Air Fryer Tortellini is a quick and easy appetizer or snack! Cheese tortellini is breaded and cooked in the air fryer until it’s hot and crispy. Serve them with a marinara sauce on the side for dipping!
We use our air fryer to cook many dishes, but, more often than not, we use it to make easy appetizers. This air fryer tortellini recipe is quick, easy, and delicious and a great way to enjoy a crispy snack without all the oil of deep-frying.
If you like easy air fryer recipes, I think you’ll enjoy this one. All you do is boil some tortellini and then bread them in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture flavored with dried herbs and Parmesan cheese. They’re great as a party appetizer or game-day snack.
We like to serve them with some marinara sauce on the side for dipping. The breadcrumb coating tastes like it was fried, but it’s a lot healthier since they’re cooked in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- Cheese tortellini – you can use refrigerated tortellini or frozen.
- Breadcrumbs
- All-purpose flour
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Large eggs
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped parsley for garnish
- Marinara sauce for dipping
How to Make Fried Tortellini in Air Fryer
Boil the tortellini following the package instructions. Drain and then set them aside to cool.
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Next, set up your breading bowls. Place the flour in one shallow bowl and add the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Whisk the eggs in a second shallow bowl and, in a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, half of the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Coat the tortellini with flour and then dip them in the whisked eggs. Roll them in the breadcrumbs and then place them on the baking sheet.
Once the tortellini are breaded, place them in a single layer in the air fryer. Don’t stack them – if needed, cook them in batches.
Cook them for three to four minutes and then turn them over. Cook them for three to five minutes longer or until they are hot and crispy. Repeat with the rest of the tortellini.
Pile them on a serving plate and sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley over the top. Serve them with marinara sauce or pesto sauce on the side for dipping.
Recipe Tips
After you boil the tortellini and drain them, spread them on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. This will keep them from sticking to each other as they cool.
There are a couple of ways to speed up the breading step:
- Place the flour mixture in a resealable bag (instead of a dish), and you can coat about ten tortellini at a time this way.
- You can also place several egg-coated tortellini in the breadcrumbs at a time to coat them.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. The breaded tortellini should have space between them, so they cook evenly. You can keep cooked batches on a sheet pan in a warm oven, so they don’t get cold while you air fry the rest. The next time you want a fun snack, I hope you try this easy tortellini air fryer recipe. The combination of cheese, pasta, and crispy breadcrumb coating are great. Enjoy!
More Recipes to Try in Your Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Air Fryer Tortellini Recipe
Ingredients
- 16- ounce package cheese tortellini we used frozen, but you can use refrigerated
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese divided
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
- Marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Cook tortellini as per directions on the package. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Preheat Air Fryer to 350°F
- Get three shallow dishes out. Pie dishes work very well. Add flour to one, two eggs whisked to the second and breadcrumbs in the third. Add salt and pepper to the flour and combine. Add ½ parmesan cheese, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and combine well.
- Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat tortellini with flour, then dip in the egg mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet. Note: It can get a bit tedious doing these one tortellini at a time. You can place the flour mixture in a plastic bag and cover about 10 tortellini at once to save time. You can also put several in the breadcrumbs at a time to coat them.
- Place tortellini in an even layer in the air fryer and they shouldn’t be touching. You will have to do more than one batch. Cook for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with Marinara sauce or Pesto and the remaining parmesan cheese. Garnish with Parsley.
Nutrition
This Air Fryer Tortellini recipe is quick, easy, and delicious and a great way to enjoy a crispy snack without all the oil of deep-frying.
Mel is an IT guy turned blogger and is discovering his love of cooking and photography. If you ever have Fantasy Football questions, he's your guy.
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