The Genius Way To Give Pasta Salad A Crunchier Texture

Pasta salad is a hodgepodge of colors and flavors, from briny olives to cold cubes of cheese. If the bowl feels like it's missing a crunchy contrast, you might turn towards raw vegetables, but these can clash with soft pasta. There's a super simple solution that doesn't require adding more ingredients. The cooked pasta base can be air-fried for a crispy, toasted exterior and chewy inside.

Here's how to do it: After boiling your pasta al dente as usual, drain it, let it cool slightly, then toss it with a small amount of olive oil. Spread the pasta in a single layer in your air fryer basket — the olive oil will help prevent them from fusing together. Cook at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 minutes — for larger pasta, you'll need to cook for longer. Shake the basket halfway, or every five minutes, to prevent them from sticking.

Once golden and crisp (not burnt!), take it out of the air fryer and let the pasta cool for a few minutes. It should be incorporated into the rest of the salad ingredients right before serving and eating. If the crispy pasta pieces sit in the salad for too long, they'll start to absorb moisture and lose their texture. You could use the air-fried pasta as a mix-in to upgrade the pasta salad, but if you really love the texture, all of the pasta base could be air-fried.

Initially cooking your pasta to al dente is important because you don't want it to be soggy going into the air fryer. You could think of this crunchy component as croutons, and even season the noodles with Italian spices, Parmesan cheese, or a simple salt and pepper combo. Overcrowding the basket can steam the pasta instead of crisping it up, so cooking in smaller batches usually gives the best results. If you don't have an air fryer, the oven can be used at the same temperature, 375 degrees Fahrenheit, but it will take longer to crisp up — about 20 minutes.

If you're using freshly cooked pasta, patting it dry also helps, as excess moisture will keep those golden edges from forming. Smaller shapes like rotini, fusilli, penne, and farfalle tend to crisp up faster, and their ridges and folds develop extra crunch. However, a larger pasta style like shells could also bring an interesting component to the classic salad (these will take longer in the air fryer).

Some pasta salads call for crispy bacon, so crispy pasta offers a solid vegetarian alternative. The crunchy pasta pairs well with typical Mediterranean-style salads packed with olives, feta, cucumber, pepperoncini, and roasted red peppers. To maximize crunchy textures in the salad, consider also adding in some chopped romaine lettuce and sunflower seeds. If you need more inspiration, check out 14 more ingredients that will upgrade your pasta salad.