Air Fried Pasta Chips

If you are looking for a snack that offers crispy perfection but does not come in the form of potato chips, you NEED to try these Air Fried Pasta Chips. They’re packed full of flavor, ready in under 20 minutes, totally vegan, and easily customizable. 

This is the perfect recipe to use up leftover pasta. These crunchy pasta chips are a great snack, a unique offering for the holiday appetizer table, or even a great addition for game day!

For more vegan air fryer recipes, try these Crispy Polenta Fries, Air Fried Black Beans, Crispy Apple Chips, or Air Fried Brussels Sprouts.

For more Italian-inspired vegan recipes, try this Cheesy Vegan Garlic Bread, Vegan Cacio e Pepe, or Italian-Stuffed Zucchini Boats.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients – This easy recipe uses just a handful of ingredients that you likely already have on hand. Even better, you can easily adjust flavors to what you do have or whatever you prefer!
• Use up leftovers – This is a great recipe for when you have extra cooked pasta lying around. If you live in a house with a toddler like I do, this is everyday!
• Customizable – Use any shape of noodle you like, try gluten-free pasta, or switch up which spices or cheeses you use for this recipe. There are so many options – get creative!

Ingredients

• Cooked Pasta – You can start with leftover cooked pasta or cook your noodles specifically for this recipe. My homemade vegan pasta dough works wonderfully for this recipe. Choose any type of pasta you have, short noodles work best. I prefer farfalle, also known as bowtie pasta, for their adorable-ness and easy dip-ability.
• Olive oil – Only a bit of olive oil is used in this recipe, as the air fryer helps cut down on the amount of oil needed to get that crispy fried texture.
• Breadcrumbs – Make sure to select a vegan variety that meets your dietary restrictions. 
• Italian seasoning – Increase or decrease the amount of seasoning or add more flavors like garlic powder and onion powder. 
• Vegan Parmesan cheese – You can choose any variety of parmesan style cheese, but I prefer the Violife parmesan block so it can be grated into smaller pieces. 
• Salt – Just a pinch helps highlight the flavors in this recipe!
• Optional: Your favorite pasta sauce for dipping (try my Homemade Garden Veggie Sauce or Nut-Free Pesto!) 

Helpful Equipment 

In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Air fryer – I personally think my 2-basket Ninja Foodi is the best air fryer (not sponsored!), but any will work! 
• Reusable air fryer basket – You can find many single-use parchment paper and reusable liners for your make and model of air fryer. I like to use reusable ones to reduce waste and make clean up quicker. 
• Large bowl 

How to Make Air Fried Pasta Chips

This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Start with perfectly al dente pasta. Toss the pasta in a bowl with the olive oil.

Mix the seasoning, bread crumbs, salt, and grated parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, then add it to the bowl with the oiled pasta. Mix until all of the noodles are evenly coated. 

The next step will depend on the size of your air fryer. If you can fit all of the noodles into your air fryer in a single layer, go for it. If not, you will do this next part in batches.

Air fry the seasoned raw pasta at 375 degrees F for 10-14 minutes, tossing at least 1 time halfway through.

The cooking time may also vary based on your make and model of air fryer, so make sure to check progress often to prevent burning.

The pasta chips are done when they are golden brown and crispy.

Let them cool slightly (they will get crispier as they cool), and serve with your favorite dipping sauce!

My personal favorite is my homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing. 

That’s it! Enjoy!

Variations

Try this recipe with gluten-free pasta and gluten-free bread crumbs!

Swap out the Italian flavors for Mexican-inspired and use vegan cheddar cheese and taco seasoning!

How to Store

• Room temperature – I have found that the best way to store these chips is in an airtight container at room temp. They will stay crispy and delicious for 3-5 days.

More Tips

• Oil-free? You can omit the oil from this recipe, but you will have to toss the noodles in a bit of water first to make sure the spices and breadcrumbs stick. 
• Not Vegan? Use egg noodles or traditional parmesan cheese. Toss the noodles in melted butter instead of olive oil.
• Gluten-Free? Swap the noodles and breadcrumbs for gluten-free varieties. 

FAQ