This Cheese and Spinach Ravioli is an Italian favourite family recipe. A bowl of gluten free loveliness that is tasty and nutritious and that has brought joy and care for generations. It’s shared (as always) with my love x
Originally Published 6th June 2015… Recipe Updated and Re-Published 4th July 2023
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Italian Cheese and Spinach Ravioli – A childhood recipe without the gluten
If there’s one recipe that sums up my childhood, it is this Italian Cheese and Spinach Ravioli. A bowl of deliciousness that exudes love and care… As nutritious as it is tasty. It is the food that was served in our home to ‘cure all ills’, as well as to welcome home, recuperate, cheer up and celebrate. This is the recipe from my Italian heritage that brings me close to my mother and grandmother and all those Italian kitchen matriarchs before them.
And today… I am sharing it with all of my love… Homemade with the BEST gluten free pasta dough you may ever eat, to make it safe for Coeliacs too.
Why you’ll love my Gluten Free Spinach Ravioli
There are a million and one reasons why you should try this recipe for Italian Spinach Ravioli… But here are the headliners:
- It’s a recipe that is authentic from an Italian family heritage and passed down through the generations.
- The gluten free pasta dough used to make it is rich and flexible and fit for purpose. And it doesn’t taste in the slightest bit gritty.
- It’s nutritious, warming and incredibly delicious and honestly one of the best bowls of comfort food you’ll eat.
- This ravioli may be gluten and wheat free, but no one would ever know. Because it rivals any of the great wheat pasta recipes out there.
- It’s actually really EASY to make (providing you have a little time to give).
- You can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge or freeze it until you want to eat it. So it’s perfect for batch prep.
- And… It doesn’t fall apart when it’s cooked!
What are Italian Ravioli?
Ravioli are small sheets of thinly rolled pasta, which are wrapped around tasty fillings and sealed before being cooked in liquid. Their name originates from the Italian ‘riavvolgere’, meaning ‘to wrap’.
Ravioli are essential in Italian cuisine and have a long history across the country, with regional variations. Traditionally, they are served in broth as part of Christmas dinner and are as much a part of the celebrations as Panettone. Indeed, this is the way I have served them here (as it was so in my childhood).
What’s in my Cheese and Spinach Ravioli?
Cheese and Spinach Ravioli are actually very simple things. They comprise the pasta dough (or ravioli shells) and a filling made up of:
- Spinach (fresh, although you can also use frozen).
- Cheese – This recipe uses Parmesan and Cheddar (I’ll explain why below). But other cheeses (most commonly Ricotta) are often used alongside Parmesan.
- Egg – to bind.
- Seasoning (pepper and a pinch of nutmeg). No salt is needed as there is ample saltiness from the cheese.
- Cream – just a dash for richness.
I have included the recipe for my gluten free pasta dough as part of the recipe card at the bottom of this post. However, the full how and why (and lots of tips and advice) for making the best gluten free pasta are shared in a separate, dedicated Gluten Free Pasta post.
Why does this Italian Ravioli recipe use English Cheddar Cheese?
Now… Given that I am sharing this recipe as an Italian Spinach Ravioli, some of you may be wondering why on earth I have used English Cheddar in the filling mix. So maybe it needs some explanation…
Go back a couple of generations and my Italian grandparents came to the UK. At the time, there was a fascist regime in Italy (dictated by Mussolini) and along with many others, they sought to leave their beloved homeland in search of safer politics. With the event of World War 2, it still wasn’t easy… Their association with their beleaguered country led to the internment of my grandfather and other Italian men in the UK. The remaining family members chose to live close for protection and to anglicize their names and language to fit in.
But as for so many displaced people, food remained a connector. And homemade pasta and ravioli stayed on the menu. While Parmesan could (over time) still be accessed as an imported cheese that was dry and with a long shelf life, Ricotta was less available (unless made from scratch). And so… Cheddar crept into the mix. A cheesy fusion of Italy and England that has remained in my family ever since.
Can I use different cheese in the recipe?
Of course. While Cheese and Spinach Ravioli traditionally uses a portion of Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), which gives it a particular depth of flavour and saltiness, many other cheeses are perfectly paired alongside.
In place of Cheddar, try the more traditional Ricotta. Or add some creamy Italian Fontina Cheese, French Comté, Spanish Manchego or even Swiss Gruyère. Honestly… Anything goes as long as it blends and melts into the mix.
Can I buy gluten free Italian ravioli shells?
Sadly no. It’s not possible to buy ready-made gluten free Ravioli shells that can be filled at home. So if you want delicious homemade Gluten Free Cheese and Spinach Ravioli, you will need to make the egg pasta from scratch. But don’t worry. It’s super-easy to do… A simple case of combining the flours and gradually mixing in the egg… Then kneading and chilling the dough before rolling it nice and thin ready to cut.
Pasta rolling machine vs rolling pin
There are two ways to roll gluten free pasta dough… You can either use a pasta rolling machine or a rolling pin. At the end of the day, either option makes great Italian Ravioli… as long as the dough is rolled thin.
Of course, a traditional Italian pasta machine (I use this one) takes all the effort out of the job and ensures the sheets of pasta are consistently thin. But a machine can also be a little fiddly to work with and requires greater attention to the size and shape of dough pieces being rolled.
Rolling with a rolling pin is in some ways simpler… However, it needs some effort to get it super thin… And you need to be careful not to add too much extra flour. If not using a pasta machine, be sure to follow the directions (with the extra drop of water) for the hand-rolled option.
Is Cheese and Spinach Ravioli safe for Coeliacs?
Providing the ravioli are made with gluten free pasta dough, then yes… This recipe for Italian Spinach and Cheese Ravioli is safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac). There are no gluten-containing ingredients in the spinach and cheese filling.
Can I make this recipe dairy free?
The pasta dough itself is naturally dairy free. So, if you switch the Parmesan and Cheddar for good, meltable dairy free alternatives, then the Spinach Ravioli can also be made dairy free.
Tips for making great gluten free Italian Ravioli with Spinach
I have already covered specific tips for making the pasta dough in a separate, dedicated Gluten Free Pasta post, so I won’t share them again here. But please follow the link for additional advice and information.
If you are new to making Ravioli however, these are my best seeds of wisdom to help you…
- Only work with a small piece of pasta dough at a time, wrapping the rest in clingfilm so that it doesn’t start to dry.
- Although you need a light sprinkling of flour to temper initial stickiness at the start of rolling (whether for a machine or by hand), try to add as little as possible. The more flour added, the drier the pasta dough and the harder it will be to shape and cook without cracking.
- Use a cookie or ravioli cutter to cut shapes that will form the ravioli ‘shells’. While you can alternatively use a fill-in-the-sheet method instead, I find that making the ravioli from pre-cut pieces results in less waste and a more secure seam on the ravioli edges.
- Squeeze out as much excess liquid from the cooked spinach as possible and chop it finely before adding to the filling mix.
- Make sure the filling is cold before stuffing the ravioli shells.
- Don’t over-fill the ravioli and make sure no stray spinach or cheese pokes out of the sides. (These will definitely cause the ravioli to split when cooking).
- Seal the edges (brushed with beaten egg) firmly, easing out any air bubbles as you do so.
- Make sure the ravioli rest for a good 30 to 45 minutes before cooking to allow the sealed edges to ‘set’, so they don’t open up on cooking.
How to cook and serve Italian Spinach Ravioli
Ravioli is cooked (like any other pasta) in boiling liquid. Depending on how it is served, this can be water (if adding a separate sauce), or broth (either chicken or vegetable, if serving as shown in the pictures).
Regardless, bring the liquid to a boil, then carefully transfer the ravioli to the pot before bringing it back to a boil (if the liquid has cooled with the ravioli dropping in). Make sure the pasta is covered by the liquid, then boil for about 6 to 8 minutes. As they cook, the ravioli will float to the surface. That’s fine… Just gently poke them every now and then to turn them over. And I would always recommend sneaking a ravioli to check its ‘doneness’ as it comes towards the end of cooking time, to help judge whether it needs any longer.
When they are cooked…
- For Spinach Ravioli in broth – Turn off the heat and serve as they are with the broth and a good grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.
- For ravioli served with a sauce – Remove the pasta pieces with a slotted spoon or gently drain using a colander. If there is any starchy ‘foam’ clinging to them, lightly rinse with freshly boiled water. Then serve in bowls topped with sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
Best alternative sauces for Cheese and Spinach Ravioli
Cheese and Spinach Ravioli shine all on their own, so if adding a sauce (usually for additional moisture), keep it simple. I recommend pairing with:
- A light cream cheese and mushroom sauce: Gently flash fry some button mushrooms before adding a spoon or two of cream cheese (Mascarpone or even Philadelphia) and allowing it to melt. Then pop the ravioli back into the pan and gently fold through before serving, topped with a few fresh basil leaves.
- Add a simple Pomodoro (tomato) sauce, seasoned with a touch of basil or oregano.
- Stir through some pesto (green or red) either straight or with a dash of cream. You can even make your own using my 10-minute green Basil Pesto Recipe.
- Serve with a simple Brown Butter Sage Sauce.
How to store and freeze homemade Italian Ravioli
Fresh Cheese and Spinach Ravioli can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 2 months. That means it can be made ahead or created as a large batch to save time another day.
To store in the fridge
Layer fresh ravioli in an airtight container between sheets of baking paper to prevent it from sticking together. Although my homemade pasta doesn’t naturally stick together, the ravioli has been moistened with egg to seal the seams and thus there might be remaining sticky bits. If these get stuck to each other, they may tear the dough when pulled apart, resulting in split ravioli in the pan. Therefore, it is better to keep them separate.
To store in the freezer
For the same reason as noted above, it is advisable to freeze gluten free cheese and spinach ravioli separated, so they don’t get stuck together. Thus… layer them on a lined tray, with layers separated by baking paper. Then freeze until hard (preferably fast freeze at the lowest freezer temperature)… before transferring to an airtight container or sealable freezer bag for storage.
They can be cooked from frozen, but allow an extra couple of minutes of cooking time to make sure they’re done.
The recipe for my homemade Cheese and Spinach Ravioli…
And that’s all there is to it. My family heritage Italian Cheese and Spinach Ravioli recipe de-glutened and shared for you to enjoy too. I hope you love it. The recipe is just below (scroll down another inch or two).
If you do make it, please let me know, using the comments box at the bottom, or by messaging me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest).
And for all our other recipes, check out our Gluten Free Recipe Index. There are literally hundreds of options to choose from, both savoury and sweet and from all over the world.
All shared with my love
Gluten Free Cheese & Spinach Ravioli (an Italian Family Recipe)
Key equipment
- flat-bladed knife
- cling film
- fridge
- pasta rolling machine (optional) or rolling pin
- large saucepan
- hob
- sieve/colander
- large sharp knife
- saucepan
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
- 45 g fine white rice flour
- 25 g sorghum flour
- 80 g tapioca starch
- 40 g glutinous rice flour Mochiko/Asian rice flour/sticky rice flour
- 30 g millet flour
- 8 g xanthan gum 1 tsp = 4g
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 large whole eggs UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’) = approx. 128g total liquid weight for a 1x batch
- 2 large egg yolks UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’) = approx 36g total yolk weight for a 1x batch
- cold water → When specifically hand-rolling with a rolling pin, add an additional ½ tsp cold water to the dough mix. This is NOT necessary for machine-rolled pasta.
Cheese & Spinach Filling
- 215 g fresh spinach (washed & ready to cook)
- 75 g Parmesan cheese
- 130 g mature Cheddar cheese or alternative (Ricotta; Fontina, Manchego, Gruyere, etc)
- pinch ground/grated nutmeg
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- dash of double cream
To assemble and cook
- 1 egg (lightly beaten) – to seal the pasta seams
- vegetable or chicken stock (optional) – either homemade or good quality bought (to cook the ravioli and eat as broth)
Instructions
Making the dough
- Weigh and mix together all the dry ingredients (flours, xanthan gum and salt) in a large bowl.
- Either using the bowl or tipping out the dry mix into a pile on a clean, suitable worktop, make a well in the centre, bordered by a deep mound of flour.
- Add the eggs and egg yolks to the well and using a flat-bladed knife, break them up and gently mix them together.
- Still using the knife, start to mix in the flour, bringing in a little at a time from the inside edges into the egg and gradually working outwards through the flour mound, until the mix starts to come together as a dough.
- When the mix reaches a point where it is difficult to amalgamate any more flour, use either a firm mixing spoon or hand to blend the rest of the flour into the dough. The dough should feel tough and quite firm. If (and only if) it is impossible to amalgamate the final flour dust, add ⅛ tsp of water to the dough and knead it through. This is rarely required, however. (NOTE: If SPECIFICALLY intending to roll the dough by hand using a rolling pin, add a ¼ tsp cold water to the dough mix (as outlined in ingredients list above).
- Once the dough is fully formed, knead it firmly until it is evenly blended. It will feel tough and will require a firm hand and some effort if the dough is correctly balanced. (NOTE: The dough with water for hand-rolling will feel softer and stickier)
- After kneading, wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm (it must be airtight) and rest in the fridge for at least an hour (or overnight +) so that it can evenly hydrate.
Making Cheese & Spinach Ravioli Filling
- Cook the spinach in a large saucepan with a small amount of water until soft (about 5 minutes).
- Drain the spinach thoroughly in a colander/large sieve and squeeze out as much excess water as possible using the back of a spoon.
- Chop the spinach finely.
- Grate the Parmesan & Cheddar cheeses into a large bowl.
- Add some finely grated nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper and mix through.
- Add the chopped spinach, lightly beaten egg and a dash of cream and mix together until well combined.
- Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Rolling the dough
- After hydration, cut the dough into 5 or 6 pieces and (either using a pasta rolling machine or by hand), start to roll the dough into strips. Set the pasta machine on the loosest flat roller setting to start…
- Take the first piece of pasta (and set the rest aside, tightly wrapped to prevent drying). Lightly dust the work surface and top of the dough with Mochiko (Asian Rice) flour, as the first roll is the stickiest. Then flatten with your hands, before gently rolling with a rolling pin so that the dough will fit into the roller.
- Run the dough through the machine a couple of times, folding and re-flattening as necessary until the dough starts to roll smoothly and evenly. The machine helps the dough to amalgamate if it is still sticky. But try not to add additional flour beyond the initial dusting as this will dry the dough too much. Be patient and the dough will start to behave like normal pasta!
- When happy that the dough is rolling as it should be, start to reduce the thickness settings one by one, rolling the dough through a couple of times at each setting. Do not add any extra flour!
- Keep rolling until the dough has reached the second-lowest setting (the equivalent of number 5 out of 6).
- NOTE: To hand-roll the pasta with a rolling pin, work on a surface dusted with Mochiko flour and also dust the top of each piece. Roll and shape each piece one by one, using as little additional flour as possible. Roll as thinly as possible and then cut and shape as desired.
Cutting and shaping Ravioli
- Once the dough is thin enough, it's ready to shape and assemble as ravioli. IMPORTANT: work with the first rolled sheet of pasta before rolling and preparing the next to prevent the pasta drying.
- Lay the wide pasta ribbon on a flat, lightly floured work surface or baking paper.
- Use either a medium round cookie cutter or a ravioli cutter (5 to 6 cm in diameter) to cut ravioli shapes from the pasta sheet, keeping each cut close.
- Gather up any off-cuts into a tight ball and wrap in clingfilm as it can be re-rolled later.
- Prepare to fill and seal the first set of cut ravioli shapes before rolling and cutting the next pasta sheet. This ensures the pasta remains fully flexible for shaping and reduces any risk of tearing.
- Set the pasta rounds out next to each other and brush the surface of each with lightly beaten egg.
- Using a teaspoon, scoop small balls of filling (about 2 cm in diameter) and place in the centre of HALF of the pasta rounds.
- One by one, take a plain (unfilled) pasta round and place it over the top of a filling ball (egg-washed side facing downward). (Make sure none of the filling is poking out of the sides as this will cause the ravioli to split when cooking).
- Starting from around the middle area, gently ease and smooth the pasta circles together, over the filling and towards the flat edges using fingers.
- Holding the ravioli between fingertips, gently work around the edge of each circle, squeezing together the edges to join and secure the seal. Push out any air bubbles as you work.
- Set the completed ravioli aside (keeping them separate) on a lightly floured baking sheet/tray. Continue until that 'batch' of shells is complete'
- Take another fresh piece of dough and repeat the rolling and filling process until all the pasta is used up. (Remember to gather the off-cuts, combining all together in clingfilm).
- Finally, take the ball of off-cuts, knead them together and re-roll and fill these too.
- IMPORTANT: When finished, set the ravioli aside for 30 to 45 minutes (minimum) so that the sealed edges can 'set' before cooking.
To store and cook
- Once the pasta making is complete, the ravioli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Layer the pieces between sheets of baking paper, to keep them separate. (They can be slightly stickier than plain pasta on account of the egg wash).
- Cook ravioli by placing in boiling stock or water, bring back to the boil, then cook for about 6 to 8 minutes (dependent on the thickness of the pasta). Serve either in broth or with a light tomato (or alternative) sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Cheese and Spinach Ravioli shared with
- Fiesta Friday #499 with Angie
- Full Plate Thursday #655 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s For Dinner #433 with The Lazy Gastronome
I’m running behind!! Thanks for sharing at the what’s for dinner party last week – The new party is open now. Hope to see you there!
No worries Helen. I hope you are well.
I’ll pop over later to link up xx
Thank you for entering your recipe into Simple and in Season. Pinned and the round up is now live! Ren
I would love to have this served to me but I must admit I would not have the patience to create the recipe myself! I applaud you. Thanks for linking with #CookBlogShare
thank you!! It was pretty time consuming, but so worth it!
What delicious ravioli! Great to hear about the pasta that used to be hanging around in the family kitchens. Thanks for linking up with #PastaPlease
You're welcome Lucy. It always made me smile to see spaghetti hanging all over the place. Yet it was so normal!!!
Wow these look stunning and I love that you are becoming part of your family's tradition.
Thank you Kat. I think family heritage and tradition is so important…… food or otherwise!
What a lovely post about your family – I keep meaning to try fresh pasta but I think it just isn't part of my heritage in the way that it is yours – though it does taste amazing when fresh compared to dried. Congratulations on successful de-glutenising a childhood favourite and passing it to your daughter
Thanks Johanna.
Dried pasta is good, but nothing beats fresh!
It is so satisfying to have achieved this ravioli recipe…… I think I wouldn't have done my job as a parent properly if I could not pass it on!
I really enjoyed reading your post. I could almost see your grandmother's kitchen filled with delicious pasta and I know exactly what you mean about your pasta cravings. You have done a good job here. I am trying to have a go at making gluten free pasta but I have only bought two ingredients so far. I might use buckwheat, let's see how it goes. Have a lovely week xx
PS: your ravioli look amazing!!
Awww Thank You Alida!
I am really happy with my GF pasta and so pleased to have managed to get a recipe that stretches well enough to make ravioli and also tastes great. It's a tricky one, but so worth it!
A beautiful looking dish! A recipe is even more tasty when it's been passed down through family generations #recipeoftheweek
Thank you Haley. There is something very special about family recipes and I am sure they taste so much better for being handed down through many generations.
What an absolutely delightful post. I feel honoured that you've shared that bit of family history with me and Simply Eggcellent. I know all about family and food and how wars tore people apart so this is particularly poignant. Thank you. Pasta looks delicious!!
Thank you Dom. I am always amazed that with so many people affected by history, that we still continue to bomb the hell out of each other around the world. Will we never learn?