I’ve suffered through one too many batches of burned or soggy kale chips over the years. It took me a while to master my baked kale chip recipe, but I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way and I’d like to pass my tips along to you! From the good ‘ol Culinary School of Hard Knocks (aka: my kitchen) to you. Gotta love it.
The first time I made kale chips I remember thinking, “Should they taste burnt like this??” The easy answer is no. I’ve come to find a nice balance between crispiness and chewiness without any burnt edges. Yes, this is very serious business, this kale chip business. When baked properly, they really do make the perfect base for a satisfying chip alternative.
I know some people are eager to claim that kale is “over” due to its popularity in recent years, but seeing as it’s still rated number #1 (along with Mustard/Turnip/Collard Greens) on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI), I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon. At least not in my diet. Kale for life!
With these few simple techniques you’ll be well on your way to kale chip bliss. Or maybe you already are, in which case, feel free to skip ahead to my All-Dressed Baked Kale Chip recipe below and get crunching!
Ok, here are my top 6 tips for baking the perfect kale chips. No dehydrator required.
1. Remove the stems and tear leaves into large pieces
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of chewing through woody baked kale stems. I remove the stems very quickly by grabbing the base of the stem with one hand and pushing outwards along the stem to slide off the leaves. Works like a charm!
2. Wash and thoroughly dry the leaves before beginning
If the leaves aren’t properly dried, the water can “steam” the kale chips while baking and lead to the dreaded soggy kale chip! Be sure they are nice and dry before you massage in the oil. A salad spinner works great; just be sure not to overload it so the leaves can properly dry.
3. Don’t skip the oil, but don’t drench it in oil either
A little bit of extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer) goes a long way. I like to use ½ tablespoon of oil per baking sheet of kale chips. “Massage” the oil into the leaves to ensure all the nooks and crannies are coated. Oil also helps the spices stick to the leaves.
4. Spread kale into a single layer on the baking sheet
I used to dump all the kale into a very thick layer on the baking sheet and hope for the best, but doing this tends to lead to soggy, unevenly baked kale chips. I’ve learned to be a bit more patient and spread them out into a thinner layer on each baking sheet. Be sure to rotate the baking sheet half-way through baking. There’s no real need to flip the chips unless you have the patience for it.
5. It’s all about the low-heat for even baking
As I wrote in my cookbook, I tested all kinds of kale chip recipes at different temperatures from very low to high heats. Surprise, surprise the batches that worked the best were the ones I baked at a very low temperature of 300F. Sure, it takes a bit longer to bake, but I can assure you it’s worth it because you don’t get any burnt pieces. Remember, the goal is to crisp the kale, not scorch it into smithereens! In my oven, I bake at 300F for 10 minutes, then I rotate the pan, and bake for another 15 minutes. So 25 minutes total for kale chip perfection in my oven. This will vary based on your oven, but it’s a good starting off point!
6. Cool for just a few minutes on the baking sheet
I’ve found that waiting just 3 minutes allows the kale chips to crisp up even more once they are out of the oven. Just like baked cookies or roasted chickpeas, kale chips really firm up even more when cooled. Those 3 minutes will feel like hours though. I won’t lie.
Bonus tips: Avoid adding liquids (such as vinegars or hot sauces) pre-baking as liquids can result in soggy chips. It’s best to add a light spritz of liquid seasoning after they’ve been baked, if at all. Also, if your oven has one, feel free to try out the dehydrator or convection setting.
Now, read on for my All-Dressed Kale Chip recipe! I promise this batch will not last long…minutes while standing in front of the oven if you are like me.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
All-Dressed Kale Chips
Yield
1-2 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Crispy and chewy kale chips baked in the oven and seasoned to perfection. Enjoy these as a healthy alternative to potato chips.
Ingredients
per baking sheet:
- approx. 1/2 bunch kale leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove leaves from the stems of the kale and roughly tear it up into large pieces. Compost the stems (or freeze for smoothies). Wash and spin the leaves until thoroughly dry.
- Add kale leaves into a large bowl. Massage in the oil until all the nooks and crannies are coated in oil. Now sprinkle on the spices/seasonings and toss to combine.
- Spread out the kale onto the prepared baking sheet into a single layer, being sure not to overcrowd the kale.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 12-15 minutes more until the kale begins to firm up. The kale will look shrunken, but this is normal. I bake for 25 mins. total in my oven.
- Cool the kale on the sheet for 3 minutes before digging in! This really makes all the difference! Enjoy immediately as they lose their crispiness with time.
- Repeat this process for the other half of the bunch.
Tip:
Feel free to make these in a dehydrator if you have one. You can also experiment with the convection or dehydrator setting on your oven (if applicable).
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)I can’t end this post today without thanking you for your lovely comments in my recent post. I’m reading through all of them and greatly appreciate the support, advice, and love. Sketchie’s staple removal went fine (it took a few minutes and didn’t seem to even bother him) and he is healing well from surgery.
What if you have chopped kale, how would that work?
This is a great recipe! Thanks a lot :) The kale chips turned out so crispy and melt in the mouth :)
Tried this for the first time today and used your tips and they came out PERFECTLY!! Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your experience.
Holy jeeperooo – either my paprika kicks your paprikas tail or I’m a big baby. Maybe both? These are tasty but smokin spicy (no cayenne).
Hi Christina,
It sounds like you might be using the hot version of smoked paprika. It comes in a sweet variety as well. Hope this helps!
….and….. Her career as a recipe tester was over before it started. Ha! I had NO idea that was the case. Back to spice 101. Thanks Angela!
So how do you avoid a soggy kale chip, please?
This is my all time favorite kale chip recipe. They come out perfect every time. Thank you!I have passed it on to friends and family.
I followed your tips and my first try on these chips was perfect.Thank you for saving me the experimentation!
Stuck in my apartment in snowy NYC and decided to make kale chips for the first time using your recipe. So simple and turned out PERFECT!!! I had the whole entire bowl (two cookie sheets full!)
Thanks so much for the clear instructions and tips.
I have tried this so many times!! and I either burn them or theyre soggy.. thank you for taking the time to write step by step how to do this… I added some grated cheese to the spice mix and yummy! thanks again!
Thank you for the perfect recipe for kale chips. Followed directions exactly and love the results. I experimented with storing these gems and found the best result was placing them in a brown paper bag and folding the top loosely. Still nice and crispy after 3 days! Simple and it works. Now it’s time to enjoy them. Thanks again for sharing.
I made these for the first time. Very tasty,light and crispy. Making the first batch, adding only salt at the end of baking. The second batch adding cajun seasoning with the oil. They turned out great! Additionally…they are stored in a re-sealable bag, just like chips. Also for those of us who do not have a lettuce spinner (do not have room for Every gadget) I laid out paper towels, placing the wet leaves on top and then covering with another layer of paper towels and patting dry. I agree that drying is key.
Hello! quick question: are the chips meant to be eaten right away or they keep crispy for a few hours/days? Because the time I tried (not from your recipe) they were crispy when they came out of the oven, but became soggy over night. I was just wondering what I had done wrong ( I think its because I baked them at a high temp too..). Thanks!
Just made the best kale chips with your recipe! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe. Have just made the chips and eaten them (kale fresh from the garden). They were perfect. I didn’t have the same seasoning – just used what I had, Himalayan salt, ground pepper and chilli. No more burnt and soggy kale chips – Hooray.
Can you explain a bit what you mean by massaging the oil on the kale? I mean, do you just put some on your fingertips and do each leaf one by one? That’s what I picture, but it seems like a lot of extra work? I guess maybe it will be worth it :)
Just rub the oil into the kale – like when you rub butter into flour for pie crust. Rub finger-pinch fulls between thumb and fingers.
OMG -I don’t know why I haven’t made kale chips before. Easy breezy, and delicious! I ate them all in a few minutes. :-( Making more tomorrow. Soooooo much better than the packaged kind I bought a few months ago, and infinitely cheaper. In love.
I’m making them right now.
Turned out great not burnt. Can’t wait to try out more flavors.
Hi there from the UK, I have made these today using fry light instead of oil, low in fat and delicious!
This were simply awful….tasted like I was eating seasoned weeds..(my husband’s comments). I don’t care how healthy they may be, no amount of spice would make this palatable and I doubt I would attempt these again.