Air fryer tortilla strips: Snack & salad topper

Air fryer tortilla strips are a fast & tasty alternative to fried corn chips. Have them as a snack on their own. Or use them as a crunchy topping on salads and soups. Ready in less than 10 minutes. Vegan & gluten-free.

The air fryer gets a lot of use in my house. When it’s not cooking full meals like vegan lasagna or crustless mini vegan quiche, I use it for garnishes and toppings.

I make vegan croutons, homemade pita chips, and fried chickpeas.

Adding to the list are these air fried tortilla strips.

Fried tortilla strips are a crunchy & salty addition to salads & soups. They give an extra texture that makes lunch a little more fun.

I have a Southwestern salad recipe that I’ll be sharing soon, which features them as a garnish. It’s topped with creamy cashew salad dressing.

Of course, you could easily buy fried tortilla strips sold in bags. Or you could make your own by deep frying tortilla strips in oil.

However, making them in the air fryer provides a snack that is made with very little oil. Plus, they’re ready in less than 10 minutes with minimal clean-up. (No oil splatters here!)

How to make them

Grab a pair of kitchen shears. Cut a corn tortilla into long, ½ inch wide strips.

After you’ve cut one or two tortillas into strips, put them in the air fryer basket.

Give the strips an even spray of oil. Then add a pinch of salt.

Air fry them at 360 degrees for 4 minutes. The color doesn’t change much on the tortillas, but they should have the perfect crunch.

How to use them

• Eat the tortilla strips on their own as a snack
• Dip them in guacamole
• Use them as a crunchy garnish on salads, vegan tortilla soup, and lentil chili

How to keep them crunchy

These air fryer tortilla chips are best when they are fresh & hot. If you store them in a baggie, they lose their crunch as they cool & become more difficult to chew.

So I recommend making just the amount you need and eating them right away.

And if you’re having them on a soup or salad, add them in small amounts as you eat, so that they don’t take on the moisture of their surroundings. You want them to keep their maximum amount of crunch.

Crunchy tortilla strips

These crisp strips come together in just minutes. Eat them on their own as a snack, dip them in guacamole, or use them as a topper on salads or soups.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer, corn snacks, salad topper

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 57kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 corn tortilla
• ▢ Spritz oil spray
• ▢ Pinch salt

Instructions

• ▢
  Use kitchen shears to cut a corn tortilla into long, 1/2 inch wide strips. Once all of the strips have been cut, put them into the air fryer basket.
• ▢
  Spray the corn tortilla strips with a spritz of oil. Then add a pinch of salt.
• ▢
  Air fry at 360 degrees for 4 minutes. Remove from basket, and eat right away.

Video

Notes

These corn tortillas are best served when they are still warm. I recommend only making them as needed, because when left in a baggie for storage, they quickly lose their crunch.

If you prefer oil-free recipes, reader Kathryn said in the comments that she air fries tortilla chips with no oil or salt with good results. 

Nutrition

Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

For more air fryer recipes, check out the air fryer section of my recipe index.