Crunchy Parmesan Pasta Chips (Printable Version)

Golden, crispy pasta shells coated with Parmesan and spices, perfect as a savory snack.

# 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ridiculously addictive and disappear the moment you finish cooking them.
  • You probably already have everything in your kitchen right now.
  • Air frying means no oil splatters and minimal cleanup—just a happy kitchen.
  • At 25 minutes total, you can have a homemade snack faster than delivery arrives.
02 -
  • Don't skip the drying step after rinsing the pasta—any water clinging to it will steam rather than crisp, and you'll end up with chewy chips instead.
  • Every air fryer runs slightly hot or cool, so the first batch is your calibration; if they're browning too fast, lower the temperature by 10 degrees for the next round.
  • Overcooking the pasta initially ruins everything; aim for truly al dente, almost slightly undercooked, because the air fryer will finish the job.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate your Parmesan fresh; the texture is finer and it crisps more evenly than box grater shreds.
  • If your air fryer basket is small, don't squeeze more in hoping to save time—one overcrowded batch is worse than two perfect batches and only takes an extra 15 minutes.
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