Homemade Sourdough Pasta

Homemade Sourdough Pasta is really easy and can even be really fun to make right at home! With just 3 ingredients and a little time, your family can enjoy fresh pasta that’s full of flavor and healthier than any premade box pasta.

This three-ingredient recipe has more to offer than just taste though. While it does have a more complex and flavorful taste, it can also be fun to make- especially if you have kids!

Memory making will always have the upper hand in my book, but what if you could make great memories and have dinner made all at the same time? Coming from a mother of four, it’s a no brainer, hands down.

If we could have pasta for dinner every night, my kids would be all for it! I think most kids look forward to any meal that involves noodles, but when they’re able to participate in actually making the noodles- it’s a whole new ballgame.

And I’ve got to say, Homemade Sourdough Pasta has me sort of nostalgic. It’s like the adult version of playdough, so I can’t blame them! It’s fun for me, too. Therapeutic even, some days.

Reminds me a lot of the playdough hairstyling kit, you know, the one where you make the playdough into hair? I always enjoyed that as a kid. And all of these years, I had no idea what I was missing out on until my husband surprised me with my kitchen aid pasta maker attachment.

Homemade Sourdough Pasta has since then become a family activity. I make the dough ahead of time, usually the morning of before I begin work. I cover the bowl and allow the Sourdough Pasta dough to ferment throughout the day.

Flour, eggs, sourdough starter. Just three simple ingredients, and just like that, dinner is in progress.

When I clock out, the music comes on and pasta making begins. My girls and I actually look forward to it throughout the day.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Sourdough Pasta Recipe

Easy and Few Ingredients – You only need three ingredients to make this recipe happen: flour, eggs, and sourdough starter. Haven’t fed your starter recently? No worries! Active and bubbly or unfed sourdough discard, either will do!

Flavor – There’s simply no comparison in taste and texture when it comes to homemade verses boxed pasta, especially when you factor in the sourdough starter. The taste is much more complex and flavorful, and the long fermentation of the dough brings out more of the sourdough tang.

Healthy – You have full control of the ingredients that’s used in your homemade foods. And if you’re familiar with sourdough, then you probably already know that one of the main benefits of a sourdough starter is that it contains fermented grains, which are easier for our bodies to digest and absorb- especially for anyone that’s particularly sensitive to gluten.

Versatility – You can use this sourdough pasta recipe to make any shape of pasta you desire. Homemade Sourdough Ravioli, I whole heartedly recommend!

Nostalgic – Homemade Sourdough Pasta is really fun to make! It’s basically the adult version of playdough. This recipe will summon your inner kid.

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Sourdough Pasta Ingredients

Sourdough Starter – Active and bubbly or unfed discard will work for this recipe. Really, it’s a great way to use up discard if, like me, you have a lot on hand to make use of. Unlike bread, this recipe doesn’t require a rise.

Flour – I always just use all-purpose flour, nothing fancy, bleached or unbleached- whatever you have hanging around your pantry.

Eggs – I use fresh eggs from my chickens, and I prefer them to be room temperature, they just seem to incorporate easier. But cold eggs straight from the fridge will do just fine if that’s what you have!

Equipment

KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the pasta maker attachment – still doable without it. Keep going!

Rolling pin – if you don’t have one of these, you can still make do – just use a cup. Maybe a bit more difficult, but you CAN make do.

Pasta cutter– I normally use this one specifically for making lasagna pasta noodles, but it could work for any pasta really. You could also use a sharp knife, bench scraper, or a pizza cutter.

Measuring cups – doesn’t have to be fancy. I personally prefer measuring cups over a kitchen scale, especially for this particular recipe.

Pasta drying rack – optional, but this is the one I have, and I love it! A pasta drying rack actually came with my pasta maker attachment, but it wasn’t as big, so it didn’t hold as much pasta.

You could also use the side of a few bowls to dry your pasta or whatever else you may have on hand. You can get creative; you just need something to hang your pasta on temporarily to dry.

Homemade Sourdough Pasta Tips

• This Sourdough Pasta recipe can be used as a quick version or long ferment for unlocked health benefits and better digestibility. I try to plan ahead, but I’ve also wanted pasta on a whim.
• You can accomplish this sourdough pasta recipe with or without a pasta maker. Just use a rolling pin, or even a cup if that’s all you have on hand: roll out the dough super thin (without it breaking) and slice with a pizza cutter or knife. It’s doable!
• Lots and lots of flour!! The pasta dough can get a little sticky while you’re thinning it out, just add flour. I keep a lot, at least a cup or two, readily available when we’re making homemade pasta.

How to Make Homemade Sourdough Pasta

The Quick Version:

Place the ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Mix on low or medium speed until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and pulls away from the bowl (about 10 minutes).

Sourdough pasta dough comes together rather quickly, it will not be wet and shaggy. It’s a well-structured and uniform type dough.

Worth Noting:

If your dough seems to be too dry and is leaving behind any ingredients, you can add a hint more of sourdough starter, I recommend you start with half a tablespoon and then go from there.

Or if it’s leaving a lot behind- maybe another egg.

I’ve noticed that sometimes there will be a lot of flour left behind and the dough seems to have a hard time bringing all of the ingredients together, no matter how long I allow the machine to knead it.

Why this might happen:

I think it has a lot to do with the “state” of my sourdough starter- how long the discard has gone without being fed, whether the consistency of it is soupier or a lot thicker like pancake batter.

I also suspect that it might have to do with the size eggs I’m using. Fresh eggs tend to be smaller in size compared to store bought, depending on the particular chicken breed. And we have multiple different breeds of chickens.

What to do:

But if or when this does happen, about a tablespoon of starter or an additional egg usually gives the dough the push that it might need.

And then if it seems to be too much of a push, and your dough is too wet- no worries. Just accommodate with a little flour here and there to soak up the wetness and get your dough back on track. You really cannot mess this recipe up.

This does not happen often for me, only a couple of times, I just thought it would be worth mentioning just in case you experience it- don’t throw your dough away!

You can also make this pasta dough by hand:

Add flour to a clean surface and make a well in the center of the flour. Add your eggs and sourdough starter to the well. Then, begin whisking together the wet ingredients in a circular motion. Combine the rest of the flour and knead by hand for 10 minutes or so.

Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

How to Long Ferment (Overnight) Homemade Sourdough Pasta

If I plan well enough ahead, then I start a day in advance and long ferment the sourdough pasta dough overnight:

Make the sourdough pasta as directed in the quick version (above).

You’ll want to cover your bowl with plastic wrap, a bowl cover, or a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Rather than allowing your dough to rest for 30 minutes, you’re going to allow it to ferment for 2-4 hours. And then refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Alternatively, and what I do most of the time: I allow my dough to ferment for 8 hours (while I am working) on my kitchen countertop at room temperature, or in my oven (turned off) with the oven light on- warmer temp speeds up the fermentation, we keep our home quite cold.

Rolling and Shaping Homemade Sourdough Pasta

If you do not have a pasta cutter/maker:

Divide your dough into 8 equal parts.

Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. I normally use my kitchen island or countertop, it’s spacious.

Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough as thin as you can possibly get it without it breaking. Then, cut out your pasta with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, into the size and shape that you’re going for.

Transfer your sourdough noodles to a pasta drying rack, or side of a clean bowl, or even a clean dry towel. Allow the damp pasta noodles to dry for at least 30 minutes before boiling them in a pot for 4-5 minutes.

How to Shape Sourdough Pasta Using a Pasta Maker Attachment:

If you’re using a KitchenAid stand mixer, go ahead and attach your pasta maker attachment to your machine.

Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.

Dump your dough onto the floured surface and divide it into about 8 equal parts. Roll each piece into a ball.

Then, press or pat each ball of dough until it forms into a rough circle or 4×4 square.

Flatten the pasta:

Begin running each square piece of dough through the flat shaping section (the middle slot on mine) of the pasta maker attachment, set on the thickest setting. Catch your pasta as it comes through.

If your dough, at any point, starts to get too sticky: place it on a floured surface and pat each side of the sourdough pasta with flour, cover the entire piece of the dough.

Fold your pasta into thirds, lengthwise, then run through the thickest setting again.

Continue to run each piece of dough through the pasta maker, changing the setting lower and lower each time.

Once your dough has passed through the thinnest setting, without breaking, dust your dough with flour once more.

Cutting the Pasta:

Then, run your dough through the pasta cutter slot of the pasta maker attachment. Smoothly guide and catch the pasta strands as they come out. Whether you want spaghetti or fettuccini, your desired pasta should come through beautifully, without any sticking.

Hang your sourdough pasta noodles on a pasta drying rack or the side of a bowl and allow it to dry for at least 30 minutes before transferring them to a boiling pot of water.

How to Cook Homemade Sourdough Pasta

Fill a large pot with water, season it well with salt- about half a tablespoon should do. Bring the pot to a boil.

Fresh pasta doesn’t need to be cooked as long as dried pasta.

Add your fresh sourdough pasta to the boiling water, allow it to cook for 4-5 minutes, consistently stirring with a fork to loosen up the noodles and prevent them from sticking together.

Once the noodles have cooked thoroughly and have reached the desired pasta texture, strain them from the water and add your favorite sauce!

How to Store Homemade Sourdough Pasta

You can store your homemade sourdough pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for up to 8 months. I recommend thawing 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.

Once 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 out your homemade sourdough pasta in a dehydrator for 2-4 hours, or until completely dry.

Q&A

Is Sourdough Pasta better for you than regular homemade pasta?

Yes, it is! The fermentation process, all thanks to the sourdough starter, the grains become more digestible. The phytic acid is broken down making the nutrients in the flour more available and easier for your body to absorb.

What type of flour is best for Homemade Sourdough Pasta?

I normally use unbleached all-purpose flour, but I have used bleached all-purpose flour before, too, when I was in a pinch. Same results. You don’t need this recipe to rise like you would bread. Use what you have, don’t overthink it!

How long does homemade sourdough pasta need to dry?

For fresh pasta, between 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once it feels dried out and has a hard texture, you can cook it without worrying about it loosing shape or sticking together.

At this point, you can also freeze it, if you’re not wanting to cook it right away. If you’re making your homemade pasta ahead of time to store in your cabinet, allow it to dry 12-24 hours.

Do I have to freeze my homemade sourdough pasta in order to store it?

No, you do not have to freeze it. 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.

Once 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 out your homemade sourdough pasta in a dehydrator for 2-4 hours, or until completely dry.