These crunchy, deliciously salty Crispy Kale Chips have just three ingredients and they're such a satisfying snack! You only need a bit of prep and 20 minutes of oven time for a great veggie-based chip.
What is it that's so satisfying about a salty, crunchy snack? I usually crave sweet treats, but every now and then, a savory and salty chip just hits the spot. When I want something with a bit of crunch, I make these absolutely delicious Crispy Kale Chips! These chips have just three ingredients, they're totally allergen-free, and they're just as fun to make as they are to dip and eat. Get ready for your newest snacking addiction!
Crispy Kale Chips Ingredients
Grab a fresh bunch of kale and you're ready to go! I really love having snack recipes like this one. It's a totally plant-based way to satisfy a craving for something salty and crunchy.
- Kale - I usually use dinosaur, or Lacinato, kale in my recipes, but for these chips I've had the best results with curly kale! This type of kale is lighter in color and has more texture around the edges.
- Olive oil - My go-to olive oil is from Pomora! I get a regular shipment of it and swear it has the best taste of any olive oil I've tried. You can use my code EBE25 for a discount!
- Fine salt - I use finer salt, rather than flaky sea salt, in this recipe because it covers the kale more evenly and gives you that awesome salty chip flavor in each bite.
How to Make Crispy Kale Chips
This is a really, really easy recipe to make! It's a great one to get kids involved in the kitchen too. They can help wash the kale, dry it completely, use clean hands to massage oil into every leaf, and make sure the kale isn't overlapping on the pan!
- Start with a little prep - Preheat your oven to 300F, and make sure your kale is rinsed and dried really well. You'll have the best results if you take a little extra time sure and make sure it's totally dry; wet kale will steam instead of crisp! Tear each kale leaf into pieces about the size of your palm.
- Oil the kale - Place the kale on a bare half-sheet baking sheet and add the oil. Use your hands to massage the oil into each one of the kale leaves, especially the curly ends, so they are all evenly coated. Spread them into an even layer with no overlap. It's better to use two pans or cook them in batches than to have any overlap!
- Salt the kale - Sprinkle the kale pieces evenly with salt, making sure you don't get a clump of salt in any one bite. I love a really salty kale chip so I use ¼ teaspoon of salt but go lighter if you're not a fan of super-salty snacks!
- Bake - Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them in the last few minutes! They'll look crispy but not brown or black. The kale chips get this beautiful dark green hue when they're cooked! Allow the kale chips to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes as they cool off because they'll continue to crisp on the pan.
- Enjoy - You can enjoy immediately! I love to dip my Crispy Kale Chips in Vegan Sour Cream. Store any leftovers at room temperature (do not refrigerate or they will wilt) in an open container, but keep in mind they're best when fresh.
All About Kale
I don't use kale often (I usually prefer spinach!), but I am always trying to find yummy recipes to incorporate it into my day because it's SO good for you. Kale is low in calories and provides plant-based iron, vitamin K, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber and loads of antioxidants. One cup of kale contains well over 20% of the daily recommended amounts of vitamins A and C.
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- Best Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons
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Kale Chip Dip
I dip these Crispy Kale Chips in Homemade Vegan Sour Cream! I almost always have a batch on hand and it tastes so good with kale chips. This sour cream starts with a base of my Easy Homemade Cashew Cream, which I make with cashews soaked in water! Learn more about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post. A few more dips that would be so tasty:
- Best Vegan Paleo Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Chipotle Guacamole (Copycat) (this would keep a totally green theme!)
- Best Vegan Whipped Feta Dip
These Easy Vegan Kale Chips are made with just kale, a bit of oil, and salt. That's it! They're a totally vegan, gluten-free, paleo, Whole30-friendly, soy-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free snack, which means everyone can enjoy them. If you make them, I hope you'll tag me on Instagram and leave a review below! Make sure to subscribe to the Eating by Elaine newsletter for delicious, approachable and plant-based recipes delivered to your inbox every week.
More Vegan Snack Recipes
- Freezer-Friendly Easy Vegan Oat Bars (vegan + gluten-free)
- Vegan Sweet Potato Quinoa Tots
- Easy Almond Flour Crackers (vegan + paleo + gluten-free + refined sugar-free)
- How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
- Actually Crispy BBQ Roasted Chickpeas
- Easy Vegan Zucchini Pizza Bites (paleo)
- 10 Tips for Actually Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Healthy Maple Candied Pecans (refined sugar-free)
- Easy Sautéed Cinnamon Apples (vegan + paleo)
- Sweet and Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
Best Crispy Kale Chips
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These crunchy, deliciously salty Crispy Kale Chips have just three ingredients and they're such a satisfying snack!
Ingredients
- 4 large stalks of curly kale, stems removed [do not use lacinato or dino kale]
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon fine salt
- optional: Vegan Sour Cream Sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse and dry your kale really well. If your kale is not dried well then it will steam instead of crisp up.
- Tear kale leaves into pieces that are about the size of the palm of your hand. Place on a bare half sheet baking sheet and add oil. Use your hands to rub/massage the oil into the kale leaves (all crevices especially the curly ends) so they are all evenly coated in the oil.
- Spread the kale pieces into one even layer. They should not overlap or they will steam instead of crispy up in the oven. Cook the kale chips in two batches if your baking sheet cannot accommodate all the kale.
- Sprinkle the kale pieces evenly with salt. You want to disperse the salt evenly so you don't get a clump of salt in any one bite. I love my kale chips extra salty so I tend to use ¼ teaspoon of salt but go lighter if you like.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes until crispy but not brown or black. They should still have a deep green hue to them after cooked.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the kale chips to rest on the baking sheet. They will continue to crisp up here as they cool off. Then enjoy immediately.
- Store leftovers at room temperature (do not refrigerate or they will wilt and lose their crispiness). You can store them in an open container to stay crispy. They are best when fresh.
- I love to eat them plain or serve them with my vegan sour cream as a dip.
Notes
Save your kale stems for soups or smoothies.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
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