Fresh pasta feels like a little bit of luxury, doesn’t it? I love making homemade gnocchi, colorful ravioli, and flavored pasta like spinach or beet. But squid ink pasta? That’s a whole other level—dark, dramatic, and just a little exotic.
I first tried squid ink pasta in New York, and it was love at first bite. Since then, I’ve been dreaming of making my own. You’ll need a little special ingredient: squid (or cuttlefish) ink. Don’t worry—it’s more about color than flavor, though it does add a subtle, savory note.
This recipe makes about 3–4 servings.
📝 Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or “00” flour if available)
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- ½ tablespoon squid or cuttlefish ink
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- Pinch of salt
🍝 Instructions
- Prepare the flour: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Use the back of your measuring cup to create a well in the center.
- Mix the ink: In a small bowl, stir together the squid ink and warm water until smooth. This helps the ink disperse evenly throughout the dough.
- Combine ingredients: Pour the eggs, yolk, and ink-water mixture into the flour well. Use a fork to mix until a crumbly dough forms.
- Knead: Using your hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Tip: You can knead on a counter or in the bowl—the bowl helps contain the liquid in the beginning.
- Rest the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. You can also make the dough the night before and refrigerate it—just let it sit at room temperature for an hour before shaping.
- Shape the pasta: Use a pasta roller or machine to flatten the dough and cut into your desired shape. I used angel hair for this recipe, but fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle work too.
- Cook the pasta: Boil salted water and cook the fresh pasta for about 6–6.5 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Fresh pasta cooks faster than dried pasta.
🥄 Simple Lemon Butter Sauce
- Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- Toss the hot pasta immediately after draining with a few tablespoons of butter, then the lemon olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.
Optional: You can pair the squid ink pasta with your favorite sauces—tomato, pesto, cream sauces—all work beautifully.
Tips & Notes
- Squid ink flavor: Don’t worry—it’s more about the color than a strong taste. It adds a subtle savory note to your dish.
- Pairing pasta: I made one batch plain and one batch squid ink—it looks stunning served together!
- Storage: Fresh pasta is best eaten the same day, but you can refrigerate for a day or two.
✨ Serving idea: Serve with simple lemon butter, fresh seafood, or a light cream sauce to let the pasta shine. It’s dramatic, delicious, and surprisingly approachable. Perfect for special dinners or kitchen experiments!
