Ditalini with Air-Fried Veggies (Printable)

Tender ditalini pasta combined with air-fried veggies and a light olive oil dressing, bursting with fresh herb flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz ditalini pasta
02 - Salt, 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, to taste (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli with olive oil, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
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. Cook ditalini according to package directions until al dente, then drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
05 - In a large serving bowl, mix the cooked pasta with air-fried vegetables. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, add Parmesan, lemon zest, and chopped fresh herbs. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired consistency.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm, garnished with additional Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your kitchen smells like a Mediterranean restaurant in about 20 minutes flat.
  • Every vegetable gets slightly caramelized and crispy, even the ones your family usually pushes to the side.
  • You can literally use whatever vegetables are hiding in your fridge without changing a single measurement.
  • It feels intentional and restaurant-worthy, but honestly requires almost no skill.
02 -
  • Don't skip shaking the air fryer basket halfway through; it sounds like one of those instructions people ignore, but it's the difference between unevenly cooked and perfectly caramelized vegetables.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—starchy pasta water is what transforms this from a dry pile of ingredients into something that actually feels like a sauce.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket; vegetables steam instead of crisp, and you'll wish you'd just put them all in a sheet pan instead.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil matters for the finish; it's the difference between tasting like olive oil and tasting like you made something on purpose.
Go Back