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Rosemary Pepper Pasta

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Rosemary pepper pasta gives you tender, fresh noodles with a little bite from black pepper and a light rosemary finish. It pairs beautifully with lamb, steak, shrimp, and other simple mains, especially when you keep the sauce light and let the pasta do its job.

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Because this dough uses egg and a little extra water, it cooks faster than boxed pasta and turns out much more delicate. In other words, keep an eye on the pot. Fresh pasta waits for no one.

Ingredients for Rosemary Pepper Pasta

You only need a handful of basics to make this fresh herb pasta from scratch. Semolina gives it structure, the egg adds richness, and the rosemary and pepper keep the flavor savory enough to stand next to grilled meats or seafood.

  • 1 1/3 cups durum semolina flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon rosemary, lightly crushed, fresh or dried
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water, as needed
rosemary-pepper-pasta

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How to Make Rosemary Pepper Pasta

Start the dough directly on a clean countertop or large board. That keeps cleanup easy and gives you enough room to work the flour in gradually instead of wearing half of it.

  1. Place the semolina flour on a wooden cutting board or clean countertop and sprinkle it with the black pepper and rosemary.
  2. Make a well in the center and add the egg, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the water, and the minced garlic.
  3. Mix until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining tablespoon of water only if needed.
  4. Knead just until the dough comes together and feels smooth enough to hold its shape. Do not add too much water or the dough will turn sticky and pass poorly through the pasta machine.
  5. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Pass the dough through a pasta extruder or pasta machine according to the manufacturer directions.
  7. If the dough seems crumbly at first, keep going. Fold it in thirds and run it through again several times until it becomes smooth.
  8. Adjust the thickness setting until you reach the noodle thickness you want. Keep in mind the pasta swells as it cooks, so a setting around 6 to 8 works well for thinner noodles.
  9. Hang the pasta to dry for 8 to 10 minutes before cooking, or form it gently into nests for freezing.
Flour and herbs on a wooden board with olive oil, water, measuring spoons, and a dough scraper

If you have never made fresh pasta before, the dough can look wrong before it looks right. That crumbly stage is normal. Keep folding and feeding it through the machine until it smooths out, and suddenly you look like you knew what you were doing all along.


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Fresh Pasta Cooking Times

Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil, add a dash of salt, then cook the pasta until al dente. Fresh pasta often floats when it is done, but start checking early because the exact time depends on the shape and thickness.

  • Angel Hair: 1 1/2 minutes
  • Spaghetti: 7 minutes
  • Tallarini: 2 minutes
  • Linguini: 3 minutes
  • Fettuccini: 7 minutes
  • Pappardelle: 5 minutes
  • Macaroni: 5 minutes
  • Bucatini: 5 minutes
  • Bucatoni: 5 minutes
  • Fusilli: 7 minutes
  • Piccolo Fusilli: 7 minutes
  • Rigatoni: 5 minutes
  • Penne: 5 minutes
  • Tagliatelle: 6 minutes
  • Rotini: 5 minutes
  • Ziti: 5 minutes

Fresh pasta generally cooks faster than dried pasta because it contains more moisture. For a broader fresh-pasta timing reference, King Arthur Baking notes that fresh pasta often cooks in about 2 to 5 minutes, though thicker shapes can take longer.


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Tips for the Best Pasta Dough

  • Add water sparingly. A dough that is too wet turns sticky fast and fights the machine.
  • Crush the rosemary lightly. Large needles can tear the dough or create weak spots in thin noodles.
  • Rest the dough. That 10-minute pause helps the flour hydrate and makes the dough easier to roll or extrude.
  • Dust lightly if needed. If the strands start sticking together after extruding, a small sprinkle of semolina usually fixes it.
  • Choose lighter sauces. Butter, olive oil, tomato, or cream sauces let the herb flavor come through better than heavy meat sauce.

If you enjoy homemade flavored noodles, you might also like Make Your Own Old Bay Pasta or MYO Tomato Basil Pasta.


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Serving Suggestions

Rosemary pepper pasta makes an easy side for grilled lamb chops, steak, or simple roasted seafood. It also works well tossed with browned butter, a drizzle of olive oil, a spoonful of cream sauce, or a quick garlic tomato sauce.

For a full meal, pair it with sautéed shrimp or serve it alongside something rich and savory so the herbs have a little room to show off. If you want another homemade pasta idea with a different flavor profile, take a look at MYO Lemon Poppyseed Pasta.


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Storage and Freezing

Cook the shaped pasta right away for the best texture, or let it dry briefly for 8 to 10 minutes before boiling. If you want to freeze it, form the noodles into loose nests and place them in freezer bags. Cook straight from frozen.

For make-ahead planning, uncooked egg-based pasta is best used the same day. A conservative refrigerator estimate is up to 1 day, tightly wrapped, since the dough contains raw egg and moisture. Frozen shaped pasta keeps its best quality for about 1 to 2 months when packed airtight. Dried rosemary itself stores best in a sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place, so if you use dried herbs here, keep the remainder sealed up instead of letting it rattle around the spice cabinet collecting dust and bad decisions.

Once cooked, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Store in a covered container and reheat gently with a splash of water or sauce so the noodles loosen instead of clumping into one determined mass.


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💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Rosemary Pepper Pasta

Ingredient
Walmart Item
Pkg Price
Amount Used
Cost Used
Durum semolina flour
$2.96
1 1/3 C.
$0.21
Cracked black pepper
$2.48
1/4 t.
$0.02
Rosemary
$1.24
1/4 t.
$0.01
Minced garlic
$4.92
1 t.
$0.16
Egg
$1.47
1
$0.12
Olive oil
$5.94
1 T.
$0.17
Water
 
–
1 to 2 T.
$0.01
💸
Cost
🧾 Total Batch Cost
$0.70
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost Per Serving
$0.18

📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rosemary Pepper Pasta

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of semolina?

You can, but the texture will be softer and a little less pleasantly chewy. Semolina gives fresh pasta more structure, so if you swap in all-purpose flour, add the water slowly and expect a slightly more tender noodle that may cook a bit faster.

Do I need a pasta extruder to make this recipe?

No, a hand-cranked pasta machine works just fine, and you can even roll the dough by hand if you have to. The important part is working the dough through several passes until it turns smooth, then cutting it into the shape and thickness you want.

Why is my pasta dough crumbly at first?

That crumbly stage is normal, especially with semolina-based dough. Keep folding it into thirds and running it through the machine a few more times before adding extra water, because too much water is the fastest route to sticky pasta and colorful language.

How do I keep fresh pasta from sticking together?

Let the strands dry briefly for 8 to 10 minutes, then dust very lightly with semolina if needed. If you pile soft noodles together immediately, they trap moisture and glue themselves into one lump before they ever hit the pot.

Can I use fresh rosemary instead of dried?

Absolutely, but mince or crush it well before adding it to the flour. Fresh rosemary needles are tougher and larger than dried, so smaller pieces distribute better and are less likely to snag or tear thin sheets of dough.

What sauces go best with rosemary pepper pasta?

Light sauces are your best bet here. Butter, olive oil, cream sauce, or a simple tomato sauce let the rosemary and pepper come through, while very heavy meat sauces can flatten the herb flavor and make the pasta taste like background noise.

Can I freeze homemade rosemary pepper pasta?

Yes, and it freezes well when you shape it into loose nests first. Freeze the nests on a tray until firm if you want them to stay separate, then bag them airtight and cook them straight from frozen without thawing.

How many servings does this batch make?

Plan on about 4 side-dish servings. A dough made with 1 1/3 cups semolina and 1 egg usually yields roughly 12 to 14 ounces of fresh pasta, which is enough for four modest portions or two larger main-dish plates.

How do I know when fresh pasta is done cooking?

Start tasting early instead of trusting the clock like it pays your grocery bill. Fresh pasta often floats when it is ready, but the real test is a tender noodle with just a little bite in the center, since shape and thickness change the timing.

Can I double this recipe?

You can, but mix and knead it in two smaller batches if your machine struggles with stiff dough. Doubling works best when you keep the original ratios the same and avoid adding all the water at once, because humidity and egg size can change what the dough needs.

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Finished homemade rosemary pepper pasta with visible text reading “Rosemary Pepper Pasta”

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🖨️ Print-Friendly Rosemary Pepper Pasta

Rosemary Pepper Pasta

Article or recipe authorMelissa 'Liss' Burnell
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preparation time30 minutes
cook time7 minutes
total time37 minutes
This fresh rosemary pepper pasta makes tender homemade noodles with semolina, egg, garlic, black pepper, and rosemary. Serve it as a side with lamb, steak, or seafood. Estimated total batch cost is $1.05, or about $0.26 per serving.
Servings4 servings
CourseBeverage, Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
CuisineItalian-American
Budget101 Price Breakdown$1.05

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cups durum semolina flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon rosemary lightly crushed
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed

Equipment

Large cutting board or clean countertop
Fork or bench scraper
Pasta machine or extruder
Drying rack or clean surface for nests

Instructions

  1. Place the semolina flour on a wooden cutting board or clean countertop and sprinkle with the black pepper and rosemary.
  2. Make a well in the center and add the egg, olive oil, 1 tablespoon water, and minced garlic.
  3. Mix until a soft dough forms, adding the remaining tablespoon of water only if needed.
  4. Knead until the dough comes together and feels smooth enough to hold its shape.
  5. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Pass the dough through a pasta extruder or pasta machine according to the manufacturer directions.
  7. If the dough seems crumbly at first, fold it in thirds and run it through again several times until smooth.
  8. Adjust the thickness setting to the desired noodle thickness, keeping in mind the pasta swells during cooking.
  9. Hang the pasta to dry for 8 to 10 minutes before cooking, or form into nests and freeze.
  10. To cook, bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil with a dash of salt. Add pasta and cook until al dente, using the shape-based cooking times as a guide.

Recipe Size Alteration

💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.

Notes

Estimated prep time includes mixing, kneading, resting, and extruding the dough.
Cook time reflects a thicker pasta shape such as spaghetti or fettuccini. Thinner shapes may cook in as little as 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.
Estimated yield is about 4 side-dish servings.
For food safety, refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.
Uncooked egg-based pasta is best used the same day or refrigerated tightly wrapped for up to 1 day as a conservative estimate.
Frozen shaped pasta keeps best quality for about 1 to 2 months.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!
Melissa 'Liss' Burnell, Founder of Budget101

👩‍🍳 About the Author

Melissa "Liss" Burnell started Budget101.com in 2001 because she needed it to exist — not because she saw a market opportunity. She was feeding a family of four on under $200 a month, and people kept asking how, so she started writing everything down.

That turned into 25 years of recipes, debt-busting strategies, and DIY content — including figuring out how to make 128 loads of laundry detergent for less than $2. Millions of families have quietly used this site to stretch a dollar without feeling like they're sacrificing anything. She's also the author of two bestselling budget cooking ebooks, available on Amazon.

📚 More on the About page, or find her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

6 thoughts on “Rosemary Pepper Pasta”

    • Is the rosemary fresh or dried?

      you can use either, it just depends on what you have on hand or which you prefer.

      Reply
  1. this would be a great noodle to make with chicken dumpling type recipe like my mother in law used to make with her cast iron dutch oven.

    Reply

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