Pasta chips are one of those food trends that I held off on for way too long and then finally tried and immediately understood the hype. These tortellini pasta chips take the concept and make it even better by using fresh cheese tortellini instead of regular pasta, which means every single chip already has a creamy cheesy filling inside before it even goes into the air fryer. Tossed in melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parmesan and air fried until perfectly golden and crispy on the outside with that soft cheesy center still intact. Served with marinara for dipping and they are genuinely one of the best game day snacks I have made in this entire series.
The cheese tortellini is the detail that elevates this above every other pasta chip recipe out there. Regular pasta chips are great but tortellini chips give you that extra layer of creamy cheese filling in every bite that makes them feel substantial and satisfying rather than just a crunchy snack. Fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section of the grocery store works best here because it cooks through beautifully in the air fryer without getting tough or overly hard the way dried pasta can. The outside gets that perfect golden crunch and the inside stays soft and filled and it is one of the best texture combinations in any snack I have made.
The butter base is what makes these so much better than just olive oil. It adds richness and helps the parmesan and seasonings cling to every inch of the tortellini so every single chip is evenly coated and perfectly flavored. Toss everything together until completely coated, spread in a single layer in the air fryer basket so they have room to crisp up properly, and twelve to fifteen minutes at 400 degrees is all it takes. Check them at twelve minutes and give them a little shake and go the full fifteen if you want them extra golden and crunchy.
This is the game day snack that people pick up expecting something good and then cannot stop eating because it is so much better than expected. The marinara dipping sauce is the perfect finishing touch and it turns these little tortellini chips into something that feels like a proper appetizer rather than just a snack. Easy, fast, and the kind of recipe that makes your game day spread look completely thought through. Make a big batch and have extra marinara on hand because they go fast.
Tortellini Pasta Chips with Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 16oz package of fresh cheese tortellini
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning or parsley
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
- 1 cup marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine tortellini with melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and parmesan and toss until everything is coated well.
- Place coated tortellini in the basket of an air fryer and airfry for 12-15 minutes until golden brown, shaking/tossing half way through.
- Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese and serve immediately with marinara dipping sauce. Enjoy!
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