Pasta Chips (Air Fryer or Oven)

If you’ve never set out a bowl of Pasta Chips at a party, get ready to wow your guests. These are incredibly crispy, totally snackable, and gone faster than we can make them!

Why You’ll Love This Pasta Chips Recipe

• Ready in minutes!
• Just six ingredients you probably already have
• Works as a snack, a party appetizer, or an addition to other dishes
• Completely customizable with whatever seasonings you love
• Includes an oven method if you don’t have an air fryer

What Are Pasta Chips?

Pasta chips are exactly what they sound like: cooked pasta, tossed in oil and seasoning, then air-fried until crispy. The outside gets a little crunch, and the inside stays just slightly chewy. That contrast is what makes them the perfect snack. 

This recipe only works because you boil the pasta first. When pasta cooks, the starch on the surface becomes gelatinized, which means it can brown and crisp up fast in the air fryer. Raw pasta doesn’t work for this technique. But remember that pasta that has been cooked past al dente will become soft and mushy, so you need to keep an eye on it when it’s on the stove. 

Ingredients

You need very little to whip these up! That’s why this recipe is so easy to throw together on a weeknight or pull out before guests arrive.

• Pasta – Shells, bowties, rigatoni, or penne work best for these. 
• Olive Oil – Be sure to use a high-quality variety. With so few ingredients, you’ll want the oil’s flavor to shine!
• Oregano – We love adding oregano for some earthy, herby flavor. Use a dried version so that it easily sticks to the pasta.
• Salt and Black Pepper – These essentials balance out the seasonings.
• Parmesan Cheese – This is optional, but we love to sprinkle it on after cooking.

On Pasta Shape

Shells or rigatoni are our top picks. The ridged surface grabs seasoning really well, and their shape makes them perfect for dipping. Penne works beautifully, too, and is easy to grab and dip. Farfalle (bowtie) is our go-to when we are setting these out for a party because they look a little fancier on a platter. Avoid anything thin like spaghetti or angel hair. Those shapes burn before they have a chance to crisp, and you end up with something either hollow and hard or just disappointing.

Whatever shape you choose, you want something sturdy enough to pick up and dip without it crumbling.

How to Make Pasta Chips

Full step-by-step instructions with times and temperatures are in the recipe card below. Before you get started, here are a few things worth knowing.

Tips for Perfect Pasta Chips Every Time

• Cook your pasta al dente, then stop. Test it for a full minute before the package says it’s done. If the pasta is too soft when it goes into the air fryer, the chips will be chewy and limp. Overcooking the pasta is the number one culprit behind these not turning out deliciously crispy!
• Drain well and let it sit. After draining, give it 2 to 3 minutes in the colander before you season it. Surface moisture turns to steam in the air fryer, which steams the pasta instead of crisping it. A drier surface means a crispier chip.
• Single layer, every time. We know it’s tempting to pile it all in at once, but be sure to avoid that. The air needs to circulate around each piece to cook it evenly. Work in batches if you need to — it’s worth it.
• Shake the basket halfway through. This makes sure every side gets exposed to the heat. This way, you don’t end up with one side golden and the other pale.
• Let them cool before you eat. This one is easy to skip, but pasta chips actually crisp up even more as they cool. Give them a few minutes before snacking or tossing them into a salad
• Every air fryer is different. Check at the 10-minute mark and go from there in 2-minute increments. You’re looking for a golden color and a slight firmness when you tap one.
• For the oven: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, spread the seasoned pasta in a single layer, and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once halfway through. The oven version will not be quite as crispy as the air fryer version, but it absolutely works if you don’t have an air fryer handy!

Seasoning Variations

The base recipe uses oregano, salt, and pepper, which is simple and delicious. But if you want to take things in a different direction, here are some combinations we love:

• Garlic Parmesan is the version you have probably seen all over TikTok. Add a teaspoon of garlic powder to your seasoning mix and finish with finely grated Parmesan right after the chips come out of the air fryer. The cheese melts a little on the hot pasta and gets almost caramelized in spots. 
• Za’atar is our personal favorite riff. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made with dried herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac. Swap it in for the oregano, and you get a version of these pasta chips that’s earthy, tangy, and a little nutty.
• Harissa and Lemon are for when you want heat and bright flavor. Mix a little harissa paste in with the olive oil before tossing, and finish with a squeeze of lemon after cooking.
• Everything Bagel Seasoning is an effortless crowd-pleaser. Swap it in for the oregano, toss, and air fry.
• Smoked Paprika and Cumin give the chips a warm and slightly smoky flavor. These are perfect with a yogurt-based dip.

What to Dip Pasta Chips In

Honestly, these are good enough to eat plain, straight from the bowl! But if you are setting them out for guests or just want to make a full snack spread, here’s what to reach for:

Our Whipped Feta with Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas is the combination we make on repeat. The creaminess and tang of the whipped feta against the crispy, salty chips is absolutely irresistible!

Our Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip brings a little sweetness and smokiness. If you are setting this out for a crowd, having two dips is always a good call.

The Marinated Olive Dip is another low-effort option. Make it ahead and just pull it out when guests arrive.

Marinara sauce is a classic for a reason, and if you are leaning into the Italian-American direction with garlic Parmesan chips, it is the obvious pairing.

If you love the idea of homemade chip-style snacks, our Homemade Pita Chips are also incredible alongside any of these dips. And if you want fresh pita to round out the spread, our Air Fryer Pita Bread comes together faster than you would think.

Finally, if you want a heartier meal, try adding them to salads for a little extra crunch. We love them in Greek Salad and Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad.

How to Store Pasta Chips

Pasta chips are best eaten the day you make them since they lose their crunch within a few hours. But there are a few ways to maximize their crispiness.

Skip the airtight container. Sealing them up traps moisture, and you’ll open the container later to find soft pasta. Instead, leave them in an open bowl at room temperature if you are eating them the same day.

Don’t refrigerate them while warm. Condensation is the enemy of crunchiness. If possible, avoid refrigerating them at all (unless you’ve added cheese or other perishable ingredients). But if you must refrigerate them, wait until they’ve cooled.

To reheat: Spread leftovers in your air fryer at 375°F for 2 to 3 minutes. They will not be quite the same as when they’re fresh, but they will come back to life.

We don’t recommend freezing. The texture won’t be the same when they thaw. 

Troubleshooting

• My chips are not crispy. This almost always comes down to one of three things: pasta was cooked past al dente, there was too much surface moisture before air frying, or the basket was overcrowded. Try a smaller batch, let the pasta drain longer before seasoning, and make sure to check early for doneness.
• My chips are rock hard. The pasta was undercooked going in, or it stayed in the air fryer too long. 
• The seasoning is not sticking. Toss with the olive oil first, then add your dry seasonings. 
• Some chips are burnt, and some are underdone. This usually comes down to an uneven toss before air frying or mixing different-sized pasta shapes in the same batch. Make sure every piece is coated in oil and seasoning, shake the basket halfway through, and try to keep similar sizes together.

Frequently Asked Questions