Crunchy Parmesan Pasta Chips (Printable)

Golden pasta shells coated in Parmesan and spices, air-fried until crispy and flavorful.

# What You'll 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

09 - Marinara sauce, for dipping (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with olive oil until evenly coated.
03 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper over the pasta. Toss gently until all pieces are well coated.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
05 - Arrange the pasta in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. If necessary, cook in batches. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the pasta is crisp and golden.
06 - Remove the chips and allow them to cool slightly. Serve immediately with marinara sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in 25 minutes, and most of that is just waiting for the air fryer to do its thing.
  • Crunchy in a way that feels almost decadent for something made with pantry staples.
  • Perfect for impressing people without actually cooking dinner.
02 -
  • Drying the pasta thoroughly is non-negotiable—wet pasta will never crisp; it'll just get chewy and sad.
  • Not all air fryer temperatures are calibrated the same, so watch them closely the first time and adjust timing up or down by a minute or two based on what you see.
03 -
  • Pat the drained pasta dry and let it cool completely before coating; warm pasta won't hold seasoning as well and might stick together.
  • If your air fryer runs hot, start at 190°C and add time rather than backing down from 200°C—every machine is different, and you can always add a minute, but you can't un-burn them.
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