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Air fryer tortilla strips: Snack & salad topper

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Text: Air fryer tortilla strips for salads, soups, and snacks. Salad in bowl with tortilla strips.

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.

Crunchy tortilla strips on a salad in bowl.

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.

Overhead salad bowl with air fryer 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

Hands cutting corn tortillas with kitchen shears.

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.

Tortilla strips in 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.

Overhead table with bowl of soup, lime wedges, and avocado.

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.

Southwestern salad in bowl with tortilla strips on top.

Crunchy tortilla strips on a salad in bowl.

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.

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Posted On: July 23, 2019
Comment: Leave a Comment

About Cadry

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

  1. Kathryn Grace says

    July 23, 2019 at 3:13 pm

    5 stars
    Terrific idea. I love crunchy tortilla strips on a salad so much! An air fryer setting and a wire basket came with the toaster oven I bought when I had to replace my old one last year. I quickly discovered I could make homemade tortilla chips with it. We don’t even use oil or salt, letting the crunch of the chips and the herbs and spices in the dips we like with them add that extra flavor punch. My grandkids especially love them with homemade hummus. Can’t wait to try your idea of cutting strips for salads.I bet they’d go nicely as toppings for some Mexicali casseroles too, yes?

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      July 23, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      That’s great to know that you’ve had success making oil free chips! I’ll add that in the notes section of the recipe. And that’s a good point about the dips you’re serving alongside the chips having extra herbs and spices to bring an added boost of flavor. Thanks, Kathryn!

      Reply
  2. Shell says

    July 31, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    As I read this post, I was also thinking that I would like to cut them in triangles and make chips. It’s good to see that Kathryn has had success with that. I think my family would enjoy the strips as well! A great new salad topper!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      August 1, 2019 at 8:02 am

      Absolutely! There are so many fun possibilities. When I make the triangular chips, I’d like to add some extra seasonings too!

      Reply
  3. Karen Pirone says

    November 28, 2020 at 12:24 pm

    5 stars
    They are certainly quick and easy. I used mine to top chicken tortilla soup! I think these might also be good with some cinnamon as a snack treat also!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 29, 2020 at 8:34 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them, Karen.That’s a great idea to top with cinnamon, and maybe some sugar too!

      Reply

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Welcome

Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food & travel blog. It features plant-based comfort food classics that are ready in about 30 minutes.

You can also find travelogues & recommendations on where to eat vegan while traveling - even in unlikely places!

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

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