The BEST Kale Chips

These are The BEST Kale Chips! I never cared for kale chips until I made them this way, and now I eat them all the time. They are kid-friendly, too!

I was an avid kale hater until I graduated college and started cooking for myself. I didn’t like it cooked or even know people ate it raw. These days, I still don’t love it sautéed, but I could eat raw kale salads every day! I recently created a kale chip recipe with me gobbling them up by the trayful, so I had to share it with you. They really are The BEST Kale Chips!

I can’t fully take credit for this idea. I was at the farmers’ market last year and met a woman selling various kinds of kale chips. They looked so perfectly seasoned that I just had to try some. They were amazing; this recipe is my attempt to recreate them at home.

The BEST Kale Chip Recipe Ingredients

• Kale – I used a small bunch of curly kale for this recipe. Feel free to use whatever kind is available.
• Tahini – Be sure to use a tahini that is not too bitter for your taste. 
• Tamari –  I like tamari, but soy sauce also does the trick.
• Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast gives the crips a nice, umami flavor that’s even a bit cheese-like.
• Lemon juice – I recommend fresh lemon juice here.
• Spices –  This recipe uses cumin, paprika, granulated garlic, and salt.

I’ve made kale chips using olive oil and salt before, and they were OK, but nothing I wanted to snack on all the time. This recipe uses tahini and nutritional yeast to make a creamy sauce that you rub all over the kale. Once baked, it’s SO good! I also add some seasonings that add a kind of taco or nacho cheese flavor to these kale chips.

I tested this with a few different flavors, like BBQ and Ranch, but ultimately, I threw out the other flavors because this was the recipe I kept returning to.

Why Your Body Will Love These Green Chips

• Antioxidants – Dark leafy greens like kale are high in antioxidants, which are known for helping to reduce inflammation in the body. Excess inflammation can lead to many illnesses, including cancer. Kale contains potassium, nitrates, and iron, which contribute to heart and blood health; vitamin K, magnesium, and calcium, which support strong bones; and Vitamin A and lutein, which support our eyes and vision.
• Inside and Out Health Benefits – Tahini, a butter made of sesame seeds, contains calcium and magnesium, contributing to healthy bones. It’s also a great source of antioxidants that promote immune system health. Tahini is rich in iron (hello, blood) and vitamin E (for happy skin).
• Vitamins and Minerals – Lemon juice is such a wholesome liquid. It contains potassium, flavonoids, and calcium and, as many of us know, is high in Vitamin C. This well-known vitamin is not only great for the immune system but also supports wound healing and collagen production.

Recipe Tips for The Best Kale Chips

I’ve been testing this kale chip recipe for a while now, and here are some things I’ve learned:

• Try your best to ensure all the kale leaves are evenly coated with sauce. If one leaf has much more than the others, it won’t get crispy and will stay slightly soggy. Be sure that none of the kale leaves have a big glop of sauce on them.
• It’s important not to pile the kale leaves on top of each other while baking. I’ve done this a few times, and it prevents the kale chips from getting nice and crispy. It’s important to space them out, even if that means you need to make a few batches.
• Keep a close eye on your kale chips. All ovens are different, and kale chips can go from being perfectly crisp to burning quickly. I suggest baking them for 20 minutes but check on them a few times before the 20 minutes is up. If they’re looking nice and crispy, you can flip before that.

How To Make The Best Vegan Kale Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse the kale and remove the leaves from the stem using your hands or a knife. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and place them on a baking sheet. You want to lay out the kale leaves so they don’t overlap and have room to crisp up. Parchment paper will make it easier to flip, but I usually forget to use it, and it turns out fine.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined. Pour the sauce over the kale leaves, use your hands to mix them together, and make sure that all the leaves are coated with sauce.
3. Bake the kale chips for about 20 minutes. Check on them before the time is up to ensure they are not burning; flip early if needed. Remove them from the oven, flip them over, and bake for another 2 minutes. Let the kale chips sit for about 5 minutes to crisp up even more before enjoying them.

Even Kale Haters and Kids Love Them

These Kale Chips are a great way to get kids to actually like kale! My 3-year-old asked for one the other day when I took them out of the oven, and to my surprise, he loved them! He asked for a little bowl full, and when he had finished those, he wanted more. If my 3-year-old enjoys these, I’m certain they can turn any kale hater into a kale chip lover 🙂

Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Delicious Kale Recipes?

Kale and White Bean Pasta with Parmesan

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Kale and Feta

Lemony Kale Salad with Feta Cheese

Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale

Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Kale

Kale Caesar Salad Pitas

The BEST Kale Chips

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• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 32 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

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Description

These are the BEST Kale Chips!  If you think you don’t like kale chips, I promise that this recipe will convert you!

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Ingredients

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• 1 small bunch curly kale
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons tamari, or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• Pinch salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Rinse kale and using your hands, or a knife, remove the kale leaves from the stem.  Tear the leave into bite size pieces and place on a baking sheet.  You want to lay out the kale leaves so that they aren’t overlapped so they have room to crisp up.  Parchment paper will make them easier to flip, but I usually forget to use it and they turn out fine.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined.  Pour sauce over kale leaves and use your hands to mix together and make sure that all kale leaves are coated with the sauce.
3. Bake kale chips for about 20 minutes, remove from the oven and flip the over and bake for another 2 minutes.  Let kale chips sit for about 5 minutes to crisp up even more before enjoying.

Notes

The sauce makes enough for all the kale chips that will fit on one large baking sheet.  If you want to make more than that you can just whip up a new batch of sauce for each batch of chips you make.

Store kale chips in an airtight container at room temperature if you don’t eat them immediately.  Kale chips can be stored up to 3 days but will lose their crispness as the days go on.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 22 mins
• Category: Snack, Vegan
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American