Ditalini with air-fried vegetables (Print out)

Quick pasta with air-fried veggies, olive oil dressing, fresh herbs, and Parmesan—perfect for leftover vegetables.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz ditalini pasta
02 - Salt, as needed for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 small zucchini, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 cup broccoli florets
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Dressing & Finish

12 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley
15 - Zest of ½ lemon
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Set air fryer to 400°F and allow to heat.
02 - In a large bowl, combine zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli with olive oil, dried herbs, salt, and black pepper; toss to coat evenly.
03 - Arrange vegetables in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook ditalini according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
05 - In a large serving bowl, mix the drained pasta with the air-fried vegetables. Add extra-virgin olive oil, Parmesan, lemon zest, and fresh basil or parsley; toss well, adding reserved pasta water gradually to reach desired moisture.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm, garnished with additional Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, especially if your vegetables are already chopped.
  • The air fryer does the heavy lifting while you boil pasta, so everything finishes at exactly the right moment.
  • You'll use whatever's hiding in your fridge without a shopping list, which somehow always tastes better.
  • It's light enough for a weeknight but feels substantial enough to actually satisfy.
02 -
  • Don't skip shaking the air fryer basket halfway through—it's the difference between evenly browned vegetables and some pieces turning dark while others stay pale.
  • Save your pasta water before draining; that starchy liquid is what brings everything together into a silky coating rather than a dry, sad tangle.
  • Taste the dressing separately before tossing because it seems light and then suddenly it's enough for the whole dish.
03 -
  • Keep the vegetables roughly the same size so everything finishes cooking at the same time—this is more important than using the exact vegetables I listed.
  • Fresh Parmesan makes a real difference, especially if you grate it right before tossing because it melts slightly into the warm pasta and becomes part of the sauce rather than gritty specks.
  • If your finishing herbs and lemon zest feel like they're optional, you're wrong—they're what transforms this from ordinary to something people ask you to make again.
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