It’s so easy to make kale chips! These chips are seasoned to perfection and come out impossibly crispy. Watch out: they disappear fast!

Ever made kale chips? Now’s the time to try. This irresistibly salty and crunchy snack makes crispy kale taste like the best invention since sliced bread. The only problem is: they disappear fast! Alex and I like to make up a pan of kale chips as a fun DIY: then we end up devouring them in minutes. Which is all well and good, because these babies are best eaten within a few hours of making them. This healthy snack is perfect for any occasion. Want an afternoon pick-me-up? Need a late night Netflix snack? Kale chips.

How to make kale chips

Kale chips are very easy to make: you just need to know a few tips to make them come out perfectly. There are lots of ways to make them; here’s what Alex and I like to do for ours:

• Use Tuscan kale. Alex and I prefer Tuscan kale to curly kale: the flavor is milder and it’s a little sturdier for chips. See below.
• Wash and thoroughly dry the kale. You’ll want the kale ultra dry so that the oil sticks to it.
• Tear the kale into “chip” sized bites. Remove the stems, since these get tough and stringy in the oven.
• Season to perfection. You’ll mix with olive oil, then add salt and onion powder (see below).
• Bake at 275 for 30 minutes. Place the chips in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at low heat for 30 minutes: you’ll be surprised at how crispy they become!

The best kale for chips? Tuscan kale.

After testing with both, we’ve found the best kale for kale chips is Tuscan kale. What is it? Tuscan kale is an Italian variety of kale with dark green leaves and a mild, almost sweet flavor. It’s also labeled as Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, black kale, or cavolo nero (black cabbage in Italian). It’s called dinosaur kale because the scaly, ridged leaves almost resemble dinosaur skin! You should be able to find Tuscan kale at your local grocery store.

If all you can find is curly kale, you can use that too! Curly kale is fluffier than Tuscan, and it has a more bitter flavor. That bitter flavor mellows out in the oven, but the fluffier texture can make it more brittle. Tuscan kale has flatter leaves, making it more suited to chips.

Variations on kale chips: add-ins!

We created these kale chips to have a vaguely sour cream and onion flavor. Of course, you can create endless variations adding any spices you like. Here are some ideas to get your wheels turning; we’d suggest about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to keep it from being heavy handed:

• Taco seasoning or fajita seasoning
• Smoked paprika
• Garlic powder
• Curry powder
• Cumin
• Seasoned salt (instead of salt)

Kale nutrition

Kale chips are a perfect healthy snack when you’re craving something salty, but don’t want to give into a bag of potato chips. Leafy greens like kale are some of the healthiest foods you can eat! Kale is full of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. 1 cup of raw kale has 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fiber), and 3 grams of protein. Because of its low calorie content, kale is among the most nutrient-dense foods on earth.

More kale recipes

Don’t stop with kale chips! There are so many tasty ways to add kale to your diet. Here are some of our top recommendations for eating more leafy green kale:

• Best Ever Sauteed Kale The best way to eat this healthy leafy green! Scented with garlic and cooked in olive oil until tender, you’ll want to eat it every day.
• Roasted Kale A tasty, easy side dish! Baked until tender and crispy at the edges, it’s quick to make and a total crowd pleaser.
• Kale Quinoa Salad This colorful kale quinoa salad is full of healthy ingredients and tastes incredible! Meal prep this easy plant-based lunch idea for meals all week.
• The BEST Kale Salad This is the BEST way to eat kale! A dressing of lemon, garlic and Parmesan cheese transforms kale into tangy goodness in this Tuscan kale salad.

This kale chips recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Want more vegan snacks?

If you’re looking to eat more plant-based recipes, healthy vegan snacks are crucial to making it through the day! Outside of these kale chips, here are a few more vegan snacks to try:

• Crispy Roasted Chickpeas or Crispy Roasted Black Beans They’re the perfect salty snack! They’re combined with savory spices like cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper, and roasted until crispy.
• Easy Edamame or Spicy Edamame Protein-packed edamame is a tasty protein-packed vegan snack! Edamame are soy beans you eat right out of the pod, squeezing them into your mouth with a satisfying pop.
• Vegan Snack Bars The perfect wholesome snack! These bars are naturally sweet, featuring oats, chia seeds, and pecans.

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes