Kale Chips Recipe

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 03/1/22
Kale chips

The Spruce
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
25 Calories
1g Fat
3g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 25
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 157mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 21mg 107%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 119mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Kale chips are all the rage and are perfect for snacking. While there are plenty of brands on the market, there's no need to buy kale in chip form.

You can turn hearty leaves of kale into crispy crunchy "chips" for a delicious snack at home with minimal effort. Lacinato (or "dino") kale is best, but any kind works. The key to successful kale chips is twofold: First, bake them in a single layer so they can crisp up properly, and second, take them out of the oven after 20 minutes—they will crisp up as they cool. If you leave them in until they are already crisp, they will char and take on a burnt taste as they cool.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, or olive oil

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for kale chips
    The Spruce

  2. Preheat an oven to 300 F.

  3. Trim off and discard the stem ends of the kale leaves. Cut out and discard any large ribs from the center of the leaves (these won't crisp up the same way as the leaves will).

    Trim stems
    The Spruce

  4. Rinse the leaves clean with cool water and pat them thoroughly dry.

    Rinse kale leaves
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  5. You can leave small leaves whole, but you may want to cut larger leaves into more manageable pieces. Alternatively, you can cut the leaves into largish, yet more chip-like pieces to be eaten in a bite or two.

    Separate leaves
    The Spruce

  6. Put the kale in a very large bowl and drizzle it with the oil. Gently toss the kale pieces until they are thoroughly and evenly coated with the oil.

    Put kale in bowl
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  7. Arrange the leaves on baking sheets in a single layer (you may need to cook them in batches, but the key to getting the kale crisp is to bake it in a single layer, so resist any temptation to layer the leaves!). Sprinkle the kale with salt. For extra flavor, sprinkle on a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

    Lay leaves out on sheet
    The Spruce

  8. Bake the kale for 20 minutes.

  9. Remove the kale from the oven, and let it cool—you can leave the kale on the baking sheets or transfer it to cooling racks. (Note that the kale "chips" will not be crisp yet, they will crisp up as they cool, so don't leave them in the oven longer.) Repeat with remaining kale, if necessary.

    Kale chips
    The Spruce

  10. Enjoy the kale chips as soon as they're cool.

Tip

  • The kale chips will keep in a sealed container (a cookie tin is ideal) for a few days, depending on the humidity where you are (the drier it is, the longer they'll stay crispy).

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