How to Make Kale Chips

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methods

Ingredients

1Basic Kale Chips

2“Cheesy” Kale Chips

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Questions & Answers

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Article Summary

4 Recipe Ratings|Success Stories

Kale chips are a delicious and nutritious alternative to salty, fatty, ultra-processed potato chips. Even better, you can easily whip them up at home in less than 30 minutes! Try a basic recipe for the most traditional flavor, or use nutritional yeast and other spices to create kale chips with a cheesy, nutty flavor.

Ingredients

Basic Kale Chips

• 1/2 pound (227 grams) of kale leaves
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 grams) of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 grams) of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of curry powder (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of chili powder (optional)
• Nonstick cooking spray

Makes 4 servings

“Cheesy” Kale Chips

• 10 ounces (280 grams) of chopped kale leaves
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of grapeseed, olive, or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) of raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of raw or roasted (unsalted) sunflower seeds
• 5-6 tablespoons (90 grams) of nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of pepper
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of garlic powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Makes 5 servings

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Basic Kale Chips

1. 
   1
   Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and grease a baking tray. Go ahead and preheat your oven so that it can heat up while you’re preparing the kale chips. Spray the baking tray thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.

   • You may want to grease 2 baking trays to ensure you’ll be able to scatter all of the kale out in a single layer. You don’t want the leaves to overlap or touch at all.
2. 
   2
   Remove the center ribs and stems from each kale leaf. Use your fingers or a sharp knife to cut away the fibrous center ribs and stems from all of the kale leaves. You only want to use the leafy green parts for your kale chips.

   • If you prefer, you can use purple kale instead of the regular green variety.
   • If you don't want to throw away the ribs and stems, try blending them into a smoothie or tossing them into your next stir-fry.
3. 
   3
   Tear or cut the kale leaves into bite-size pieces. You can use your fingers or a sharp knife to cut the leaves into pieces that are about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) wide. You don’t have to be exact when you’re doing this, but try to make the pieces close to the same size so they’ll bake evenly.
4. 
   4
   Rinse off the kale pieces and dry them thoroughly. Put the kale leaves in a colander and run cool water over them. Then, cover a flat surface, like your counter, with several layers of paper towels and scatter the wet leaves on top. Use another paper towel to gently pat the leaves completely dry.

   • You may want to shake the leaves around a bit in the colander to get all of them clean.
   • It’s important to dry each leaf completely so that your kale chips bake up crisply. If you have a salad spinner, you can use that instead of paper towels!
5. 
   5
   Drizzle the kale with the oil and seasonings. Place the dry kale leaves into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil on top. Add 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of salt and mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or a pair of tongs until all of the leaves are coated.

   • It may be easier to massage the oil and spices into the kale with your hands to ensure even distribution. You want each piece of kale to be coated.
   • If you want to experiment with additional flavors, try adding 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of curry powder or 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of chili powder.
6. 
   6
   Scatter the leaves in a single layer on the greased baking tray. If you can’t fit all of the kale leaves on a single layer, use 2 baking sheets and bake them in batches. It’s important that the leaves be in a single layer so all of the chips bake evenly.

   • Make sure the leaves aren’t touching and there’s no overlap so that each leaf will get crispy around the edges.
7. 
   7
   Bake the kale chips for 12-15 minutes until they get crispy. Place the baking sheet into your oven and close the door. Let the kale chips bake until the edges are crispy and brown. Keep your eye on them, since they can burn easily.
8. 
   8
   Let the kale chips cool and serve them immediately. Pull the baking tray out of the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface. Give the kale chips several minutes to cool down, since they’ll crisp up a little more at this point. Then, serve the chips and enjoy!

   • It’s best to eat the kale chips immediately while they’re still fresh.
   • If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Keep in mind that the chips will lose a lot of their crispy texture after the first 24 hours, though.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

“Cheesy” Kale Chips

1. 
   1
   Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Go ahead and start heating up your oven while you prepare your kale leaves. That way, it'll be ready to go once your kale is prepped.

   • It's important to let the oven heat up completely before baking the kale chips. Otherwise, they won't take on their characteristic crunch.
2. 
   2
   Cut away the fibrous center ribs and stems on the kale. Use your fingers or a knife to get rid of the fibrous center ribs and stems on all of the kale leaves. The leafy green parts are ideal for kale chips, whereas the more fibrous pieces won’t crisp up well.

   • You can use the ribs and stems in other recipes, if you like! For example, try blending them into a smoothie or creating a kale-based "pesto" sauce.
3. 
   3
   Tear or cut the kale into bite-size pieces. Use your fingers or a knife to cut the kale down to small, snackable pieces. Try to make the pieces as uniform as possible so they’ll bake evenly.

   • If you aren't sure what size to make the kale pieces, aim for 2-3 inches 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) per piece.
4. 
   4
   Rinse the kale pieces and dry them off thoroughly. Put the kale leaves in a colander and run cool water over them. Then, scatter them on top of several layers of paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Use another paper towel to pat the leaves dry or pop them into a salad spinner.

   • Make sure each leaf is completely dry to prevent soggy chips.
5. 
   5
   Put the kale in a bowl and drizzle it with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil. You can use grapeseed, olive, or avocado oil for this. Massage the oil into the kale with your hands to evenly distribute it and to soften the leaves up a bit.

   • You can set the bowl aside once the pieces are evenly coated with oil.
6. 
   6
   Pulse the cashews, seeds, nutritional yeast, and spices in a blender. Add 1/4 cup (60 grams) of cashews, 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of sunflower seeds, 4 tablespoons (60 grams) of nutritional yeast, 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of salt, 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of garlic powder to a food processor or blender. Blend the mixture on HIGH to reduce the ingredients to a fine meal.

   • This mixture creates the cheesy, nutty flavor for your kale chips.
   • If you like spicy kale chips, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mixture.
   • You may need to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally while you’re blending.
7. 
   7
   Toss the kale leaves with the spice mixture. Transfer the mixture from the blender to the bowl of kale leaves. Use your hands to toss the kale with the spice mixture so that it gets evenly distributed.

   • You can use a spoon to mix everything together if you prefer, just make sure all of the kale pieces end up coated in the spice mixture.
8. 
   8
   Scatter the kale in a single layer on a baking sheet. Be sure to spread the pieces out evenly and don’t allow any of the pieces to touch to ensure crispiness. If necessary, use 2 baking sheets and bake your chips in batches. Sprinkle the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast on top.

   • You don’t have to add the extra nutritional yeast on top if you don’t want to. However, if you want an extra rich, cheesy flavor, definitely top the kale with extra nutritional yeast!
9. 
   9
   Bake the kale chips for 15 minutes before flipping the pieces over. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the chips. After 15 minutes, pull out the baking sheet and toss or flip the leaves over with tongs so that the other side crisps up nicely.
10. 
    10
    Bake the kale chips for 5-10 more minutes. Keep an eye on your chips, since they can burn really easily at this point. Bake them for several minutes and take them out when they look golden brown and crispy around the edges.
11. 
    11
    Let the chips cool for several minutes and enjoy! The chips will be very hot, so give them a few minutes to cool down before you dig in. They are best enjoyed fresh right away, but if you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for 2-3 days.

    • After the first 24 hours, the kale chips will lose a lot of their crispy texture, so keep that in mind when you’re storing leftovers.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  Do you refrigerate them after making them?

  

  Community Answer

  No. Seal them in a plastic bag or tub so they stay fresh.

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  Not Helpful 1Helpful 6
• Question

  Instead of cookie sheets, can I use foil?

  

  Community Answer

  No. Aluminum can cause the chips to burn, and they also don't prevent the sticking.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn

  YesNo

  Not Helpful 1Helpful 5
• Question

  Are there any dressings that taste good with this?

  

  Community Answer

  Although kale chips are not typically paired with dips, salsas, guacamole, and other sauces, like traditional chips are, anyone can revolutionize this fairly new concept of the kale chip by adding your own twist in the form of a dip! Maybe an avocado and herb ranch? Or a red pepper cheese dip?

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn

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Video

Things You’ll Need

Basic Kale Chips

• Baking sheets
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Paper towels
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Airtight container

“Cheesy” Kale Chips

• Baking sheets
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Paper towels
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Airtight container