These easy air fryer pasta chips are a simple, easy snack or appetizer that can be ready in less than 30 minutes! Full of whole grains, protein and fiber, these pasta chips are a healthier take on the regular chip but still have that satisfactory crunch!
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I love making healthier alternatives to fried chips and these pasta chips are the perfect addition to my repertoire! Some of my other favorite healthy chip alternatives are broccoli chips and zucchini chips. But for the most similar experience to regular chips, pasta chips are the way to go!
Why you should make air fryer pasta chips
Although pasta chips have been around for awhile, they gained recent popularity thanks to Tiktok. Nick DiGiovanni posted deep fried pasta chips and the trend took off!
I love the idea of pasta chips—whole grains with lots of protein and fiber! But I prefer to cook oil free. That’s where the air fryer comes in. It’s a game changer in making healthier oil-free meals and snacks!
I love my Bella Pro Series air fryer—it makes these pasta chips perfectly crispy without needing to deep fry!
You’re going to love these pasta chips. They’re:
- crunchy
- addictively delicious
- healthy
- easy to make
- great travel snack
- perfect for dipping!
Ingredient Notes
Just six simple ingredients needed! Exact measurements are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Nutritional yeast—we use this to make a wonderful dairy-free cheesy taste. Can’t find nutritional yeast? Here are some nutritional yeast substitutions (I recommend cashews for this recipe) or feel free to use parmesan if you are not dairy-free.
- Lemon juice—fresh lemon juice is best but you can use store-bought lemon juice as well. Make sure your lemon juice hasn’t gone bad before using.
- Seasonings—I love the classic salt, garlic powder and onion powder but feel free to mix it up! Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, or curry powder would all be delicious variations!
Best type of pasta to make pasta chips
Any short pasta will do! Here are pasta brands we love that are vegan-friendly.
The following types of short pastas are the ones I recommend using to make pasta chips:
- Farfalle (bowtie)
- Rotini
- Fusilli
- Cavatappi
- Penne
- Rigatoni
- Conchiglie (shell)
How to make air fryer pasta chips
This step by step walk-through shows the process of making pasta chips air fryer style (oven instructions are included as well). Exact times and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
Step 1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Step 2. Add lemon juice and mix well. Then add seasonings and toss to coat.
Step 3. “Fry” the pasta chips.
By air fryer: Add pasta chips evenly spread out to the air fryer basket. You may have to cook in a couple batches to make sure the air fryer isn’t too crowded (I did two batches in mine). Cook for 8-12 minutes shaking a couple times to redistribute the chips.
By oven: Arrange the pasta in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
It’s ok if they aren’t super crispy at first, let them cool for 10 minutes and they’ll crisp up even more.
How to serve
It’s common to see pasta chips served with marinara sauce. It makes sense, pasta and marinara are like peanut butter and jelly.
But these chips taste good with any dip! I love them with some honey mustard, BBQ sauce, lemon hummus, or simply some ketchup.
I’ll even snack on them plain. The cheesy goodness is enough flavor for me!
If you want them even more cheesy, dip them in this dairy-free nacho cheese sauce. Seriously, it’s amazing. Pesto and ranch would also go great with these pasta chips.
FAQ’s
Yes, they work great in the oven too. Preheat to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pasta chips out evenly in a single layer and bake for about 20 minutes, until crispy, flipping halfway.
Yes, that should absolutely work just fine. When boiling gluten-free pasta, make sure to only cook until al dente (still firm). Otherwise it may fall apart.
Store in a sealed container on the counter for up to 5 days.
More air fryer recipes
More air fryer ideas:
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The Best Air Fryer Pasta Chips
Method
- air fryer
- oven
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole grain pasta * penne, bowtie, rotini, shells
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.8 oz whole grain pasta
- Add lemon juice and mix well. Then add seasonings and toss to coat.1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- By air fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400F. Add pasta chips evenly spread out (you maybe have to cook in a couple batches to make sure the air fryer isn't too crowded). Cook for 8-12 minutes shaking a couple times to redistribute the chips.
- By oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the pasta chips in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- It's ok if they aren't super crispy at first, let them cool for 10 minutes and they'll crisp up even more.
Notes
Love this recipe?Check out my new cookbook Whole Food Plant-Based Weeknight Dinners for 70+ easy and delicious oil-free recipes.
We love them! I made them tonight with a dipping sauce of Veganaise and salsa and that made them even more delicious! Eight minutes in my air fryer was perfect.
I’m so glad! And love your dipping sauce idea!
I’ve been wanting to try these pasta chips for a minute! Love the minimal ingredients used and will make these for my kids!
Thanks, Mirlene! Hope your kids enjoy them! 🙂
I’ve seen these pasta chips all over but once I found this recipe for them made in the air fryer, game one! They are so poppable and perfect for snacking.
Yay, so glad you enjoyed these!
I would never have known this was even possible. Thanks for the inspiration!
Happy to share 🙂
Well this is a completely new recipe to me. I had no idea I could fry pasta into chips in my air fryer. Excited to try it!
Thanks Jill, enjoy!!
Omg what a fun idea and a different way to use pasta! Can’t wait to try this recipe soon!
Thanks so much, Anjali!