rack and allow to dry for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).
How To Cook Sourdough Pasta
Fill a large pot with water, season well with salt, and bring to a boil.
Add the fresh pasta to boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes stirring with a fork to loosen up the noodles.
Fresh pasta doesn’t need to be cooked as long as dried pasta.
When the noodles have reached ‘al dente’ texture and are cooked through, strain and add your favorite sauce. I love this creamy pumpkin pasta sauce or for a more protein packed meal – creamy chicken and mushroom pasta.
Storage:
Store pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for up to 8 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking from frozen.
For longer term storage without freezing: Allow your pasta to dry out for 24 hours in a cool dry place. Turn your pasta every few hours so there aren’t any moist spots. O
nce the pasta is completely dry, transfer to an airtight container like a mason jar or Ziploc bag for up to a year.
You can also dry pasta in a dehydrator for 2-4 hours or until completely dry
Find More Sourdough Dinner Ideas:
- Beef carnitas with sourdough tortillas
- Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie
- Sourdough Fried Chicken
- Meatball Subs On Homemade Rolls
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!
Sourdough Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter, discard or fed
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
Create The Dough
- Place the ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Mix on low/medium until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes.
- Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
To Shape Without A Pasta Maker
- Divide dough into 8 equal parts.
- Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.
- Roll the dough out as thin as possible with a rolling pin and cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Move the pasta to a towel and lay flat to dry, or hang on a pasta drying rack and allow to dry for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 hours).
Shaping With A Pasta Maker
- Flour a clean surface and pat out dough balls until it forms a 4″ by 4″ square.
- Place the pasta through the pasta maker on the thickest setting, catching it as it goes through.
- Fold into thirds, lengthwise, then run through the thickest setting again.
- Continue running the dough through the pasta maker, changing the setting lower and lower each time.
- Once the dough has passed through the thinnest setting, change out the attachment to the pasta cutter.
- Run dough one last time though the cutter, guiding it and catching the pasta strands as they come out.
- Lay flat to dry on a towel, or hang on a pasta drying rack and allow to dry for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).
Cooking
- Fill a large pot with water, season well with salt, and bring to a boil.
- Add the fresh pasta to boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes stirring with a fork to loosen up the noodles.
- When the noodles have reached ‘al dente’ texture and are cooked through, strain and add your favorite sauce.
Notes
- You can also create the dough by hand. Add flour to a clean surface, make a well. Add eggs and sourdough starter to the well and whisk together the wet ingredients. Incorporate the rest of the flour and knead by hand for 10 minutes or so.
- If at any point the dough starts to get too sticky, place it on a floured surface and pat the flour over the entire surface of the dough.
- For a long fermented version: Instead of only allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes, allow it to ferment covered for 2-6 hours and then refrigerate up to 24 hours. You want to cover it so it doesn’t dry out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Going to make chicken spaghetti with the homemade noodles. Boil them like you said and do you think they will be fine when I need to bake everything together in the oven?
Thanks!
They should be fine.
Could you go though this process, cook noodles and then freeze? Trying to see best way about making batches and that is easiest for our household.
I made the pasta exactly as the recipe states and it can3 out brittle and broke into any pieces in the pasta water.
I’m sorry you had troubles with the recipe. That is not what is supposed to happen!
How much starter in grams? It says 1 cup fed or discard, but on your conversion those are different weights. Obviously volume wise they’d be different due to air content etc of active vs discard but I assume the recipe should be a set amount in grams?
Yes, that’s fine to go off grams.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and was impressed by how easy and well it turned out! My daughters 4th birthday is coming up (unicorn themed, what else😅) and I was curious if I could add food coloring to the dough to make a “unicorn pasta” ?
You could!
Could you long ferment and then freeze? Then thaw, roll out, and cut on another day?
Yes, that would work!
Could you go though this process, cook noodles and then freeze? Trying to see best way about making batches and that is easiest for our household.
Why are some of your recipes based on weight but others aren’t (like this one?) Thank you!
I have a conversion chart if you need it!
Would love the conversion chart
Here it is. It’s a blog on my recipe, so always feel free to search for whatever you’re looking for!
Do not freeze, as suggested in the recipe. You’ll be left with a giant doughy mess where there were once beautiful noodles you painstakingly cut by hand. Absolutely heartbreaking.
Mine did the same thing today. Any suggestions? Should I thaw it first?
I would thaw first.
Can I use gluten free starter to make the pasta gluten free?? We have celiac disease but would love to make this!
I haven’t personally tried making this gluten free yet, but I would say it is worth a shot! Let us know how it turns out if you try it.
Could I use Einkorn flour for this recipe?
I haven’t tested einkorn on this yet!
What’s your intuition if you were to use einkorn? Less flour?
Start with less flour at first and add more if needed.