Crunchy Parmesan Pasta Chips (Print Version)

Golden, crispy pasta shells coated with Parmesan and Italian spices, perfect for snacking.

# 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

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Pat dry with paper towels.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with olive oil until evenly coated.
03 - Combine Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper with the pasta. Toss to ensure an even coating.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
05 - Arrange pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until pasta is golden and crisp. Work in batches if necessary.
06 - Remove chips from the air fryer and allow to cool slightly. Serve immediately with marinara sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside, chewy inside, and taste like a savory snack that somehow feels less guilty than it should.
  • Takes barely 25 minutes from ingredient to happy plate, so you can feed people something impressive without fussing.
  • The air fryer does almost all the work, leaving you free to think about life or chat with whoever's hanging around the kitchen.
02 -
  • Drying the pasta thoroughly before seasoning is the difference between crispy chips and soft pasta—don't skip the paper towel step, even though it feels finicky.
  • Shaking the basket halfway through isn't optional; the pieces on the edges crisp faster than the ones in the center, and this even it all out.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket—they need space to get crispy all over, so work in batches if needed and resist the urge to pile everything in at once.
  • If your air fryer runs hot, check at the 10-minute mark to avoid burnt edges, since every fryer has its own personality and you want golden, not blackened.
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