Air Fryer Pasta Croutons (Print Version)

Golden, crunchy pasta pieces air-cooked for a tasty topping or snack.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 2 cups dried short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - ½ teaspoon paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Pat the cooked pasta dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese if desired until evenly coated.
04 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
05 - Place the seasoned pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
06 - Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until pasta is golden brown and crunchy.
07 - Allow pasta croutons to cool completely before using as a salad topping or snack.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses up leftover pasta or turns a pantry staple into something unexpectedly fun and crispy.
  • The air fryer does all the work, no oven preheating or oil splatter to clean up.
  • You can tweak the seasonings to match whatever youre craving, from spicy to herby to cheesy.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the pasta, theyll turn out chewy instead of crunchy, and youll wonder what went wrong.
  • Shaking the basket halfway through is not optional, it keeps them from sticking and ensures even browning on all sides.
03 -
  • Use a salad spinner to dry the pasta faster and more thoroughly than paper towels alone.
  • Toss in a tablespoon of nutritional yeast along with the Parmesan for an extra cheesy, umami boost.
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