Air Fryer Pasta Croutons (Printable)

Crispy air-fried pasta tossed with spices, ideal as a crunchy snack or salad topping.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 2 cups dried short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - ½ teaspoon paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Pat the pasta dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a large bowl, toss the pasta with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese if using, until evenly coated.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
05 - Place the seasoned pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches to avoid overcrowding.
06 - Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the pasta is golden brown and crunchy.
07 - Allow the pasta croutons to cool completely before using as a salad topper or serving as a snack.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're addictively crunchy in a way regular croutons can't match, and they actually stay crispy for days.
  • You probably have everything already in your pantry, and the whole thing takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • They make a boring salad feel fancy without any actual effort or cooking skills required.
02 -
  • Drying the pasta thoroughly with paper towels is non-negotiable; any water clinging to it will steam it instead of crisping it.
  • The magic is in the shake halfway through—skip this and you'll have one golden side and one pale side, and that's just sad.
03 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse after cooking the pasta—it stops carryover cooking and keeps them from clumping together.
  • If your first batch comes out uneven in color, your air fryer might have hot spots; rotate the basket position the next time you make them.
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