Learn how to make air fryer Parmesan crisps! These keto Parmesan crisps are an easy one ingredient recipe. Aside from being nearly carb-free, these high protein chips are delicious and inexpensive to make. You’ll love how this Parmesan cheese crisps recipe has crispy edges and a (very slightly) softer center. They're a super low carb snack or appetizer, and a healthy alternative to potato chips.
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🧀 Air Fryer Parmesan Crisps
These Parmesan crisps are based on a traditional Italian appetizer called frico. In their simplest form, they’re thin cheese crisps that are naturally keto-friendly. This Parmesan crisps air fryer recipe combines those tasty Old World flavors with the modern convenience of air frying. It’s the best!
What are Parmesan crisps made of?
What do you need to make this Parmesan chips air fryer recipe? Here is the ingredients list:
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded Parmesan cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese)
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That’s it for ingredients! You could also add some salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried herbs, or your favorite seasoning. Don't use grated Parmesan cheese here, as it tends to blow around more in the air fryer.
I tested making homemade air fryer cheese crisps on parchment paper and in a small metal muffin tin. I recommend making Parmesan crisps in a muffin tin for the best texture. The crisps made on parchment didn’t hold their shape as well, stayed too soft, and some melted together.
Here is the muffin tin I use that fits in my air fryer oven. If your air fryer is too small to fit a muffin tin, I am providing oven directions too. You can make this parmesan crisps recipe in a Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, etc. But you may need to adjust cooking time or temp depending on the air fryer you use.
➕ How to Make Parmesan Crisps in Air Fryer
Here are the step-by-step directions to make air fryer Parmesan crisps:
- Place about 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese in each compartment of a small metal muffin tin. Cheese contains a lot of fat, so you don’t need to use cooking oil spray first.
- Put the muffin tin in the air fryer and air fry for 4-6 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C), or until the edges crisp up and become golden brown. You don’t need to preheat the air fryer first. (Air fryer ovens: use top rack.) Season them after air frying, if desired.
- Let the Parmesan crisps cool for 3-5 minutes; they’ll continue to firm up in the middles. Then remove them from the muffin tin (use a butter knife if needed), blot any excess oil with a paper towel, and enjoy.
Oven directions: Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a dark baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 2 tablespoon heaps of Parmesan on the prepared baking tray, evenly spaced apart.
Bake cheese chips for 7-8 minutes in the top third of the preheated oven. After baking, remove the parm crisps from the oven and let them cool for at least 5-10 minutes.
You should be able to remove them easily from the muffin tin or parchment paper once they have cooled adequately. It may be tempting, but please don't try to grab a crisp right after removing them from the oven. The cheese is sizzling and needs time to firm up!
📖 Recipe
Watch How to Make It!
Air Fryer Parmesan Crisps (Keto Protein Crisps Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded parmesan cheese or shaved parmesan cheese)
- salt and pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Place about 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese in each compartment of a small metal muffin tin.
- Put the muffin tin in the air fryer and air fry for 4-6 minutes at 400℉ (200°C), or until the edges crisp up and become golden brown. You don’t need to preheat the air fryer first. (Air fryer ovens: use top rack.) Season them after air frying, if desired.
- Let the Parmesan crisps cool for 3-5 minutes; they’ll continue to firm up as they cool. Then remove them from the muffin tin (use a butter knife if needed), blot any excess oil with a paper towel, and enjoy.
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Are Parm crisps a healthy snack? I do consider Parmesan crisps to be a nutritional win over your standard potato chip. One ounce of regular potato chips provides approximately 150 calories and 2 grams of protein. In comparison, 1 ounce of these cheese crisps is about 118 calories with 11 grams of protein. Plus, Parmesan crisps are an excellent source of calcium and kids love them! Parmesan also supplies a variety of other essential vitamins and minerals. This includes riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus. That said, if you know you have a propensity to overeat cheese, this might not be the best snack option for you. One factor that can stall weight loss in those following ketogenic or low-carb diets is the overconsumption of cheese and nuts. These foods pack a lot of calories into a small volume. Even if you are not explicitly counting calories, you still need to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight. It can be useful to know which items are more energy-dense if you have a weight loss goal, regardless of your dietary approach. Nutrition information is for one serving of the recipe.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
Nutrition
FAQs
What is the shelf life of Parmesan crisps?
You can technically store Parmesan crisps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze them. However, this recipe is easy to scale up or down, so I highly recommend making them fresh. If you let them sit too long, the crisps can pick up moisture in the air and become soggy.
How do you eat Parmesan crisps?
Parmesan crisps are great on top of a salad, or you can snack on them with your favorite dipping sauce like salsa, marinara sauce, or guacamole. I like to think of these high protein chips as a healthy substitute for croutons.
Do Parmesan crisps have carbs?
Though most Parmesan crisps do have carbohydrates, they are a negligible amount (per Cronometer). This Parmesan crisp recipe makes crisps with <1 gram of carb per crisp.
👩🍳 More Air Fryer Recipes
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👨🍳 More Keto Recipes
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Hello! I'm Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create high quality content for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
Terrified Amateur says
First of all, Summer, the recognition is greatly appreciated! Of course, my face is about as red as the salsa served alongside. And I'm anticipating the Parmesan chips as eagerly.
Come to think of it, Summer, you most definitely are in the business of realizing dreams. You gather your readers' wishes, both for a healthier diet or, as in my case, for something good to eat, and you find a way to make them so. In a mouthwatering and visually stunning way too.
Oh, would you believe I've heard before of frico? When you're making pan pizza, it's the crispy, lacy wall of cheese crowning the crust. Hey, I'm from Chicago, and, you know, we kinda specialize in deep-dish. We should see frico-ringed pie on the site sometime in 2022...
Anyway, in the more immediate future, you've inspired pairing your Parmesan crisps with tomato soup or with gazpacho. How perfect a lunch for the first chilly day later this month. Piercing gusts outside, deepening cozy satisfaction inside. My, oh my, Summer, I'm going to need a moment...
Chalk up another dream on your board, boss!
Summer Yule says
You are welcome! You deserve the credit for this one. I'll keep an eye out for the frico-ringed pie appearance on your site a couple of years from now. Meanwhile, I am over here still working on recipes for November. Hahaha
K Gardiner says
So easy & one of the easiest & tastiest recipes from an air fryer , nice with a dab of tomatoe sauce .
Summer Yule says
Aww, thank you so much for the feedback, this made my morning! 😀
Terrified Amateur says
Great concept, Summer, which you've realized beautifully. As always.
Do you reckon they'd work when using nothing but Parmesan?
Until recently, I thought I didn't care for cheese. That changed when Parmesan took the stage. Maybe...Parmesan, and a grind or two of pepper. What do you think?
Summer Yule says
It might! There's no harm in throwing a tablespoon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and trying it, eh? I'm glad you're able to see some of my newer posts now. Hopefully you won't have issues again 🙂 Maybe one day I will have a tech team to running things behind the scenes. haha
Brian Hardin says
Great chip idea and even better: Fantastic tips on how to properly make them! Thanks for posting!
Summer Yule says
Happy you liked it! It's certainly one of the easier recipes here!