Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Rice Paper Puffs

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

I took my crispy cheesy rice paper rolls and gave them the upgrade they deserved. Ham, chives, and the same double wrap that puffs up in the air fryer. These air fryer rice paper ham and cheese puffs come out crispy outside, a little chewy in the layers, with gooey melted cheese and savory ham buried in the middle. The cheese-only version was already poppin’, but adding ham and chives gives you something that actually eats like a meal 🤯 If you liked the original, do NOT sleep on this one!

Get Recipe Ingredients

View this reel on Instagram

What Makes These Air Fryer Rice Paper Ham and Cheese Puffs So Good

The textures are INSANE. There’s the shell, which blisters and cracks when you bite it, then chewy little layers underneath where the sheets fuse together, and then that molten core of stringy mozzarella and salty honey ham. And the chives cut through all of it with a fresh onion pop that I didn’t expect to matter as much as it does!

Plus, this idea has clearly escaped my kitchen, because even Food Network has a ham and cheese rice paper version now. If you’d rather use an oven, my baked rice paper ham and cheese rolls take the same filling and bake it in a bed of shredded mozzarella so the cheese crisps into lacy edges around the outside.

For a completely different direction with the same rice paper and air fryer setup, Air Fryer Spicy Salmon Wraps pack Kewpie mayo spicy salmon and nori inside and come out crackling and sushi-inspired.

What Happens If You Put Rice Paper in the Air Fryer?

It transforms completely, which still surprises me every time. Brushed with a little oil and heated, rice paper blisters and crisps into a light shell that cracks apart more like a fried wonton than anything you’d expect from a soft translucent sheet. Dipping it in egg first is what keeps the layers chewy and pliable instead of cracking apart on you, and that contrast is the entire appeal. Air fry at 350F and you get edges that go deep golden with no deep frying anywhere in sight! Not Quite Nigella has been playing with the same crispy rice paper idea, so I’m clearly not the only one hooked on it.

That same transformation is what makes Crispy Rice Paper Wings so wild, where a whole chicken wing gets wrapped in a sheet, deep-fried so the outside shatters, and seasoned with a dry Korean BBQ rub. If you want to take that same transformation in a savory seafood direction, these teriyaki salmon rice paper chips seal Bachan’s-glazed salmon inside rice paper and flash-fry it into crispy, shatter-when-you-bite-them chips.

Tips for the Crispiest Rice Paper Puffs

1. Double-wrap every puff

Two sheets each, and this is what separates a crispy puff from a floppy one. The outer sheet does the crisping while the inner one holds everything together and stops the cheese blowing out the side. Work with one sheet at a time though, because rice paper turns sticky and completely unmanageable about ten seconds after it hits the egg.

2. Dip in egg, don’t soak

A quick full dip is all you need. The egg is what keeps those layers chewy and pliable rather than brittle, and it helps them brown properly. It’s the same egg-dip I used on my rice paper croissant, where I said you could take it savory and fill it with ham and cheese. Turns out I was right about that one!

3. Seal it, oil it, sesame it

Fold the sides in tight and press the seams down so the cheese stays where you put it. Brush each puff lightly with oil for even browning, then sprinkle the black and white sesame seeds on and press them in so you don’t find them all loose in the bottom of the basket afterwards.

4. Watch them from minute 8

Air fry at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the shell is crispy and golden. Every air fryer runs a little different, so start peeking at 8. You’re going for deep golden and blistered, and pale is the one outcome you don’t want here.

Storage and Leftovers

These want to be eaten hot, right when the cheese is still stretching, so I’d cook what you’re actually going to eat. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Give them 3 to 4 minutes back in the air fryer at 350F and the shell crisps up again nicely! I’d avoid the microwave completely, because it turns rice paper gummy and there’s no coming back from that.

Equipment

• Air fryer
• Basting brush
• Wide shallow bowl

Ingredients

• 8 sheets rice paper
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 4 sticks string cheese, halved
• 4 slices honey ham, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chives, chopped
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

Substitutions and Swaps

• The honey ham. Prosciutto, turkey, or thin-sliced salami all work, and salami in particular brings a lot more salt and fat, so I’d use a little less of it. Whatever you pick, keep it thinly sliced, because a thick piece will stop you sealing the puff properly.
• The string cheese. Any low moisture mozzarella works, so a block cut into batons is fine. Gruyere or Swiss lean the whole thing toward a proper ham and cheese pastry, which is a great direction if that’s what you’re after.
• The chives. Thinly sliced scallion greens do the same job. They’re a small ingredient but I wouldn’t drop them, because something sharp and green is what keeps this from being straight salt and fat.
• The sesame seeds. Optional, and mostly there for the look and a bit of nuttiness. Everything bagel seasoning is a genuinely great swap that adds real flavor to the outside.
• The air fryer. Pan-frying in a little oil over medium works, turning them so every side crisps. You lose some of the puff since nothing’s circulating around them, but the crunch is still there.

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs in a wide, shallow bowl and cut the string cheese sticks in half.
2. Dip one sheet of rice paper into the egg until it’s fully coated, then lay it flat on a cutting board. Put two string cheese halves side by side in the center with one folded slice of honey ham and a sprinkle of chopped chives.
3. Once the rice paper turns pliable, fold the sides in to enclose everything. Dip a second sheet in the egg and wrap it around the outside as a second layer. Repeat until you’ve made all 4.
4. Brush each roll lightly with vegetable oil and set them in the air fryer in a single layer. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
5. Cook at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy and golden.
6. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping, or whatever sauce you like.

The ham is what moves this from a snack to something that actually holds you over. The original was cheese only and people liked it plenty, but ham and chives make it feel like a full thing rather than a bite.

If you made the original and liked it, do not sleep on this one. It’s a solid lunch for when you don’t feel like making lunch. 🙌

If you make these, leave a star rating on the recipe card and tell me in the comments whether you’re team cheese-only or team ham. It really helps other people find the recipe, and I already know which side I’m on!

Print