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These Air Fryer Pasta Chips are one of my favorite snacks to make when I want something crunchy, easy, and just a little unexpected. Cooked pasta gets tossed in olive oil, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning, then air-fried until golden and crispy, and yes, it actually works. Serve them with marinara or this air fryer spinach artichoke dip and watch them disappear.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Lightly seasoned with Parmesan, Italian herbs, and garlic powder, then cooked until crispy.
⏱️ Prep time: 10-15 minutes to cook, drain, and season pasta
🔥 Cook time: 8 minutes per batch
⏲️ Total time: 18+ minutes depending on the number of batches you cook.
👥 Servings: 8
🥄 Tools: Pot to boil pasta, large bowl, air fryer
❄️ Freezer friendly: No, these are best made freshly, though leftovers can be stored at room temperature for a few days.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Use leftover pasta if you have it on hand to save some time!
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The first time I ever had pasta chips, I was at one of my favorite restaurants in Louisiana. They came out alongside a bubbling, cheesy spinach artichoke dip, and were perfectly crunchy, salty, and completely addictive. I had to figure out how to make them at home.
Turns out, they’re surprisingly simple, just like these air fryer pita chips. You cook the pasta until just al dente, toss it with a little olive oil and seasoning while it’s still warm, and let the air fryer do the rest. The hot circulating air crisps up every piece without the mess or extra calories of deep frying.
I’ve made these more times than I can count since then, and they’ve become my go-to when I’m putting together a game day spread or just want a snack that feels a little more fun than reaching for a bag of chips. Try making air-fried kale chips for another healthier way to snack!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients, big flavor. You only need pasta, olive oil, Parmesan, and a few pantry seasonings.
- Lighter than deep-fried. The air fryer delivers that satisfying crunch without the oil and calories of deep frying .
- Endlessly customizable. The base recipe is a classic Italian flavor, but you can take these in a completely different direction with ranch, taco, everything bagel, buffalo, or cinnamon sugar seasoning. There’s a version for everyone.
- Perfect for parties and game day. These are easy to make in batches, fun to serve with dipping sauces, and genuinely hard to stop eating. Add them to the table along with air fryer taquitos and air-fryer mozzarella sticks.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Bow-tie pasta (farfalle): This is my favorite shape for pasta chips because the ruffled edges get extra crispy and they’re easy to pick up and dip. Any short pasta such as rigatoni, penne, or rotini works great. Just avoid anything too thin or delicate, like angel hair, which won’t hold up in the air fryer.
- Olive oil: You need just enough to lightly coat the pasta so the seasoning sticks. Don’t overdo it because too much oil leads to soggy chips instead of crispy ones. I find about two tablespoons is the sweet spot for a 12-ounce box.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts and crisps better than the pre-shredded kind, which contains anti-caking agents that can prevent it from sticking properly. I use ½ cup, but you can always add a little extra sprinkle after they come out of the air fryer.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning contributes most of the flavor while garlic powder adds a savory depth without any risk of burning. If you don’t have the Italian seasoning blend on hand, a mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme works perfectly.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
- Ranch: Swap the Italian seasoning for my homemade ranch seasoning and skip the Parmesan. Serve with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.
- Taco: Use my homemade taco seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning. After air frying, hit them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and serve alongside salsa or sour cream.
- Everything Bagel: Replace the Italian seasoning with some everything bagel seasoning, and keep the Parmesan. The sesame seeds and onion flakes get beautifully toasty in the air fryer.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Skip the Parmesan and savory seasonings entirely. Instead, toss the cooked pasta in melted butter, then coat with a mix of cinnamon and sugar before air frying. Check these a bit earlier as they are more likely to burn. Like these cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, they come out with a lightly caramelized sweetness that makes a fun dessert snack or a sweet addition to a party spread.
How to Make Pasta Chips in the Air Fryer
Be sure to preheat the air fryer to 400° F for 3-5 minutes and prepare the air fryer basket with a nonstick cooking spray such as olive oil.
- Cook the raw pasta in 2 quarts of boiling, well-salted hot water for about 7-8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. The pasta should have a little bite and not be mushy. Carefully drain the pasta and then place it into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Lightly coat the pasta with olive oil and toss to make sure all the pasta gets a bit of oil. Add the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to the pasta and stir until well combined.
- Add the pasta chips to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid overlapping the pasta too much, as it will steam rather than crisp up. You may need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer. It took me 5 batches to cook an entire 12-ounce package of pasta in my Cosori 5.8 qt air fryer.
- Air fry the pasta chips for 5 minutes and then carefully flip them with a spatula. Air fry for an additional 2-3 minutes and then transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. They’re ready when they have golden brown edges and a slight puff. If they look a little pale, cook for 1-2 more minutes. Continue cooking the rest of the pasta chips until they’re all cooked. Serve the air-fried pasta chips with marinara sauce or homemade cheese dip.
Expert Tips
- Preheat your air fryer. Don’t skip this step. A cold basket leads to uneven cooking and chips that crisp up on the outside before the inside has a chance to dry out properly.
- Single layer only — this is the most important tip. Overlapping pasta doesn’t crisp; it steams and results in chewy pasta chips. Work in batches and resist the urge to pile them in.
- Storage: These are honestly best eaten straight out of the air fryer, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate as the moisture in the fridge will kill the crunch completely.
- To reheat, use the air fryer. Pop leftover chips back in at 400°F for 1-2 minutes, and they’ll crisp right back up.
Air Fryer Pasta Chips Recipe FAQs
Honestly, most pasta shapes work to make pasta chips in the air fryer. You can even use whole wheat, gluten-free pasta, or regular pasta. Farfalle and rigatoni are my favorites and, in my opinion, work the best for dipping. Avoid thin or very small shapes.
The most common culprit is overcrowding the basket. Pasta chips need space to crisp up, so a single layer is necessary. Too much olive oil can also work against you, leaving chips greasy instead of crunchy, so stick to just enough to lightly coat. Skipping the preheat is another common mistake; a cold basket leads to uneven results from the start. If you’ve checked all of those and they’re still not crisping, give them an extra 1-2 minutes and check again as every air fryer runs a little differently.
Yes, absolutely! Leftover cooked pasta works great here and is actually a fantastic way to use up what’s in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature first, then pat it dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This step makes a big difference for crispiness. Season and air fry as directed, but plan to add 1-2 extra minutes to the cook time since cold pasta takes a little longer to crisp up.
Sure thing! Spread the seasoned pasta in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t get quite as crispy as the air fryer version because the circulating heat of the air fryer is hard to beat for this recipe, but they’ll still be delicious.
More Air Fryer Chip Recipes
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Air Fryer Pasta Chips
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bow-tie pasta
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon parsley, fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the raw pasta in two quarts of boiling hot water for about 7-8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray such as olive oil.
- Carefully drain pasta and then place it into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Cover the pasta with olive oil, and stir to completely cover the pasta.
- Add the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to the pasta and stir until well combined.
- Add the pasta chips in a single layer into the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry the pasta chips for 5 minutes and then carefully flip them with a spatula. Air fry for an additional 2-3 minutes and then transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Continue to cook the pasta chips in batches until they are golden brown and completely cooked.
- Serve the air fried pasta chips with marinara sauce or spinach artichoke dip.
Notes
- Salt your pasta water generously — it’s the only chance to season the pasta before it becomes a chip.
- Single layer only. Overlapping pasta steams instead of crisps — work in batches.
- Preheat your air fryer before adding the pasta. A cold basket leads to uneven chips.
- This recipe was tested in a Cosori 5.8qt air fryer. A 12-ounce box of pasta will cook in approximately 5 batches. Adjust timing slightly for other models.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
