Crunchy Parmesan Pasta Chips

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water to halt cooking, then pat dry with paper towels.

02 - In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with olive oil until evenly coated.

03 - Combine Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper with the pasta. Toss until well coated.

04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.

05 - Arrange pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if necessary. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp.

06 - Remove pasta chips from air fryer and let cool slightly before serving. Serve with marinara sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

They're ridiculously crunchy and satisfying in a way that feels almost guilty, but they're basically just pasta and cheese.
Ten minutes of prep, fifteen minutes of hands-off cooking—you can make these while answering emails or helping someone with homework.
They bridge that weird gap between a snack and an appetizer, so they work equally well at a casual dinner party or on the couch watching a film.

02 -

Don't skip drying the pasta after rinsing—any excess water trapped inside will steam the pasta instead of crisping it.
Al dente is genuinely important here because it gives the pasta some structure to hold up during air frying, while softer pasta will collapse into mush.

03 -