Pasta Chips Nachos Snack (Printable)

Golden pasta chips baked crisp, topped with melted cheese, fresh tomatoes, jalapeño, and a tangy sauce for a flavorful snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta Chips

01 - 9 oz rigatoni or penne pasta
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Cheese & Toppings

07 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 medium tomato, diced
10 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
12 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 small avocado, diced

→ Zesty Sauce

14 - 1/2 cup sour cream
15 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
16 - Juice of 1/2 lime
17 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and pat dry thoroughly with a clean towel.
03 - Toss pasta with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
04 - Spread pasta in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Let cool for 5 minutes.
05 - Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
06 - On an oven-safe platter or skillet, layer half of the baked pasta chips and sprinkle with half the cheeses. Add remaining chips and top with remaining cheese.
07 - Return to oven for 3–5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Top with diced tomato, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and avocado. Drizzle with the prepared zesty sauce and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you put way more effort in than you actually did—your guests will be genuinely surprised.
  • Everything is vegetarian, shareable, and honestly just fun to eat with your hands.
  • You can prep the chips ahead and assemble them fresh, which is the kind of move that makes entertaining feel less stressful.
02 -
  • Drying the pasta after cooking makes all the difference between chips and chewy sadness; don't skip the towel step.
  • The avocado goes on at the very last second—add it any earlier and it'll start to brown and lose that buttery appeal you want.
03 -
  • Pat that cooked pasta completely dry before seasoning—any leftover water turns to steam and makes your chips less crispy.
  • Use a really good quality cheddar if you can find it; the flavor difference between decent and great cheese is noticeable once they've melted over warm pasta.
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