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.
I tried to make kale chips I ended up burning them. I’m using airfryer. Small quantity I cook because it’s only me eating .i didn’t change the setting it was in 180 c for 10 then reduce to 6min. Three times I burnt. Them. Till I change to 150c for 4 to 5 minutes and presto it’s perfectly cooked. I put bit of olive oil and a pinch of free range chicken powder. Leaves we’re still green and crunnnnnnnchie. Love it.
Hello there
I was wondering if you had any issues with storing the kale chips after it has been cooked? Does it get soggy when its in a bag for a few hours?
Hi Kayla, To be honest, kale chips are best served and eaten right away—they don’t seem to retain their crispiness very well no matter how I’ve stored them. I tend to leave the batch on the pan and snack on them throughout the afternoon or evening. However, you can also try reheating them in the oven to crisp them back up. (I would try about 5 to 7 minutes at 300F, then let them crisp up on the pan for a few minutes more.) If you give it a try, I hope that helps!
Best kale chips I have ever made. Greek seasoning was also good on them.
Never tried kale before, and neither has my kids. The first batch I did a skillet chicken Caesar and kale dish and my kids picked out the chicken to eat. So, tonight I’m trying the chips. I laid them out on the sheet on top off oven with it on and door opened and they dried in about 15 I kept mixing and wiping w my hands. I am waiting to try them now. I hope I didn’t use to much oil.
I hope they turned out for you, Tracey! I’d love to hear how you like them.
Thanks for the tips on kale chips. I have so much kale in my garden and I don’t know what to do with all of it!!!! These sound delicious
you can get the same results by putting kale in microwave for 2 minutes.
Followed your directions for my first attempt of making kale chips. Great experience, and tasted great (used a Ranch Seasoning—powder). Now making another batch. Thanks for the tips.
I’m glad the tips helped, Gail. Enjoy the next batch!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My chips came out absolutely yummy!
So glad to hear that, Jamie! Enjoy!
This recipe was super. Since its Passover, I left out the yeast and the kale chips are crispy and really tasty.Thanks so much. The other fun bit is that I have a big dog who is fed naturally with home made food, she also loved the kale chips!!
Haha, I’m glad the kale chips were a hit with everyone, Laurel — two-legged and four-legged family members alike! :)
I am making my second batch today! Thanks for all the great tips. It works perfectly when you follow all of the tips.
I wanted to share that I used red kale, spun the kale in a salad spinner, Coconut Oil spray, one side only, and Garlic Bread Sprinkle. Totally delicious! Totally easy!
Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Sandi! I’m really glad the kale chips worked out so well for you and that my tips helped!
Kale: good and good for you! Just for information: all yeast is fungus, if a person has an over growth, or “imbalance”, known as candida albacans. From experience I speak! It will make you very sick. Eat well, Be well!
Best Kale chips EVER!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! :)
Bless you for doing all the research & trials to create perfect Kale
Chips. Had to fix a 2nd batch immediately for my husband to gobble up. As a junk food junkie I never thought I’d her him say “hell with Lays, Doritoes, all of them. Make kale chips & put in quart containers. Hmmmm. I’ll try but wonder if they will last long enough. LOL. Thank you. Now I need to find your book!
Haha, that’s awesome, Nicki! Your comment definitely made me smile. I’m so glad he’s enjoying the kale chips so much!
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I wanted to try kale chips, but was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get it right. Your tips for cooking them resulted in perfect kale chips on my first try. I haven’t tried the seasoning yet because the first batch I made I opted to go with just salt. Can’t wait to make some more and play around with the seasonings. Yours sounds delicious so I will start there and then get creative with my own combinations. Thank you!
I’m am so happy to hear you found this post helpful! Have fun experimenting with the flavours, Heather :)
How much is a “bunch of kale” ? I have tons of kale in my garden that I need to find a use for. But, not knowing the actual quantity makes it hard not to get too much or too little of the other ingredients. If I could get an estimate in “cups of kale” or “ounces of kale” that would be most helpful.
I agree. My garden is overrun with kale, so I washed what I thought was maybe half a bunch and it turned out to be 3 trays. Had to eat them all!!!! yum!
Very good recipe. Kale chips were light and crispy. Couldn’t stop eating them. Thanks for sharing your tips.
I’m glad the chips turned out well, Julie! :)
The best kale chips ever. Thanks for the recipe. We did ours in the dehydrator.
To store – I cut down a paper grocery bag to about 8 inches, line it with paper towels( place extra on bottom to absorb excess oil) and then insert that bag into a plastic grocery bag in case the oil seeps through! The kale stays crispy for at least 3 days and I leave it open on my counter so I can reach in and help myself when ever I feel the urge (which is all the time)!
great recipe. Thanks for sharing. Simon
This recipe was foolproof. I ate half the chips just removing them from the pan. SO delicious. Thanks!
I’m glad the kale chips were a success, Jess!!