Easy Baked Kale Chips

These easy baked kale chips are an unexpectedly tasty treat that’s actually very simple to make. I just started seeing kale back at the farmers market following its short time away during the hot summer months. Kale is one of the few items that’s available nearly year round and it’s often one of the few items I bring home from our winter farmers market!

Whether you’re just finding kale in the markets or you’re in a place of being overwhelmed with a big bunch of it, kale chips might just be your answer! The basic recipe is very simple and you can play around with seasonings.

Baked Kale Chips Recipe

Kale chips provide a lighter alternative to traditional chips. Their light crunch is a welcome treat. I’m not here to say kale chips are as mouthwatering as potato chips or tortilla chips – you’d lose all respect for me if I did that. They are a tasty treat in and of themselves, however, and they’re a fun addition to an appetizer spread or even atop a salad! So give kale chips their own space in your world!

Kale chips are a great way to use up a lot of kale – and many different varieties of kale at that! They’re an easy, homemade snack that’s customizable. It’s also a fun way to get more vegetables onto the snack table without making them feel like a chore for the veggie-haters in your life.

Ways to Use Kale Chips

Kale chips are more versatile than you might expect. Here are some yummy ways to use them.

• snack straight from the bowl
• add to a snack board
• crumble over salads
• serve alongside sandwiches or soups
• use as a crunchy topping for grain bowls

What Kind of Kale is Best for Kale Chips?

There are a few types of kale commonly found, but which is the best for kale chips? Actually, most work well.

• Lacinato/Dinosaur kale: sturdy, flat leaves, easy to season
• Curly kale: classic choice, lots of ruffled edges that get crispy
• Red Russian: works well and makes pretty chips
• Baby kale: skip it

Homemade Kale Chips Ingredients

Kale

Shocker! Yes, you need kale. There are actually a few types of kale. The most common are lacinato, curly leaf, and Red Russian (purple leaf). Any of these three are fine for kale chips. Lacinato and purple leaf are shown here in the photos.

You don’t want baby kale and the leaves won’t hold up as well and you won’t get the “chip” crisp.

Olive Oil

The oil helps the seasonings stick to the kale leaves. It also provides a bit of flavor and helps get the crisp without drying out the kale.

Seasonings

The kale chips recipe below calls for onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, dried dill, and salt. You can play around with these spices or you can add your own. Think a ranch seasoning or a spicy jerk seasoning. Or you could do a simple salt and pepper!

How to Make Kale Chips

Prep the Kale

Kale should be clean and dry. Remove the stems and cut or tear the leaves into large bite-sized pieces.

Make Your Seasoning

Combine the onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, dried dill, and salt in a small bowl.

Season the Kale

Drizzle olive oil onto the kale and then sprinkle on the seasoning, mixing it all around to get the oil and seasoning evenly distributed.

Bake the Chips

These kale chips bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, with the kale moved around partway through so it cooks evenly.

How to Make Kale Chips Crispy

Kale chips are most enjoyable when they’re crispy. Here are a few tips for making sure your chips can be as crispy as possible.

Dry Kale Completely

After you wash your kale, make sure it’s completely dry before seasoning. You can leave it out to air dry on a towel for a bit after you wash it. You can also use a towel on your torn/cut pieces. Place a clean towel on the counter, cover half with kale pieces, and use the other side to dry the top side.

Don’t Use Too Much Oil

The recipe doesn’t call for much oil because too much oil prevents the crisp and we don’t want to use more oil than necessary. If the leaves don’t seem lightly coated, add a small amount more. You want enough oil to lightly coat the leaves without making them greasy.

Don’t Overcrowd the Pan

If the kale is too crowded, it’ll steam rather than crisp. Make sure you have enough space on your pan. You can use two pans and rotate them halfway through, or you can work in multiple batches. A little overlap around the edges is fine, but avoid piling the kale on top of itself.

Use Bite-Sized Pieces

If your kale is too large, you’ll likely get crispy edges and a soft center. The kale pieces will shrink a bit as they cook, so I recommend chopping or tearing them into large bite-sized pieces.

Remove Thick Stems

The recipe calls for removing the main stem. If there are smaller stems that feel large, feel free to remove those as well. The stems just won’t cook like the leaves.

Watch for Burning

Keep an eye on the chips near the end of baking time because they can go from crisp to burnt quickly. The leaves should be visibly crisp and dry, with the edges beginning to curl. They shouldn’t feel soft when touched. And they crisp a bit more when cooling.

How to Store Kale Chips

Kale chips are most delicious just after they’re made (and cooled). You can store them in a sealed container – on the counter for 2-3 days. If they get soft, you can recrisp them in a preheated oven at 300°F for 3-5 minutes until they crisp and dry again. Keep an eye on them!

Seasoning Ideas

The seasoning is where this basic kale chips recipe can really become your own. You can use different seasonings depending on what you prefer or how you want to use them. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

• Classic: salt + pepper
• Garlic herb: see recipe below
• Ranch: ranch seasoning
• Spicy: cayenne + smoked paprika
• Cheesy: nutritional yeast + garlic powder
• Everything: everything bagel seasoning
• Smoky: smoked paprika + cumin

FAQ

Can I make kale chips with any type of kale?

Kale chips are great with lacinato (dino), curly leaf, and Red Russian (purple) kale.

Can I use different oils?

I recommend olive oil here – it’s what we use most. You could use avocado oil if you prefer.

Why aren’t my kale chips crispy?

There are a variety of reasons kale chips don’t come out crispy. Make sure to use completely dried kale, don’t use too much oil, and make sure there’s some space between the small kale pieces, so they can bake and crisp rather than steam.

Can I use less oil?

You can use a little less, but I wouldn’t eliminate it entirely. The small amount in this recipe helps the kale crisp and helps the seasonings stick to the leaves.

How long do homemade kale chips last?

Homemade kale chips last 2-3 days in a sealed container at room temperature.

Can I re-crisp kale chips?

Yes. Lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put them into a preheated oven at 300ºF and bake for 3-5 minutes until recrisped. Keep an eye on them as they could burn.