Whole Wheat Fettuccine Pasta offers a nutritious twist on a classic favorite, blending hearty whole grains with traditional Italian flair. Ideal for health-conscious pasta lovers, this robust option pairs perfectly with a variety of sauces. Enjoy a delicious, guilt-free meal that delivers both flavor and nutrition with every forkful!
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Why This Recipe Works
Homemade fettuccine pasta brings a burst of fresh flavor and perfect texture to any dish, allowing for creative customization and a healthier meal without additives. Making your own pasta not only enhances the taste but also makes cooking a fun, engaging activity. This makes homemade fettuccine a delightful choice that turns a simple meal into a special occasion.
🥘 Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Provides the basic structure for the pasta, giving it the necessary gluten content to achieve a smooth and elastic dough.
- Whole wheat flour: Adds a nutty flavor and rustic texture to the pasta, as well as boosting its nutritional content with extra fiber.
- Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the pasta, helping to bring out the subtle tastes of the flours and eggs.
- Large eggs: Contribute moisture and fat, which help to bind the flour into a cohesive dough while enriching its color and flavor.
- Oil: Adds a slight richness to the dough and can help improve its texture, making the pasta slightly more tender.
- Water: Sometimes needed to adjust the dough’s consistency, ensuring it’s pliable and easy to shape without being too sticky or dry.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
If you're making gluten-free fettuccine and need substitutions for traditional wheat flour, here are three excellent options:
- Rice Flour and Tapioca Starch Mix: Combining rice flour with tapioca starch gives you a balanced mixture that is excellent for pasta making. The rice flour provides structure, while tapioca starch adds a chewy texture that mimics traditional pasta.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend: These blends are specifically formulated to mimic the texture and baking behavior of wheat flour. They usually contain a mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, and are directly substitutable in pasta recipes.
- Chickpea Flour: Chickpea flour not only adds a rich, nutty flavor but also increases the protein content of your pasta. It tends to be heavier, so it's often best used in combination with lighter flours like rice flour or a starch-based gluten-free flour to balance the texture.
🔪 How To Make Whole Wheat Fettuccine Pasta
Step One: Add both flours to a mixing both with the salt and mix together until completely combined. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture using the back of a rounded bowl or large spoon.
Step Two: Crack the eggs into the well and the olive oil and water. Begin beating the egg mixture with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides. Keep mixing gently to avoid breaking the well.
Step Three: As you continue to mix, the flour will thicken the egg mixture, forming a shaggy dough. Remove the shaggy dough and on a floured surface, fold the mixture together using a bench scraper or your hands until a smooth dough ball forms.
Step Four: Knead the dough by hand for 10 to 15 minutes until smooth and elastic. If sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time while kneading. It may start out dry and crumbly, but should become smooth and slightly tacky. Shape into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Step Five: Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling. Lightly flour a flat surface. Divide the pasta dough into 8 pieces and loosely cover each with plastic wrap.
Step Six: Take one piece at a time and roll it into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle it with flour.
Step Seven: Fold each sheet of pasta into 1” to 3” folds with a dusting of flour each fold, then cut each pasta sheet into ⅛ inch sections.
Step Eight: After cutting, unravel each section into noodles. To freeze uncooked pasta, shape into small mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Cook frozen pasta directly without defrosting. To cook, boil a large pot of salted water, add the pasta, stir occasionally, and cook until tender, usually 3 to 5 minutes depending on size.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Rest the Dough: After kneading, let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and shape.
- Roll Evenly: For consistent cooking and texture, roll the dough to an even thickness. A pasta roller can help achieve uniform thinness, but a rolling pin and a steady hand work well too.
- Cut Uniform Strips: When cutting your fettuccine, aim for even, uniform strips. This ensures that all your pasta cooks at the same rate and has the same texture when served.
- Prevent Sticking: Dust your fresh pasta with a little flour or line it on a tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking. This is especially important if you're not cooking the pasta immediately.
- Use a Large Pot of Boiling Water: Cook fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water to give the noodles plenty of space to cook evenly without clumping together.
- Don’t Overcook: Fresh pasta cooks much quicker than dried pasta, often in just 2-3 minutes. Taste test a strand before draining to ensure it’s al dente.
💭 FAQs
Yes, fettuccine is versatile and can be used with a variety of sauces. It pairs exceptionally well with thicker sauces because its wide and flat shape holds onto sauces better than thinner pasta types.
To prevent sticking, add the pasta to boiling water and stir during the first two minutes of cooking. Using enough water and a dash of oil can also help. Stir occasionally throughout cooking.
Whole wheat pasta contains more dietary fiber, which can help make you feel fuller for longer. Whole Wheat Fettuccine or wheat noodles also contain many nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Allow the cooked fettuccine to cool to room temperature, but don't leave it out for more than two hours to avoid bacterial growth.
Transfer the cooled pasta to an airtight container. If you've already mixed it with sauce, it can be stored as is. If it's plain, toss it with a little oil to prevent sticking. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
For longer storage, cooked fettuccine can be frozen. Spread it out on a baking sheet to freeze individually, and then transfer the frozen noodles to a freezer-safe bag or container. This prevents the noodles from clumping together. It can be kept frozen for up to 2 months.
🧂Serving Suggestions
Pair Whole Wheat Fettuccine Pasta With These side dishes:
- Protein Choices: Classic proteins like Grilled Chicken, Shrimp, or Steak Bites complement the noodles and can be tossed in or served alongside. For a vegetarian option, consider Sautéed Mushrooms or roasted chickpeas.
- Sauces: Fettuccine famously pairs with Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce, but it’s also delicious with tomato-based marinara, pesto, or a creamy vodka sauce. Each sauce offers a different flavor profile that can transform the dish.
- Vegetables: Serve with Steamed Broccoli, sautéed spinach, or a mix of Balsamic Grilled Vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant to add color and nutrition.
- Salads: A crisp garden salad or a Caesar Salad makes a refreshing side that cuts through the richness of creamy sauces.
- Breads: A side of Garlic Bread or Focaccia is perfect for soaking up sauce and rounding out the meal.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Whole Wheat Fettucine Pasta
Ingredients
- 188 g all-purpose flour
- 180 g whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add both flours to a mixing both with the salt and mix together until completely combined.
- Create a well in the center of the flour mixture using the back of a rounded bowl or large spoon. Crack the eggs into the well and the olive oil and water.
- Begin beating the egg mixture with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides. Keep mixing gently to avoid breaking the well. As you continue to mix, the flour will thicken the egg mixture, forming a shaggy dough.
- Remove the shaggy dough and on a floured surface, fold the mixture together using a bench scraper or your hands until a smooth dough ball forms. Knead the dough by hand for about 10 to 15 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time during kneading. Initially, the dough may seem dry and crumbly, but it should become smooth and slightly tacky.
- Shape the dough into a ball and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least 30 min or up to 3 hours. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Before rolling, bring the dough to room temperature.
- Lightly dust a flat surface with flour.
- Divide the rested pasta dough into 8 equal pieces and loosely cover each piece with plastic wrap. Take one piece at a time and roll it into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle it with flour.
- Fold each sheet of pasta into 1” to 3” folds with a dusting of flour each fold, then cut each pasta sheet into ⅛ inch sections. Once cut, unravel each section to for your noodles.
- To freeze uncooked fresh pasta, form it into small mounds on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then storing it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Cook the frozen pasta directly without defrosting.
- To cook the pasta, boil a large pot of salted water and drop the pasta into it. Stir occasionally and cook until the pasta is tender, which usually takes around 3 to 5 minutes depending on the shape and size of the pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
