Air Fryer Pasta Chips / Masala Pasta Chips

About this recipe

Crispy and crunchy pasta chips is the latest TikTok food trend and is hugely popular on social media for a good reason. I made them albeit with an Indian twist and we all loved it.

The viral recipe is really very straightforward - boiled pasta is seasoned and fried (or baked). I decided to season them with commonly used Indian spices rather than Italian seasoning. These air fryer pasta chips turned out oh-so-good with a deliciously spicy and savory flavor.

Give these chips an Indian spin using some simple ingredients that are commonly used in Indian cuisine to make a perfect snack. These masala chips are tastier than regular potato chips or French fries and can be served with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

I've earlier tried the green goddess salad with an Indian twist and we loved it (so did our readers). Here is the recipe to make masala TikTok pasta chips. Enjoy them as a fantastic snack or serve them as an appetizer for parties. Try them for game day snacks and wow your friends and family.

Ingredients

Pasta: I used farfalle (bow-tie or butterfly pasta). However, you can use other types of pasta as per your preference.

Seasoning: The spices I used are garam masala, ground cumin, turmeric powder, and chili powder. You can adjust them as per your preference.

Other ingredients: Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), oil, and salt. Use olive oil or any other cooking oil for this dish.

Step-by-step instructions

Boil the pasta as per package directions. Make sure it is al dente and not over or undercooked. Drain the pasta using a strainer and transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly.

Add olive oil and spices - chili powder, ground cumin, garam masala, and ground turmeric. Also, add crushed kasoori methi and salt. Mix everything well, making sure the pasta is well coated with spices and oil.

Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes. Spray some oil on the air fryer basket. Place the seasoned pasta in a single layer.

Air fry at 400 F for 8-10 minutes. They may burn easily so keep an eye. Shake the pasta once at around 4 minutes. Crispy and golden brown chips are ready to be served.

Alternate cooking method

Pasta chips can be deep-fried in oil or baked in an oven. To bake them:

1. Boil the farfalle pasta in a large pot of salted water as per package instructions.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C) for 15 minutes. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Drain the pasta using a strainer and transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly.
4. Add olive oil and spices - chili powder, ground cumin, garam masala, and ground turmeric. Also, add crushed kasoori methi and salt.
5. Mix everything well, making sure the pasta is well coated with spices and oil.
6. Place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Useful tips

Do not undercook the pasta noodles as it will make the chips hard. At the same time, do not overcook it as this will make chips soggy and also chips will fall apart.

Draining all the water from the cooked pasta is important to avoid the chips from becoming soggy.

Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Place the pasta in a single layer.

Depending on the size of your air fryer, do it in 2 or 3 batches.

Adjust the frying time depending on the type of pasta. Different pasta shapes take different times to turn golden brown. For example, penne pasta may take longer than bowtie pasta.

If you are planning to make them ahead, boil and season the pasta. Make sure they are not clumped together. Air fry them just before serving.

The chips can burn easily so keep an eye after 5-6 minutes.

Serve them with marinara sauce, ranch dip, feta dip, or your favorite sauce.

Variations

Here are some great options to add variations to bow-tie pasta chips:

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta instead of regular pasta to make them. You can also use lentil pasta or chickpea pasta and enjoy low-GI pasta crisp.

Cheesy: Toss the pasta with parmesan cheese along with the spices. For a vegan version, use nutritional yeast.

Italian: Use Italian seasonings and herbs instead of Indian spices to season the pasta.

Peri peri: Sprinkle peri peri seasoning for a nice twist.

Onion-garlic: Add a generous amount of onion powder and garlic powder to the seasoning if you love these flavors.

Chaat masala: Chaat masala is a salty-tangy spice blend that is used in most Indian street foods. Sprinkle a generous amount of chaat masala on these chips for a delicious twist.

Pepper: Toss some freshly cracked black pepper on the chips.

FAQs

Can we store pasta chips?

While they taste best when eaten fresh, they can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Cool and store in an airtight container. Reheat for a couple of minutes in an air fryer and enjoy.

Why are my pasta chips not crunchy?

This can happen if there is any water content in the cooked pasta. Make sure you place them in a colander and drain all the excess water before adding the seasoning.

Bonus

These masala pasta chips are:

- crispy, crunchy, and so more-ish,

- vegan and easily made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta,

- highly customizable.

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