Pasta Chips
on Oct 19, 2021, Updated Sep 27, 2025
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Finally, my two favorite food items do a collab 😍. Inspired by the popular TikTok trend, this easy and delicious recipe for Pasta Chips puts a modern 🌀 twist on traditional pasta by turning it into crispy, crunchy magic. Low key, I’ve been waiting for this mashup, ever since I accidentally left day-old pasta in the oven too long and thought, wait… this is kinda fire. Sure, the nonna’s might be side-eyeing 🙄, but these air fryer pasta chips are dangerously good, and might be my new favorite snack. Perfect for kids, adults or anyone whose looking to add a new member to their crunch roster.
Key Takeaways
- Pasta Chips combine traditional pasta with a crunchy twist, inspired by a TikTok trend.
- This easy recipe allows for customization with any pasta shape and flavor, making it a versatile snack.
- You can make Pasta Chips in an air fryer or bake them, achieving crispy perfection either way.
- Consider serving Pasta Chips with dips, salads, or wines for a complete experience.
- Follow simple tips for cooking and storing to enjoy your Pasta Chips at their best.
Why You’ll Love Pasta Chips
Not only does this recipe transform your favorite dinner into your new go-to midnight snack, but Pasta Chips are also ridiculously easy to make and totally customizable. Any pasta shape + any flavor combo = endless possibilities. Serve them up as an appetizer, a kid-approved treat, or your binge-watching sidekick. And whether you bake or air fry, you’ll end up with crispy, golden goodness using whatever tools your kitchen has to offer.
Ingredients
🍝 Pasta: I used rotini for this recipe, but you can use any pasta shape you like. I suggest using a smaller variety since they cook and crisp more evenly in the air fryer. Plus, they feel more like chips and are easier to pop into your mouth.
🧂Salt: Salting pasta water seasons the pasta from the inside out, making them taste less bland and more flavorful.
🌿 Pesto: You can use store bought pesto, or go all out and make my homemade version.
Nonna’s Tip
Parboil your pasta in salted water with a splash of vinegar, which secretly firms up the surface starches and gives you extra-crispy, kettle chip–style pasta chips.
Variations and Substitutions for Air Fryer Pasta Chips
Remember, if you are changing or adding ingredients, you may have to experiment and adjust the quantities.
- Toss the pasta with grated 🧀 Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese instead of or in addition to the pesto. Add some black pepper for a Cacio e Pepe vibe.
- Use garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or Italian seasoning with olive oil and grated parmesan instead of pesto for more of a parm-garlic flavor.
- Try making these with different shapes, such as penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, bake the pasta in a preheated 🔥 oven at 400F (200C) for about 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
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Pasta Chips Are Best Served With
- A fresh green salad or a Caesar salad.
- Your favorite dips such as Marinara, Easy Hummus, Whipped Feta or spicy aioli.
- Some grilled chicken or seafood.
- A light white wine like Pinot Grigio or a red wine like Chianti.
Common Questions
Yes, you can use any pasta shape, though shorter shapes like penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta work best for making chips.
Make sure to toss the pasta with enough pesto or oil to coat each piece evenly. Additionally, air fry them in a single layer, shake midway, and cook in batches to prevent sticking.
Yes, you can bake the pasta chips in a preheated oven at 400F (200C) for about 15-20 minutes, tossing them halfway through for even crispiness.
Store leftover pasta chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat them in the air fryer or oven to restore crispiness before serving (air fryer 350°F 2–3 min or oven 350°F 4–5 min).
Pasta Chips
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup pasta, this can be any pasta of your choice
- salt, for salting the water
- 2 tablespoons pesto, basil or sun dried tomato
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in salted water according to the package directions until it is al dente.
- Drain the pasta and then stir in your favorite choice of pesto.
- Preheat your air fryer if it requires preheating, then add your pasta and set the air fryer to 400F (200C) for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Note: Air fry them in a single layer, shake midway, and cook in batches to prevent sticking.
- If you don't have an air fryer, bake the pasta chips in a preheated oven at 400F (200C) for about 15-20 minutes, tossing them halfway through for even crispiness.
- Chips are done when deep golden & hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Let them cool and enjoy!
Notes
- Parboil pasta in salted water with a splash of vinegar for extra-crispy, kettle chip–style results
- Toss with grated 🧀 Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, and add black pepper for a Cacio e Pepe twist
- Swap pesto for a parm-garlic flavor using olive oil, parmesan, and seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or Italian herbs
- Mix up pasta shapes: penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or bowties all work well
- Serve alongside your favorite dips like marinara, hummus, whipped feta, or spicy aioli
- No air fryer? Bake at 🔥 400F (200C) for 15–20 minutes, tossing halfway through
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a fun little recipe! Never would have thought of air frying pasta! haha! Definitely would be fun with all different shapes of pasta! Loved it and the CRUCH!