These crispy air fryer tortellini are delicious bite-sized snacks! Cheesy tortellini is coated in breadcrumbs and air fried for a dish that has a crunchy texture filled with gooey melty cheese.
Cooking this crispy pasta is fun and easy. Dip it in your favorite tomato sauce, and you will have the perfect dish for dinner or a family movie night.
If you enjoy air fryer ravioli, you will love this bite-size toasted tortellini recipe! These are a little more complicated to make than ravioli because they involve a two-step cooking process. But the extra effort pays off big time!
Are you looking for more easy air fryer appetizers? Try air fryer pasta chips or Cheetos cheese cubes!
Key Ingredients
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Tortellini – I prefer to make this recipe with dry or fresh tortellini. It is possible to use frozen ones too, but the timing is a little trickier. Get more details about air frying frozen tortellini below.
Cornstarch – Cornstarch is used to dry the pasta after cooking so that it gets crispy. This recipe calls for a lot of cornstarch, so you might need to add an extra box to your shopping list!
Eggs – The eggs coat the pasta so that the breadcrumbs stick.
Panko breadcrumbs – These form the outer coating on the crispy bite-sized snacks. You can use regular breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Parmesan cheese – The cheese adds flavor to the coating.
Spices – Italian seasoning, Garlic powder, and onion powder help flavor the coating. Add some red pepper flakes if you want to make things spicier.
Cooking spray – Use a spray bottle filled with oil to coat the pasta. Don’t use commercial spray oil since those contain preservatives that can damage the nonstick finish of the basket. You can buy an inexpensive spray bottle on Amazon.
How to Make Air Fried Tortellini
1. Boil the Tortellini
For this recipe, it works best to partially cook the tortellini in boiling water and then finish cooking them in the air fryer. So bring a big pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
Add the tortellini and cook them for 2 minutes if fresh and 4 minutes if dry. As a rule of thumb, cook for half the time suggested on the package.
Drain them immediately and run them under cold water for a minute or two so they don’t continue to cook.
2. Coat with Breading
Set up for the dipping process by getting out three shallow bowls. Add the cornstarch to one bowl along with the garlic powder and onion powder, stirring to combine.
Put the eggs in another shallow bowl and whisk them together.
Combine the panko, parmesan, and Italian seasoning in the last bowl and mix.
Put a handful of the drained tortellini in the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat well. Then move them to the egg mixture.
Finally, move them to the breadcrumb mixture. Toss to coat them in the bread crumbs.
3. Air Fry
Preheat the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2 minutes. Then put the breaded tortellini in the basket of the air fryer. Make sure to keep them in a single layer, which means you will probably need to cook in batches.
Spray them with cooking spray. Don’t drench them, just mist them enough to moisten the breading. Cook them at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Pull the basket out halfway through the cooking time and flip them over or shake.
They are done when they are golden color and crispy. Observe in the last 2-3 minutes and stop cooking if the cheese starts coming out.
Serving Ideas
Serve air fryer tortellini as a snack or an appetizer along with a sauce for dipping. Marinara sauce or pesto are delicious sauces that go well with this recipe. Garlic bread makes an excellent accompaniment to this fun appetizer. Make tortellini pasta salad for another great way use up this versatile pasta.
How to Store
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They will lose some crispness over time. Put them back in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for 5 minutes when you are ready to serve the leftovers.
FAQ
Yes, but I find it a little trickier to get the timing right with frozen, so I’d suggest getting dry instead since it is readily available. If you want to use frozen, the key is not overcooking the pasta in boiling water. Follow the recipe below, but adjust the cooking time in the boiling water to half of what the package suggests.
Yes. Cook them in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes or until they are crisp. Flip them over every 5 minutes for the best results.
Yes. You can air fry refrigerated tortellini at 370 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Spray it with a bit of oil and sprinkle on some garlic powder.
Key Tips for This Recipe
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
Make sure not to overcook the pasta when you boil it. The tortellini should end up only partially cooked. Cook them for about half the time suggested on the package.
This recipe calls for a lot of cornstarch. Make sure you have enough in the pantry!
Don’t use commercial spray oil because it contains preservatives that can damage the nonstick finish. Buy an inexpensive spray bottle and fill it with oil. This is my favorite affordable spray bottle
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Air Fryer Tortellini Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini dry or fresh *see note
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Put a big pot of salted water on the stove and heat it to boiling. Add the tortellini and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes for dry or 2 minutes for fresh.9 ounces cheese tortellini
- Immediately drain them, so they don’t continue to cook. Run cold water over them for a minute.
- Prepare three bowls for dipping. In the first bowl, add the cornstarch along with the garlic powder and onion powder. Stir to mix.2/3 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- In the second bowl, add the eggs and whisk.3 large eggs
- Then combine the panko, parmesan, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl and stir.1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- Add tortellini to the cornstarch mixture a handful at a time. Coat well.
- Transfer the coated tortellini to your egg mixture.
- Finally, put the egg-coated tortellini to your panko mixture. Coat them well in the breading.
- Preheat air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2 minutes.
- Put the tortellini in the air fryer basket, keeping them in a single layer. Spray them with cooking spray.cooking spray
- Cook them at 350 for 10 minutes. Pull the basket out and flip them over or shake it halfway through the cooking time. They are done when they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with marinara sauce or pesto as a dipping sauce.
Notes
- You can use frozen tortellini, but I find it a little trickier to get the timing right. The key is not overcooking the pasta in boiling water. Follow the recipe, but adjust the cooking time in the boiling water to half of what the package suggests.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta when you boil it. The tortellini should end up only partially cooked.
- Don’t use commercial spray oil because it contains preservatives that can damage the nonstick finish.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
