Crunchy Parmesan Pasta Chips (Printable)

Golden crisp pasta shells coated with Parmesan and seasoning, air-fried for a savory, crunchy treat.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or farfalle)

→ Coating

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
06 - ¼ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp sea salt
08 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ To Serve (optional)

09 - Marinara sauce for dipping

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking, then pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Place cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil until evenly coated.
03 - Incorporate Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper into the pasta. Toss thoroughly to ensure an even coating.
04 - Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and preheat for 3 minutes.
05 - Arrange pasta in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, working in batches if necessary. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking, until the pasta is golden and crisp.
06 - Remove pasta chips from the air fryer and allow to cool slightly before serving. Offer marinara sauce as an optional dip.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're ridiculously crispy on the outside and surprisingly satisfying, with a hit of garlic and Parmesan that keeps you reaching for more.
  • Ten minutes of hands-on time means you can have a fancy-sounding appetizer ready before anyone even notices you're in the kitchen.
  • The air fryer does the real work, so there's almost no mess and way less oil than traditional frying.
02 -
  • Overcooking the pasta initially sounds counterintuitive until you realize that overcooked pasta will turn into mush in the air fryer while slightly undercooked pasta stays crispy and tender inside—trust the al dente instruction completely.
  • Drying the pasta after rinsing is non-negotiable because even a little water ruins the crispness, so use paper towels generously and don't skip this step no matter how impatient you are.
03 -
  • If your air fryer basket is small, don't try to fit everything at once—work in batches and keep the first batch warm in a low oven while you finish the second, because fresh and hot is worth the extra five minutes.
  • They stay crispy for maybe two days in an airtight container, but the first few hours are honestly when they shine, so make them close to when you plan to eat them.
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