Air Fryer Pasta Croutons (Printable Version)

Crunchy air-fried pasta bites seasoned for a flavorful salad topper or snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Thoroughly pat pasta dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a large bowl, toss the pasta with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, and Parmesan if using until evenly coated.
04 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
05 - Place seasoned pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
06 - Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until pasta is golden brown and crunchy.
07 - Allow pasta croutons to cool completely before using as salad topping or snack.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They transform something ordinary into a textural game-changer that makes even a basic salad feel special.
  • You'll actually look forward to using up leftover pasta instead of feeling like you have to do something with it.
  • The air fryer does all the heavy lifting—no standing at the stove watching oil splatter.
  • Once you taste them, you'll find yourself making extra pasta just so you can make these.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step or you'll bite into something that feels chewy instead of shattering into a thousand crispy pieces.
  • The difference between golden brown and burnt happens in about 60 seconds, so start checking around the 10-minute mark if your air fryer runs hot.
  • Undercooking the pasta in the pot is essential because it finishes cooking in the air fryer—overcooked pasta will never get truly crispy no matter what you do.
03 -
  • Use broken pasta pieces or the bits at the bottom of the box—they crisp even faster and give you more surface area for crunching.
  • If your pasta seems too oily after tossing, blot it gently with a paper towel before air frying so they'll be crispier instead of greasy.
Return