Citizens, there’s a new sheriff in Pasta Salad Town, and he’s as rugged and crusty as all get-out.

If this doesn’t sound appetizing to you, that’s because you haven’t laid eyes on it yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Dozens of social media foodies have been hard at work chopping veggies of every spring color while firing up the air fryer for Crispy Pasta Salad.

Their chosen plates are inspired by Greek salad, Caesar dressing and BLTs for possibilities that are seemingly endless.

It’s hard to say where the trend really started, because it’s an idea whose time has come. Crispy chickpea salad, crispy rice salad and crispy noodle salad have all had their 15 minutes of fame, and with dozens of existing recipes for crispy, air-fried pasta chips and dip as a novel snack, maybe this dish was a foregone conclusion.

That didn’t stop my jaw from dropping the first time I saw it, in the form of the viral version from German chef Table by Max.

He starts with al dente pasta, seasons generously and tops with Parmesan, air-fries until crispy and then adds to a chopped salad of lettuce, tomato, herbs and onion with a creamy yogurt dressing.

I have made snack time air-fried pasta out of both al dente dried pasta and unboiled fresh ravioli, and both are absolutely delicious — crunchy, chewy, and indulgent without the heaviness of the usual fried ravioli. Meanwhile, the pasta salad zone at many a potluck and buffet is a region of pasty, sour, one-note despair. All those colors, and yet it often has a texture that is the tactile equivalent of sad beige.

Surely this idea will solve all my spring potluck problems. Let’s try it!

Based on a deep and abiding love for my favorite Dense Bean Salad combo, I’ve opted for a Mediterranean-themed assemblage with farfalle, Parmesan, cucumbers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pepperoni, bell peppers, olives, feta, shallot, parsley and a creamy yogurt dressing very similar to Table by Max’s.

Once you crisp up your pasta, prep for this crunchy salad is a simple matter of chopping.
Once you crisp up your pasta, prep for this crunchy salad is a simple matter of chopping.Heather Martin

After boiling my pasta to al dente, about 1 minute under the package directions, I’ve coated it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic and Parmesan. It’s important to drain it well and let steam dry after cooking, or your pasta won’t crunch up properly.

Many recipes suggest air frying at 400 degrees for up to 15 minutes, but your mileage may vary. I know from previous experience that my air fryer needs 8 minutes at 385 degrees for the perfect crisp. (No air fryer? You can make this recipe with a conventional oven, too.)

Par-cooked pasta with oil, spices and a little Parm is quick to crisp in the air fryer.
Par-cooked pasta with oil, spices and a little Parm is quick to crisp in the air fryer.Heather Martin

After chopping my meat and veg, I stir in the dressing, and then add the pasta at the very last minute.

It looks absolutely gorgeous, but is it sturdy enough to hold up to scrutiny? I’m haunted by the ghosts of so many underwhelming pasta salads that I may be hard to please.

Pasta chips with chopped veggies and your favorite dressing makes a quick nutritious lunch.
Pasta chips with chopped veggies and your favorite dressing makes a quick nutritious lunch.Heather Martin

I love the aroma; there’s a roasty toasty aspect that no other pasta salad can provide. I also love the texture, which has a combination of vegetal crisp, cheesy crunch and glutenous chew that is unparalleled. I added some lemon at the end, and it was an important brightening note.

Still, I don’t love the salad as a whole. It’s much better than the average pasta salad, but that bar is low enough for potluck limbo. My husband and I had it for lunch but didn’t finish the modestly sized batch I made. After several bites, the chewing seemed almost cumbersome and just not worth the ho-hum payoff.

It’s important to note that this recipe is not suitable for meal prep unless you keep the veggies, dressing and pasta separate until just before you eat it. I tried a couple of bites after leaving it in the fridge for just two hours, and the texture had really suffered from the soaking.

I still love the idea, partly because with a high protein Greek yogurt dressing and more vegetables than pasta, it has a nutritional profile that’s tough to beat. But, something tells me the earliest one I could find, with pan-fried fresh tortellini as the main ingredient, would be a more successful antipasto innovation.

It’s hard to put my finger on what it’s lacking, but it might be that the sum of its parts is not quite as good as either a chopped salad or crispy pasta chips eaten alone. I think I would quite enjoy it as two isolated dishes served together and suggest they find a good divorce attorney.

The separation might be amicable, but Pasta Salad Town just ain’t big enough for the both of them.