4 Ingredient Air Fryer crunchy Tortellini

If you love crunchy snacks and pasta, this Air Fryer Crispy Tortellini is ready to be your new favorite go-to recipe. Instead of boiling and serving tortellini the usual way, we’re breading and air frying these little pasta pillows until they’re golden, crisp, and irresistibly crunchy on the outside while staying soft and cheesy on the inside — all with far less oil than traditional frying.

Fried tortellini is, but we wanted to eliminate the oil and create a “healthier” version to our favorite snack, appetizer, or even lunch option. Also, try our crunchy tortilla chips made in the air fryer. Serve with pizza sauce, marinara, or eat the seasoned tortellini alone.

Give this air-fried tortellini appetizer a try and enjoy. Great for holidays, parties, and of course, game day snack food. Place on a serving platter with some crisp vegetables, and your usual dipping sauce, and serve up as a party appetizer. Or drizzle with a little sauce or olive oil and dive in.

Try out our Instant Pot Rigatoni for another pasta dinner idea. This is made with Italian sausage and a creamy marinara sauce mixture.

This Air Fried Tortellini Is…

• Battered
• Air Fried
• Crispy
• Cheesy
• Crunchy

Ingredients and Variations

Tortellini – You can use fresh refrigerator tortellini or frozen for this recipe. We used classic cheese-stuffed tortellini, but feel free to buy whatever tortellini you want.

Bread Crumbs – we used seasoned bread crumbs to minimize the number of ingredients. But you can swap for plain and add in your usual seasonings. Italian seasoning is another option to add to plain bread crumbs.

Egg – This is the wet mixture you will dip the pasta in, then dredge in the bread crumbs.

Oil – we used avocado oil to spritz the tortellini with. This will help to provide that golden crust you want.

Marinara – OPTIONAL but.

Here is a visual walkthrough on how to make crispy air-fried tortellini. The full directions and ingredient measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How to Make

Here is a visual walk through on how to make air fryer crispy tortellini. The full directions and measurements of ingredients are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step One: Preheat your air fryer as directed. We recommend preheating for 5 minutes to ensure the air fryer is nice and hot.

Step Two: Whisk eggs and place in a bowl, bread crumbs in another bowl and then work on dredging.

Step Three: Dip each tortellini pasta in the egg, followed by bread crumbs. Place in air fryer basket or tray.

Step Four: Air Fry, and spritz with oil if needed to help create a golden crust on the outside. We flip half way through the cook time and spritz the other side of the pasta.

Skip the fried appetizers and try this crispy tortellini recipe using your air fryer.

Garnish with fresh basil, parsley, additional seasoning, or even additional parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. We find a pop of fresh herbs helps to add color.

Pro Tips For Success

• Place your tortellini in a single layer in your basket or air-fryer tray. Otherwise, they will not cook evenly.
• Shake off excess egg and bread crumbs, making sure it isn’t too heavily coated, it can make a mess.
• Place an air fryer parchment liner to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
• Air fry in batches if you want to make extra. Then keep the extras warm in the oven at 200 degrees, placed in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate: You can store any tortellini you don’t eat in the fridge for 3-5 days. They will become softer in texture once cooled down. But to get a crispy texture again, you can warm them back up in the air fryer for a few minutes.

Freezing: Feel free to freeze any of your tortellini for up to 3 months. Just place in a freezer bag or container that is freezer-approved. Thaw in the fridge and reheat or warm up straight from the freezer.

Practical notes

A few common questions for this air fryer tortellini recipe.

What is the best tortellini to use for fried tortellini?

For making fried tortellini we recommend using refrigerated tortellini. You can find this is the dairy aisle by the butter. You are welcome to use frozen tortellini, but we find the breading can come off easier.

What goes well with tortellini?

You can pair your tortellini with a side salad and garlic bread, or use it as an appetizer. Or serve it with other appetizers for a party.

How to cook frozen tortellini for air fried tortellini?

You can use frozen tortellini to make fried tortellini. Cook till al dente as directed on the package. Then make sure to drain the pasta well or the breading will come off.

Can we bake in oven instead of air frying?

Go right ahead and make this recipe the same except place in a lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Flip over and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until nice and crispy. We still spray with oil this helps give it that golden color.

How do we make our air fryer crispy?

Spritzing food with cooking spray or an oil of your choice is going to give any food you cook a crispy texture. Adding extra time to the cooking process can also help the food become crispier as well.

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Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1 – 9 ounce package cheese tortellini
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• Oil for spritzing
• Marinara – optional

Equipment

• Air Fryer XL
• Air Fryer Oven

Method

1. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix up your eggs in a bowl creating a nice mix that is well incorporated.
2. In another bowl place the seasoned bread crumbs and set aside.
3. Take your fresh tortellini and begin dredging. If tortellini is frozen, then cook as directed on package till al dente. Then strain and dry well.
4. Dip each tortellini in the egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Place in a single layer in air fryer.
5. Spritz the tortellini with oil, and then cook for 5-6 minutes. Flip over, and spritz with oil again, and finish cooking.
6. Depending on air fryer and size of tortellini it will take another 6-9 minutes to cook. You want the outside to be nice and golden.
7. Remove the air fryer crispy tortellini and eat with marinara sauce or plain. These fried tortellini are great for serving as a snack, appetizer, or dinner.

Kitchen notes

Tortellini –

Any flavor or brand of tortellini works for this recipe. We used a cheese tortellini. Breadcrumbs – We used seasoned breadcrumbs but you can swap with plain and add your own seasonings to make your own flavor. You can also use panko breadcrumbs if you prefer. Single layer – Make sure to cook your pasta in a single layer or it will give you an uneven cook.