These homemade restaurant-quality tortilla chips use a fraction of the oil by crisping them up in the air fryer. Keep it classic using just oil and salt or add some maple sugar for an addictive sweet and salty crunch!
Mexican food has truly become a family-favorite in my household. Veggie black bean tacos on Taco Tuesday was just the beginning. Now I find I'm making other dishes on the regular such as taquitos, enchiladas and burrito bowls, and my husband and kids can't seem to get enough of them.
But just like any authentic Mexican restaurant, we have to start with tortilla chips! We love salsa and guacamole - so simple yet so satisfying every single time. I also love taking it up a notch from time to time with my favorite dips such as black bean dip or even a quick 7-layer dip.
But with all these nutritious homemade appetizers and meals, I recently started thinking about the tortilla chips we were using. Store-bought chips are convenient and perfectly fine to use, but why not make Mexican night more authentic with fresh, warm and crispy chips? The result from using simple ingredients is so much better than any bag from the grocery store.
The Different Ways to Make Tortilla Chips
Making my own tortilla chips was actually pretty straightforward, as they basically consist of just corn or flour tortillas with oil and salt (and it is amazing how they compare to store-bought tortilla chips!). The cooking method, however, took a little more to work through.
Deep frying on the stovetop takes just minutes but tends to get messy and not be the most approachable method for everyday home cooks. Baking in the oven uses a lot less oil and is a great way but can take upwards of 25-30 minutes of cooking time.
The solution? Bust out the air fryer! Making homemade chips in the air fryer takes the best of both worlds, serving up golden brown tortilla chips in minutes while using only a little bit of oil.
I started by making classic tortilla chips with just oil and salt and they came out exactly as I was hoping. Then I began experimenting with a little sweetness and eventually landed on the perfect salty and sweet combination!
Ingredients
- Tortillas: Both corn and flour tortillas work depending on preference for the type of tortilla. I prefer almond flour tortillas by Siete (not sponsored) because they are gluten-free and also very thin which helps with crispiness. Yellow corn tortillas are gluten-free too but I unfortunately have a sensitivity to corn - my family enjoys them though!
- Oil: Any oil will do. I prefer avocado oil or olive oil. A little oil is all you need.
- Salt: I typically use fine salt.
- Maple sugar (optional): Maple sugar (or coconut sugar) gives these chips a subtle sweetness. I use just enough so that the saltiness still comes through.
How to Make Air-Fried Tortilla Chips
This recipe is super simple and actually really fun to make! Anyone can do it because it is essentially just brushing some oil, salt and sugar on tortillas and then slicing them up before letting the air fryer do the rest.
1. Season the tortillas. Brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil using a silicone pastry brush and sprinkle both sides with salt and maple sugar.
2. Cut the tortillas. Stack the tortillas on top of each other and cut them into 6 slices using either a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. This is the easiest way to cut tortillas and is also the most efficient.
3. Load the basket. Place the tortilla wedges into the air fryer basket. Placing them in a single layer so that no wedges overlap will get them slightly crispier, but that would require multiple batches and the difference in crispiness isn't significant.
4. Air fry the wedges. Air fry at 350˚F for 8 minutes, tossing halfway through (with tongs) for even cooking. Allow them to cool for two minutes to crisp up and then enjoy!
Recipe Tips
If you've already sliced the tortillas before seasoning: No problem! Another easy method is to whisk together the olive oil, salt and maple sugar in a mixing bowl and then add the tortilla wedges to toss them until fully coated for best results.
Switch up the seasonings: You can make add seasonings to make any flavor you want, which is what makes homemade air fryer tortilla chips so much fun. Keep it classic with just salt, spice it up with some chili powder, add some tang with some lime juice or make it more of a dessert chip with cinnamon. You really can't go wrong!
Serving Suggestions
Tortilla chips go with just about everything in my opinion:
Nachos: Spread these chips across a baking sheet to use for vegan sheet pan nachos and load them up with your favorite toppings.
Dips: Tortilla chips of course pair wonderfully as a snack with dips such as pico de gallo, guacamole and vegan queso, but the list isn't limited to just Mexican. I love dipping these chips in cowboy caviar, Mediterranean hummus and roasted garlic dip as well!
Salads: These chips make for an addictive salty and crunchy addition overtop any lettuce-based salad such as my vegan protein kale salad or simple side salad.
Soups: I love serving my own homemade tortilla chips as a garnish to hearty soups such as tomato white bean soup or black bean soup.
Storage and Reheating
These tortilla chips are best in terms of crispiness when fresh. Store leftover chips at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the air fryer for 2 minutes to help with crisping them back up.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Looking to make life easier on other dishes as well? Use the air fryer for snacks or sides such as crispy sweet potato fries or hash browns. You can also save time cooking veggies such as roasted garlic, cauliflower and even asparagus!
I hope you enjoy these vegan and gluten-free tortilla chips (paleo too if using almond flour tortillas)! If you make this recipe, please share a picture on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Homemade Crispy Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 4
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These homemade restaurant-quality tortilla chips use a fraction of the oil by crisping them up in the air fryer. Keep it classic using just oil and salt or add some maple sugar for an addictive sweet and salty crunch!
Ingredients
6 tortillas (corn or flour - I prefer almond flour tortillas)
1 tbsp. avocado oil (or any oil you prefer)
½ tsp. fine salt
½ tsp. maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
Instructions
- Brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and maple sugar.
- Stack the tortillas on top of each other and cut them into 6 slices using either a knife or a pizza cutter.
- Place the tortilla wedges into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Placing them in a single layer so that no wedges overlap will get them slightly crispier, but that would require multiple batches and the difference in crispiness isn't significant.
- Air fry at 350˚F for 8 minutes, tossing halfway through for even cooking. Allow them to cool for two minutes to crisp up then enjoy!
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 8
- Category: Snack
- Method: Air Fryer
rebecca says
such a great way to use up those last few corn tortillas! they come out so crispy!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you! Yes for sure - such a great way to use them up! Glad you enjoyed the crispiness!