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.
Angela, I’ve tried making kale chips before but was unsuccessful – they were burnt. Tried this today with just salt. It turned out perfect! Thanks much for your meticulous instructions.!
That’s awesome, Asha! I’m glad to hear the chips were successful.
I had never made kale chips before but I followed your very specific instructions and they were perfect! I’m sure they would have been burnt or soggy following other recipes. I used paprika, cayenne pepper and salt with olive oil which was delicious. Will try your recipe when I get some nutritional yeast. Thanks so much for your great tips!
I’m so glad to hear the kale chips were such a success, Donna!
Hi Angela, I made kale chips again with your flavouring. I used the optional cayenne pepper but regretted it because it was a little too spicy for my liking. Loved the taste, though and you’ve converted me to ‘nooch’. I will definitely try the recipe again with a little less chilli powder or cayenne pepper. Thanks so much again for your precise instructions. I think one bad batch of kale chips would have put me off making them again, but my partner and I are converts!
my kale is drying. Thank you for info. It was helpful.
Glad it was helpful, Kay! Enjoy the chips. :)
I am so looking forward to making the chips using your methods. So glad i choice your site when looking for a recipe I am grateful for the time you took to let everyone know what can/will go wrong . I am adding your site to my favorite list and will be back to reply after i make my chips.
Thanks
Thank you so much for this recipe! I just made kale chips for the first time following your recipe, which popped up in Google search and picked by my randomly, and they are delicious! I tossed the kale in a little bit of coconut oil and added a clove of garlic in there ’cause in my kitchen, everything’s gotta have garlic. Can’t wait to have hubby give them a try! Thank you again for a great recipe and fantastic tips.
So glad you’re liking the kale chips! I hope your husband does too. :)
Hi Angela,
I cannot understand … I baked the kale for 10 min at 320F and got my chips done. A bit too bitter for my taste. But I can’t imagine what would have happened after baking them for 25″ (!)
The recipe says 300•f. Not 320•f. Every degree makes a difference.
Easiest and most delicious ever! Have saved this for next time
Once again–you’ve made me a little more healthier! Thank you Ange! These are dynamite! The only thing I changed, was using an infused olive oil that had cilantro and roasted onion!
But your timing and temp setting make them perfect!
Thank you again!!
P.S. I just purchased your app so now I have an even easier time following your recipes!
Oh, I hope you love the app, Ashley! Thanks for your kind words and support. :)
This recipe really does make delicious kale chips. I am in the U.K. and have a fan oven so for me 20mins at 130 degrees centigrade did the trick. Don’t have a salad spinner so dried the kale after washing between two tea towels. Perfect and thanks for sharing!
Ah lady! Thank you so much! I’m Peri-menopausal and Kale is one of the foods I’m supposed to eat to relieve the symptoms, which can be intense! I know it’s awesomely nutritious outside of helping me get through body going nuts…haha! I’ve been searching for creative recipes for the chips and that’s how I found you. Now following you on Twitter. You’ve helped me a lot :)
Brilliant, thanks.
I can’t comment on the “all dressed recipe”. But if you follow the baked kale chips recipe, the results are outstanding. BE SURE TO DRY YOUR KALE PRIOR TO BAKING! Thank you. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Can these be stored?
Hey Emily, Personally, I find kale chips are best served and eaten right away—they don’t seem to retain their crispiness very well for me (no matter how I’ve stored them!). However, some readers have said they’ve had success storing their kale chips in an open container on the counter. So maybe give that a try? You can also try reheating leftover chips in the oven to crisp them back up, if you find they’ve lost some of their crispiness. (I would try about 5 to 7 minutes at 300F, then let them crisp up on the pan for a few minutes more.) I hope this helps!
I quadrupled this recipe as I had two bunches of kale. I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before but these turned out perfectly. The tips to keep them crispy and not burnt worked beautifully! The seasoning was lovely, I ate quite a bit of the kale raw with the oil and seasonings it was awesome! The only thing I needed more of was nutritional yeast as I ran out and only had about half of the amount needed. They’re still perfect. Thank you so much!!
You’re so welcome, Erin! I’m thrilled your kale chips were such a success. :)
Perfect…Glad I found your recipe and directions…..Low and slow….Off to make more!!!!
Wow!I have tried a few times but kale always came out soggy! I followed your instructions and that did it ! They came out …oh…so crispy ! The 300 degree and spread out tips worked flawlessly ! Thank You!
These are the best kale chips I ever made. So yummy
Great recipe! I have now made my first Kale Chips and they were a success! Thanks for posting your technique! Blessings!
Yay! So glad to hear it, Diana. Enjoy!
I made these and changed up the method after a few tries .I did the same prep of leaves,ie no stems and dried in paper towel on a cookie sheet on top of oven as the oven was warming,thus saving wasting towels to dry it.The chips came out great at 325 degree oven and no turning just 20 minutes.
Once out I sprinkled the spices but found it too bitter,so I took 3/4 of tsp of granular sugar and sprinkled over evenly.
This took the bitterness out .I may try with some Parmesan instead of sugar as Im not a fan of bitter
These turned out perfect. Thank you for the suggestions! I’m didn’t use this recipe this time since I’m not using salt for a detox on, but the suggestions were was right on time. I used smoked paprika, a fresh herb mix called “pizza mix”, garlic powder and olive oil. Placed them in my convection toaster oven at 300 degrees for 15 min and they turned out perfect. Yumm!