These healthy baked kale chips are quick and easy to make at home, and are a delicious snack food that's surprisingly hard to stop eating!
I've been on a major kale kick lately.
I've been freezing raw kale, slow cooking kale and onions (and then freezing that too), and tossing kale in soup (it's especially good in this white bean and kale soup).
Recently though, my friend Daniella was following along with my kale mania on my Instagram stories. She messaged me to send me her recipe for kale chips, and I've been making them obsessively ever since.
Thanks, Daniella, for introducing me to the delicious world of baked kale chips.
Are Homemade Baked Kale Chips Better Than Store-Bought?
I think so!
Obviously, I can't speak for EVERY brand of store-bought kale chips, and I'm 100% willing to try again, but I haven't had great experiences when I bought kale chips in the past.
They were nasty.
In fact, I remember them being so unsatisfying that if I hadn't been stuck at home bored (with massive amounts of kale), I'm not sure I would've tried Daniella's kale recipe.
But guys, they're SO GOOOOOOD.
Seriously, I cannot stop eating them.
My husband has also been happily devouring batch after batch of kale chips. Yum.
Best Seasoning for Kale Chips
I made my first batch with only sea salt and nutritional yeast (just like Daniella suggested), and it was DELICIOUS. I like Bragg's nutritional yeast.
Since then, I've played around with other seasonings. Here are my favorites:
- Bragg's nutritional yeast
- Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning
- Red Chili Flakes
- Cayenne
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Curry powder (like garam masala)
Mix and match your favorite seasonings; don't feel like you need to stick with just one! I particularly like mixing Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning, garlic powder, and Bragg's nutritional yeast.
Prepare the Kale for Baking: Clean + Dry It
Start by chopping up some kale.
Cut the ribs off the kale (or most of the ribs). You want the leafy part for these chips.
Rinse the kale and then dry it in a salad spinner. I love my OXO salad spinner.
If you don't have a salad spinner, lay the kale out on a towel and pat it dry.
Make sure to completely dry the kale. Wet kale will make soggy chips.
How to Bake Kale Chips
Next, lay the kale out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Try not to crowd the kale. If your kale is crowded on the baking sheet, it'll take longer to get crispy.
Drizzle the kale with oil, sprinkle with salt, and then add your favorite seasoning.
Use your hands to massage the oil and seasoning into the kale until the kale is well-coated with oil and seasoning. Massaging the kale will help the seasoning get distributed more evenly.
Next, bake the kale in the oven for about twenty minutes, flipping once.
As it cooks, it'll begin to crisp up.
It'll also shrink down, and you'll have a lot less kale than you started with.
The kale chips are ready when the kale feels crisp. If there are a few soggy pieces, slide the tray back into the oven for a few more minutes.
I like to serve my baked kale chips when they're still warm, and top them off with a little extra nutritional yeast.
Can I Cook These in a Convection Oven?
YES. Absolutely.
In fact, if your oven has a convection setting, I highly recommend using it for these kale chips. These chips are crispy with a standard oven, but they are even crispier when cooked in a convection oven.
Plus, they'll be finished a little bit quicker. Win and win!
Baked Kale Chips
Equipment
- salad spinner
Ingredients
Basic Kale Chips
- ¼ pound kale, stems removed + leaves roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil Or use your favorite oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Seasonings (Mix + Match As Desired):
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes OR cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds OR Everything But the Bagel seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Indian curry powder or smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. (Same temperature for standard oven or convection oven.)
- Rinse kale and dry in a salad spinner. If you don't have a salad spinner, lay kale on a towel and pat dry.
- Arrange kale in a single layer on a baking sheet.Tip: Avoid crowding the kale. The kale won't crisp as easily if crowded.
- Drizzle the oil over the kale, and then sprinkle with salt and your seasoning of choice. Massage the kale with your hands to coat with the oil and seasoning.
- Standard oven: Roast for 10 minutes, and then turn. Cook about 10 more minutes, until the kale is crisp to the touch and none of the chips are soggy. Total oven time: about 20 minutesConvection oven: Roast for 10 minutes, and then turn. Cook about 6 more minutes, until the kale is crisp to the touch and none of the chips are soggy. 16 minute approximate total cook time.
- Serve chips immediately, or store in a loosely covered container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes
Make sure to thoroughly dry the kale after rinsing, and avoid overcrowding the kale on the baking sheet. If your kale is still not crisp, your oven may cook at a slightly lower temperature. Try increasing the cook time by about 5 minutes. My kale chips are burnt.
Your oven may be cooking at a slightly higher temperature. Decrease the cook time by about 5 minutes. I didn't use enough seasoning + my kale chips are bland.
Add more seasoning after baking, and remember next time to add more before baking. I like adding extra nutritional yeast after baking even when I added enough seasoning from the beginning!
Nutrition information assumes kale chips are seasoned with only oil, salt, and nutritional yeast.
Izeria says
Thank you for the recipe, can't wait too try it.
Sarah Trenalone says
Aw thank you!!
Mary says
These worked great. I only had to bake on convection for 6 minutes total because homegrown kale seems more tender than store bought.
Alisha Trenalone says
Nice! And you're probably right about the home-grown kale. Glad it worked out so well!
-Alisha at Champagne Tastes