diff --git a/src/cdk/testing/dispatch-events.ts b/src/cdk/testing/dispatch-events.ts
index f815fce1a4b9..9163c33db07f 100644
--- a/src/cdk/testing/dispatch-events.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/testing/dispatch-events.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {createFakeEvent, createKeyboardEvent, createMouseEvent} from './event-objects';
+import {
+  createFakeEvent,
+  createKeyboardEvent,
+  createMouseEvent,
+  createTouchEvent
+} from './event-objects';
 
 /** Utility to dispatch any event on a Node. */
 export function dispatchEvent(node: Node | Window, event: Event): Event {
@@ -29,3 +34,8 @@ export function dispatchMouseEvent(node: Node, type: string, x = 0, y = 0,
   event = createMouseEvent(type, x, y)): MouseEvent {
   return dispatchEvent(node, event) as MouseEvent;
 }
+
+/** Shorthand to dispatch a touch event on the specified coordinates. */
+export function dispatchTouchEvent(node: Node, type: string, x = 0, y = 0) {
+  return dispatchEvent(node, createTouchEvent(type, x, y));
+}
diff --git a/src/cdk/testing/event-objects.ts b/src/cdk/testing/event-objects.ts
index 856aad2f09f4..7b2fe2407bc4 100644
--- a/src/cdk/testing/event-objects.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/testing/event-objects.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 /** Creates a browser MouseEvent with the specified options. */
 export function createMouseEvent(type: string, x = 0, y = 0) {
-  let event = document.createEvent('MouseEvent');
+  const event = document.createEvent('MouseEvent');
 
   event.initMouseEvent(type,
     false, /* canBubble */
@@ -29,6 +29,24 @@ export function createMouseEvent(type: string, x = 0, y = 0) {
   return event;
 }
 
+/** Creates a browser TouchEvent with the specified pointer coordinates. */
+export function createTouchEvent(type: string, pageX = 0, pageY = 0) {
+  // In favor of creating events that work for most of the browsers, the event is created
+  // as a basic UI Event. The necessary details for the event will be set manually.
+  const event = document.createEvent('UIEvent');
+  const touchDetails = {pageX, pageY};
+
+  event.initUIEvent(type, true, true, window, 0);
+
+  // Most of the browsers don't have a "initTouchEvent" method that can be used to define
+  // the touch details.
+  Object.defineProperties(event, {
+    touches: {value: [touchDetails]}
+  });
+
+  return event;
+}
+
 /** Dispatches a keydown event from an element. */
 export function createKeyboardEvent(type: string, keyCode: number, target?: Element, key?: string) {
   let event = document.createEvent('KeyboardEvent') as any;
diff --git a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
index b6875b691ac3..1ab8013123ee 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
   /** Element which triggers the ripple elements on mouse events. */
   private _triggerElement: HTMLElement | null;
 
-  /** Whether the mouse is currently down or not. */
-  private _isMousedown: boolean = false;
+  /** Whether the pointer is currently being held on the trigger or not. */
+  private _isPointerDown: boolean = false;
 
   /** Events to be registered on the trigger element. */
   private _triggerEvents = new Map<string, any>();
@@ -67,8 +67,12 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
 
       // Specify events which need to be registered on the trigger.
       this._triggerEvents.set('mousedown', this.onMousedown.bind(this));
-      this._triggerEvents.set('mouseup', this.onMouseup.bind(this));
-      this._triggerEvents.set('mouseleave', this.onMouseLeave.bind(this));
+      this._triggerEvents.set('touchstart', this.onTouchstart.bind(this));
+
+      this._triggerEvents.set('mouseup', this.onPointerUp.bind(this));
+      this._triggerEvents.set('touchend', this.onPointerUp.bind(this));
+
+      this._triggerEvents.set('mouseleave', this.onPointerLeave.bind(this));
 
       // By default use the host element as trigger element.
       this.setTriggerElement(this._containerElement);
@@ -128,7 +132,7 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
     this.runTimeoutOutsideZone(() => {
       rippleRef.state = RippleState.VISIBLE;
 
-      if (!config.persistent && !this._isMousedown) {
+      if (!config.persistent && !this._isPointerDown) {
         rippleRef.fadeOut();
       }
     }, duration);
@@ -181,17 +185,17 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
     this._triggerElement = element;
   }
 
-  /** Listener being called on mousedown event. */
+  /** Function being called whenever the trigger is being pressed. */
   private onMousedown(event: MouseEvent) {
     if (!this.rippleDisabled) {
-      this._isMousedown = true;
+      this._isPointerDown = true;
       this.fadeInRipple(event.pageX, event.pageY, this.rippleConfig);
     }
   }
 
-  /** Listener being called on mouseup event. */
-  private onMouseup() {
-    this._isMousedown = false;
+  /** Function being called whenever the pointer is being released. */
+  private onPointerUp() {
+    this._isPointerDown = false;
 
     // Fade-out all ripples that are completely visible and not persistent.
     this._activeRipples.forEach(ripple => {
@@ -201,10 +205,19 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
     });
   }
 
-  /** Listener being called on mouseleave event. */
-  private onMouseLeave() {
-    if (this._isMousedown) {
-      this.onMouseup();
+  /** Function being called whenever the pointer leaves the trigger. */
+  private onPointerLeave() {
+    if (this._isPointerDown) {
+      this.onPointerUp();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Function being called whenever the trigger is being touched. */
+  private onTouchstart(event: TouchEvent) {
+    if (!this.rippleDisabled) {
+      const {pageX, pageY} = event.touches[0];
+      this._isPointerDown = true;
+      this.fadeInRipple(pageX, pageY, this.rippleConfig);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
index 765637567fe8..d12613b5fe66 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import {TestBed, ComponentFixture, fakeAsync, tick, inject} from '@angular/core/
 import {Component, ViewChild} from '@angular/core';
 import {Platform} from '@angular/cdk/platform';
 import {ViewportRuler} from '@angular/cdk/scrolling';
-import {dispatchMouseEvent} from '@angular/cdk/testing';
+import {dispatchMouseEvent, dispatchTouchEvent} from '@angular/cdk/testing';
 import {RIPPLE_FADE_OUT_DURATION, RIPPLE_FADE_IN_DURATION} from './ripple-renderer';
 import {
   MatRipple, MatRippleModule, MAT_RIPPLE_GLOBAL_OPTIONS, RippleState, RippleGlobalOptions
@@ -107,6 +107,20 @@ describe('MatRipple', () => {
       expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(2);
     });
 
+    it('should launch ripples on touchstart', fakeAsync(() => {
+      dispatchTouchEvent(rippleTarget, 'touchstart');
+      expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(1);
+
+      tick(RIPPLE_FADE_IN_DURATION);
+      expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(1);
+
+      dispatchTouchEvent(rippleTarget, 'touchend');
+
+      tick(RIPPLE_FADE_OUT_DURATION);
+
+      expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(0);
+    }));
+
     it('removes ripple after timeout', fakeAsync(() => {
       dispatchMouseEvent(rippleTarget, 'mousedown');
       dispatchMouseEvent(rippleTarget, 'mouseup');