You’ll never want to buy chips after trying these incredibly crispy homemade Kale Chips! They’re lighter than air with a satisfying crunch and a healthy dusting of nutritional yeast. They’re completely vegan, easy to make, healthy, and downright irresistible!
All you need is an oven or air fryer to turn leafy Kale into toasted-to-perfection veggie chips. After a quick massage with oil, you’ll cook them and then season — that’s it! Try it out and find out why these baked Kale Chips are the ultimate healthy snack.
Why You'll Love these Kale Chips
- Quick and easy snack. It takes only five minutes of active preparation to get these kale chips in the air fryer or oven to shrink down and become impossibly light and crunchy! Perfect for snacking any time of day or night.
- Only 3 ingredients. Possibly the best part of these air fryer kale chips is simplicity — you only need three ingredients to make these chips to satisfy snack cravings! There are no preservatives or artificial ingredients in these homemade chips.
- They’re healthy. Kale is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber — something you won’t find in regular store-bought chips that are made from corn, soy, or potatoes. They are seasoned with nutritional yeast making them vegan "cheesy" kale chips!
Ingredient Notes
To make these easy Kale Chips, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- kale - this recipe works with most types of kale, so use your favorite! Green, red, or purple kale, Lacinato (dino) kale or curly kale.
- avocado oil - olive oil will also work, and you can even use coconut oil in a pinch but it may add a slight coconuty to the chips.
- nutritional yeast - you can substitute the nutritional yeast for a spice blend or even grated cheese like parmesan or asiago.
You will also need measuring spoons and a half sheet baking pan or air fryer.
How to Make the Best Kale Chips (2 Ways)
- Prep kale. In a large mixing bowl, add chopped kale and drizzle with oil. Gently massage the oil into the kale until well coated. This is to prevent the kale from getting burnt during cooking.
- Cook. Cook the kale in the oven or in the air fryer.
Oven Baked Kale Chips
Arrange the kale leaves in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan. Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until crispy.
Air Fryer Kale Chips
Add kale in the airfryer basket until full. It's fine to overlap the leaves and they shrink a lot during cooking. Air fry the kale at 350F for 8-10 minutes until crispy. Shake the basket once halfway during cooking.
- Season: Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and serve immediately.
Flavor Variations
These kale chips are the perfect canvas for your favorite spices. You can even mimic the flavor of your favorite store-bought chip with the right combination of seasonings! Try:
- Salt and vinegar: This classic flavor combination is achieved by tossing the kale chips in 3-4 tablespoons of white vinegar and about 1 teaspoon salt before baking.
- Cheese: Sprinkle the cooked kale chips in with grated parmesan or cheddar.
- Spiced: Season with a combination of your favorite spices before cooking including garlic powder, paprika, or cumin. To spice it up, add red pepper powder.
- Barbecue: Add a barbecue seasoning blend to give these baked kale chips a smoky flavor.
How to Serve
Kale Chips are a delicious snack served on its own. If you are hosting a party or event at your home and are serving kale chips as part of a bigger spread of healthy snacks, try these:
- Homemade Popcorn
- Baked Apple Chips
- Gingerbread Granola
- Veggie Tray
- Protein Energy Bites
For more options, see our 50 Best Healthy Snacks.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Serve with dip. A light-weight dip is great for these airy, crispy kale chips. They can’t hold a lot of weight, so stick to a more liquid-style dip like whipped hummus or runny ranch to make sure you can get the dip from dish to mouth.
- Offer as an alternative to roasted vegetables or raw salad. These nutritious kale chips are a great alternative to a veggie or greens side at lunch and dinner. The crispy texture and ability to eat them with just fingers sometimes makes them more enticing than usual plant-based sides.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover kale chips in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight for up to 3 days. You can serve them at room temperature.
How to Freeze
You can technically freeze kale chips, but they won’t come out of the freezer as crispy as they went in and they may wilt a bit or get soggy. To freeze, transfer kale chips to a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Reheat them straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer to crisp them up again.
More Kale Recipes
- Kale Caesar Salad
- White Bean Soup with Kale
- Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Kale
- Creamy Tortellini Soup with Sausage
- Sweet Kale Salad
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Print
Kale Chips
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Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
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Total Time: 20 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings
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Diet: Vegan
Description
You’ll never want to buy chips after trying these incredibly crispy homemade Kale Chips! They’re lighter than air with a satisfying crunch and a healthy dusting of nutritional yeast. They’re completely vegan, easy to make, healthy, and downright irresistible!
- 12 ounces chopped kale, washed and thoroughly dried (1 package or about 2 bunches)
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
- ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast (or to taste)
- In a large mixing bowl, add chopped kale and drizzle with oil. Gently massage the oil into the kale until well coated. This is to prevent the kale from getting burnt during cooking.
- Cook the kale in the oven or in the air fryer:
- In the oven: Preheat oven to 400 F. Arrange the kale leaves in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy.
- In the air fryer: Add kale in the airfryer basket until full. It's fine to overlap the leaves and they shrink a lot during cooking. Air fry the kale at 350F for 8-10 minutes until crispy. Shake the basket once halfway during cooking.
- Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and serve immediately.
Notes
How to store: Store leftover kale chips in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight for up to 3 days. You can serve them at room temperature.
How to freeze: You can technically freeze kale chips, but they won’t come out of the freezer as crispy as they went in and they may wilt a bit or get soggy. To freeze, transfer kale chips to a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Reheat them straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer to crisp them up again.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: kale chips, air fryer kale chips, baked kale chips, how to make kale chips, homemade kale chips
