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.
Thank you! Great tips! Best kale chips I’ve made so far! So good!!! Ok… Going to go eat the rest of them now. :)
I searched on line to find a recipe and came across this one. I have never tried making Kale Chips before, but these were delicious. They came out perfect, and I can’t stop eating them. The seasoning was a nice touch! Thank you, Carol
Thank you so much! What a fantastic quick, easy and fool proof recipe !
Loved another cashew butter recipe, yet took longer to cook and harder to master.
Thanks again and Cheers!
Stevie Ray Baum
(from Landaff, NH)
I have baked three batches so far and they have come out crunchy and delicious. My five year old who tries to avoid anything green just can’t get enough of these….Great stuff!!!
I appreciate this recipe as I have made kale many times, sort of winging it and they have come out fabulous, tolerable and terrible. A recipe to ensure a more consistent outcome is just what I need.
A comment on keeping them crisp: Put them in a container (glass, plastic, matters not…) and put in a small handful of uncooked white rice!! YES! This works! If someone else already said it above, I apologize for repeating it. : )
Got bags of kale for .25 cents at aldi so you know what that means!!!! First timer…. Followed the directions exactly… (W/o seasoning) and they were slighty burnt whaaaaa. Did not stop me from eating them. Added seasoning blend to second round and pulled out a few min early… Delish! Carnivore husband devoured them. Thanks for the help! I was clueless before this!
Hi, Angela!
Each time I try this recipe, the kale comes out way too salty, enough to make you squint. I halved the seasonings/additions but it didn’t change the result. Do you think it was the kale, was I overcooking etc.?
Making them in the dehydrator has been a game changer for me. I don’t have to watch them and they stay crispy for days! 135degrees for about 4hours.
I just pulled a batch of these out of the oven, and literally said “oh my god” out loud when I tried one. 300 degrees really baked them perfectly, and the spice mix is spot on, too. I might have to cook up the other half of the bunch.
Its spring in Sydney and our crop of Kale has to come out to make way for the tomatoes.
So guess what I’m making? Kale chips of course!
I made a batch of these a few weeks ago, and my kids (6 & 4) had them gone within minutes. I was really surprised that they even tried them, much less ate them. The 6 year has asked several, several times now for me to make more! Thank you for making their first kale chip experience a delicious one!
I have got to say these are the best kale chips I’ve ever had. I tried them in a dehydrator last time and I must say the flavor was markedly improved over the oven. Even if I didn’t burn the chips, there was a bit of a burnt flavor to them (I think maybe the spices cooked faster than the kale?) Not so when dehydrated. Just so much flavor that I finished the entire batch myself *blush*. There is no better way to enjoy kale in my opinion. Thanks for the tips and recipe!
OMGosh!!!! I am a terrible snacker and I just made these as a midnight snack – they are amazing!!! I’ve been teetering on the pescetarian/vegetarian/vegan fence for quite a while now and I have to say your recipes have made the transition so much easier!!! These are definitely my new go-to snacks (typing as I stand over the stove eating them….)
Cheers!
What purpose does the nutritional yeast have in this recipe?
Hi Susan,
It lends a cheesy flavour.
These were the best kale chips I’ve made to date, thank you for the tips :)
I’ve tried many different kale chip recipes and this one is by far the best. The result was a perfectly crispy chip. Not soggy or burnt like my past attempts! Thanks!
I made these today. I’ve been wanting to make kale chips forever but it seemed complicated and hard. Well, your tips were amazing and they are delicious and light and crispy. I’ve had to walk away from them cos I can’t stop stuffing them in! I didn’t have yeast but i used chilli flakes, salt, pepper and some ground coriander on top and … hang on… i need to get one more…
Tried kale chips today. Fantastic. Perfect first time My new favorite guilt free snack. Thank you
Thanks so much for the tips – have you tried using dinosaur kale? It makes AMAZING chips! I did some experiments with my kale chips (using your tips here as a starting point) and thought the results might interest you :)
http://cookingwithviolet.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/kalechips/
Success!! Honestly I pretty much had given up on making edible kale chips! I always thought they were supposed to be burnt or paper machete texture but I tried your recipe and they are perfect! Easy, delish and strong enough to dip them into something! Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the perfect baked kale chip! (Your cookbook is beautiful and though I’m not vegan I am so excited to try these recipes!)