The Genius Way To Give Pasta Salad Crunch Without Adding Extra Ingredients

Of all of the deli salads out there — including egg salad, tuna salad, and potato salad — we'd have to say we're partial to pasta salad. Not only is it an excellent way to use up leftover noodles, but it's also so customizable, and there are many recipes to look to for inspiration. The best pasta salads are all about diversity — not just in terms of flavor, but also in texture. 

If you want to elevate your pasta salad and introduce a uniquely crunchy component — besides just using chopped carrots, cabbage, or some other toothsome veggie — you may want to swap your plain pasta for an air-fried version. Normal cooked pasta is soft and squidgy, but when you douse your cooked pasta in oil and add it to your air-fryer basket, you'll get a far crispier and more delicious contrasting element for your salad. When you're air-frying your pasta, just make sure to space out the pasta on the tray so that it gets crispy rather than mushy. This pasta salad hack, which has garnered interest from the TikTok foodie community, can be used for almost any pasta shape or salad.

Elevating your noodles is one of the best ways to create the ultimate pasta salad, simply because it's not everyone's usual go-to. Swapping out one pasta shape for another is more common than giving your noodles the perfect crispy exterior with the help of your air fryer — but let this be your sign to try the latter (or both!) You can also get creative with the seasonings you add to your noodles. Coat your air-fried pasta chips with Parmesan, salt, and pepper for an Italian-inspired pasta salad; pair this rendition with a Caprese pasta salad with mozzarella balls, basil, and tomato. Or, if you prefer a more Mediterranean pasta salad with crumbled feta, fresh veggies, and a light vinaigrette, add a more herb-forward Greek seasoning.

Crisping up your noodles is far from the only way you can introduce crunch into your pasta salad. Some of the other possibilities include adding sesame seeds for extra crunch. One of our favorite low-effort hacks is to use bagged slaw. You won't have to do any extra chopping; just grab your favorite variety from the grocery store and integrate it into your salad with the rest of the ingredients. Regardless of your chosen crunchy element, be sure to avoid overdressing your salad and letting it sit for too long — otherwise, it'll be soggy.