Air-Fry Your Favorite Pasta For A Crunchy Game-Day Snack

When it's time for kickoff, jump ball, or the first pitch, nothing complements the start of a sports match quite like game-day snacks. Whether you're serving crock pot buffalo chicken dip or a heaping platter of nachos, there's no wrong way to feast. However, you can revolutionize the bounty you make for your guests in exciting ways. Enter pasta. Before you roll your eyes, we're not talking about the saucy, cheesy Italian pasta we all know and love. Instead, we're talking about air-fried pasta noodles.

We'll be the first to admit that air-fried pasta is uncommon game-day fare, but don't knock it until you try it. Air-fried pasta noodles are boiled before they're cooked and, under the heat of the air fryer, transform into a crunchy, chip-like snack that offers a funky departure from the traditional chip-eating experience. Although it might sound bland, plain air-fried pasta noodles can be customized with delicious herbs, spices, dipping sauces, and other fixings to match your game-day tastes.

Before you fire up the air fryer, consider your pasta options to determine which type works best for your next game-day feast.

For starters, you'll want to opt for pasta noodles with a dense quality and broad shape to ensure each bite offers a substantial mouthful. Pasta shapes like penne and rigatoni are the right size; their ribbed textures allow seasonings and dipping sauces to cling onto the noodles for maximum flavor. Plus, with easy-to-grab edges on either side, these shapes are perfect for dipping. Bow-tie pasta is another fantastic vehicle for air-fried noodles and is similarly poised for holding onto dip.  

One of the best choices to create this game-day snack is nodi marini, a curly, spiral-shaped pasta that puffs up like a corn chip when cooked in the air fryer. Large lasagna sheet noodles can be broken into the shape of your favorite chip for a snack that looks familiar yet offers a thrilling new taste. Avoid ultra-thin or small noodles like spaghetti, fettuccine, and macaroni, as they're not ideal for dipping and may end up stuck in your teeth rather than enjoyed as a satiating game-day snack.

Now that you're ready to impress your friends and family with air-fried pasta at the next game-day function, you'll need to brainstorm some flavor combinations and dipping sauce ideas to hit a home run. If you don't know where to start, we'll help you cover some bases.

For something rich and cheesy, air-fried pasta brushed with melted butter, minced garlic, finely grated parmesan cheese, and a medley of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, and thyme will bring together a tapestry of savory and aromatic flavors that anyone will enjoy. Dip these tasty bite-sized treats into a full-bodied herbed marinara sauce for a decadent textural contrast and familiar flavor enhancement.

A homemade Cajun spice mix featuring paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme, and oregano will infuse your chips with a spicy kick. Turn the heat up by dunking these Louisiana-inspired pasta chips into a jalapeño ranch dressing.

Are you feeling sophisticated? Before air-frying, brush the boiled noodles with a vibrant chimichurri sauce made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil to impart a tangy herbaceousness to the snack and give you a lively burst of freshness.

If you're still stuck, think of your favorite potato chip flavor and replicate the ingredients that give them the signature flavor you've come to love. Rely on your spice cabinet, and don't shy away from being saucy — you can bake any flavor into air-fried pasta noodles, so make it an adventure!