How To Make Crispy Oven Baked Kale Chips

Nutrient-rich yet delicious – there’s no denying that crispy baked kale chips are perfect guilt-free munchies that you can binge-eat without gaining calories.

That’s why it’s a much sought-after evening snack by fitness freaks and calorie-conscious people. And since they are packed with more nutrients and fewer calories than potato chips, you can make them a part of your tea-time or late-night snacks.

However, crispy kale chips are surprisingly expensive. Instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars to stock them at home, you can make kale chips for your whole family without much hassle.

With the right ingredients and correct temperature, you can bake kale chips and munch on them whenever you want without spending a fortune.

Having said that, we decided to let out the eight best baked kale chips recipes that you can try your hands on. So, without further ado, let’s get straight into the deets!

How To Make Crispy Oven Baked Kale Chips: 8 Best Recipes

1. Bold And Zesty Baked Kale Chips Recipe

Want to satisfy your craving for potato chips without gaining extra calories? Well, roasted kale [1] chips are the perfect, delicious alternative to potato chips because they are a low-density energy calorie food. And unlike potatoes, this green, leafy vegetable is packed with Vitamin C, B, and A, calcium, antioxidants, fiber, and potassium.

Ingredients List

One bunch of kale (six cups)
One tablespoon of olive oil
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup almond meal

Preparation Method

Besides the ingredients, make sure you keep measuring cups and spoons, baking sheet, spatula, and glass batter bowl at hand.

Before anything else, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F so that it’s ready for roasting kale by the time you finish other tasks. Next, take a large baking sheet, grease it with oil and set it aside.

Take a small bowl, add almond meal, black pepper, and garlic salt and mix them properly. After that, you’ll have to remove the leafy parts of the kale from the stalk, shred them into small pieces, and place them in a large bowl. Just make sure you wash and dry the leaves thoroughly using a salad spinner.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil [2] to the bowl and mix the leaves with it. Note that every leaf must be coated with oil, or it won’t be able to hold other ingredients, leaving the chips tasteless. In case the leaves aren’t coated properly, you can add another tablespoon of oil and then mix again.

Now, take the almond meal seasoning, add it to the oil-coated kale leaves, and toss it with tongs to evenly distribute the ingredients. When done, place the kale chips on the baking sheet while making sure that they don’t overlap and toss them in the oven for about 25 to 40 minutes.

Also, make sure you stir them every few minutes until the edges become crispy or slightly browned. As soon as they turn brown, turn off the oven and let them cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet. After a while, take them off the sheet and pour them onto a large bowl, and that’s it! Your evening snack is ready for munching.

2. Sriracha Hot Sauce Roasted Kale Chips Recipe

Those who love spicy food instead of a bland diet must give the sriracha hot sauce [3] roasted kale chips recipe a try. Packed with capsaicin, it enhances the metabolism that burns weight, promoting a healthy body. Not only that, but it can also boost endorphins and promote serotonin, enhancing your mood and memory.

Ingredients List

One bunch of kale
One tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
Two tablespoons of olive oil
Half teaspoon salt
Two teaspoons of lime juice

Preparation Method

Of course, you’ll have to preheat the oven before starting with the recipe, so make sure you set it to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Next take the kale, wash it properly, and de-rib it by running a knife on the leaves along both sides. Don’t forget to dry the leaves thoroughly before tearing them into two to three-inch pieces.

Add Sriracha hot sauce, olive oil, salt, and lime juice in another container and toss in kale leaves after whisking the mix thoroughly. To coat the kale leaves with the seasoning, you’ll have to toss them with your hands until evenly coated.

Then, take two baking sheets, spread them on the countertop with a parchment paper, and set the kale leaves on them, avoiding overlapping. Place them in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes or till they turn crisp. In the meantime, don’t forget to flip over those chips that become too brown to avoid burning them.

After turning off the oven, let them cool for about three to four minutes, and then serve. You can also store kale chips in an airtight container or a paper bag and snack on them whenever you want.

3. Maple Syrup Kale Crisps Recipe

Sweet, brown, and caramel-like with burnt notes, maple syrup [4] is high in antioxidants, zinc, magnesium, calcium, riboflavin, and potassium. And the best part? It contains fewer calories, so it’s perfect for guilt-conscious people to satisfy their sweet tooth. But did you know that you can add it to your kale chips to balance their bitterness? If not, then read on to prepare the yummiest kale chips that you can set hands on.

Ingredients List

One bunch of kale
Two tablespoons of pure maple syrup
One tablespoon of extra light olive oil
One teaspoon of sea salt

Preparation Method

After setting the oven to preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, wash the kale and blot it on a paper towel to soak up water thoroughly. Consequently, place a baking sheet on the countertop and spread a parchment paper over it. Of course, tear the kale leaves from the stalk and arrange them on top of the paper.

Moving on, sprinkle (lightly) olive oil and maple syrup over the leaves and top it off with sea salt. After that, place the sheet into the oven and bake the chips for about 15 minutes. However, make sure you keep checking the oven every now and then to prevent the leaves from burning or over-baking.

4. Salt And Vinegar Kale Chips

From lowering cholesterol to improving blood pressure, the health benefits of consuming vinegar [5] are aplenty. And one of the best ways to make your kale chips tasty and flavorful is adding a bit of vinegar and munch on them either during the afternoon or evening. Here’s how you can prepare healthy and yummy salt and vinegar kale chips.

Ingredients List

One bunch of kale
One tablespoon of malt vinegar
Two tablespoons of olive oil
Half teaspoon salt

Preparation Method

To prepare your tasty snack, simply tear kale leaves from the ribs and wash them to remove impurities. After leaving them aside to dry, add vinegar, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk the ingredients after topping with kale leaves. Note that you should stir the mixture gently to ensure every leaf is covered with the seasoning.

Also, make sure you leave the mixture untouched for about five minutes so that the kale leaves absorb the flavors well. In the meantime, prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper and then lay the seasoned leaves on it to bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

Of course, you’ll have to flip them over a few times using tongs to ensure they don’t burn. Once they appear crispy or brownish, turn off the oven, take them out and transfer them to paper towels. In case some pieces aren’t baked properly, you may rerun the oven until they turn brown. Serve fresh or store them in a sealed container to snack on later!

5. Kale Chips With Lemon And Tahini

Made from toasted and ground sesame seeds, tahini [6] is jam-packed with phosphorus, protein, fiber, copper, and selenium, so it’s highly nutritious. It helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and protects the body against hormone-related cancers, so everyone should add it to their daily diet. And since this recipe contains lemon alongside other nutritious ingredients, it will improve digestive health, control weight, and protect against anemia.

Ingredients List

One bunch of kale leaves
Two tablespoons tahini
One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
One tablespoon of olive oil
One teaspoon of grated lemon zest
Half teaspoon granulated garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Method

Much like the other recipes, you’ll have to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then proceed to separate the kale leaves from their stalks. While most people prefer tearing leaves, you can use a herb stripper to separate them from the rib and place them aside. However, make sure you tear them in large pieces instead of bite sizes because they’ll shrink a lot during baking.

Take a small bowl and add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to prepare the seasoning. After mixing them thoroughly, transfer them to the bowl in which kale leaves are placed and stir gently for about a minute or so.

Subsequently, lay a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and arrange the coated kale over them. Ideally, you must bake them for about 15 to 20 minutes, but it’s advisable to turn the oven off after the leaves turn crispy and light brown. Take them out, and let them cool for some time before serving to make the chips more crispy.

6. Spicy Smoky Baked Kale Chips Recipe

If you’re craving some spicy potato chips, these spicy, smoky baked kale chips are perfect treats to try. While chili flakes add a fun and spicy kick, you can add smoked paprika or cayenne pepper [7] as well. And the best thing about spicy foods is that they promote weight loss, fight infection, and keep your heart healthy.

Ingredients List

Two tablespoons of olive oil
One bunch of kale
Two teaspoons of chili flakes
Sprinkling of paprika or cayenne pepper powder
Salt (to taste)

Preparation Method

First things first, remove kale leaves from the stems and make sure you dice them into large pieces so that they don’t shrink while baking. Next, put them in a large bowl, sprinkle olive oil, and toss them lightly to ensure that every leaf is coated. Since too much oil will make them greasy or limp, we suggest adding about one tablespoon at a time.

After that, add sea salt and chili flakes to the mixture, toss them and arrange the leaves atop the baking sheet. Of course, make sure you line the baking sheet with parchment paper before placing leaves on it and toss them in the oven.

Precisely, you must run the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes to bake both sides properly and flip them over every 10 minutes, or they might get burned. After they turn light brown and the edges appear dry and brittle, turn off the oven and take them out. Allow them to cool for a few minutes, and then sprinkle over cayenne pepper or paprika to make your chips more spicy and flavorful.

7. Baked Crispy Kale Chips With Everything Bagel Seasoning Recipe

As the name suggests, everything bagel seasoning is a blend of almost all the ingredients that are available in your pantry. To be more precise, it contains dried onion and garlic, toasted sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt. While all the ingredients are added in equal amounts, the seasoning contains less salt. And since they have a nutty, toasty flavor, you can rest assured that they will enhance the taste of the chips.

Ingredients List

Five cups of freshly washed curly kale leaves
Half teaspoon of Everything Bagel Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt
Two teaspoons of olive oil

Preparation Method

After washing the kale leaves, dry and chop them into large pieces, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, take a baking sheet or two, line them with parchment paper and arrange a single layer of kale leaves.

Take olive oil and drizzle it over the leaves, ensuring that they are evenly coated. We suggest double-checking each leaf to make sure none of them is left uncoated, or they’ll end up burnt. After that, top the kale leaves with salt and “everything bagel seasoning,” covering each of them.

Now, toss the baking sheet in the oven and bake the chips for about 10 to 15 minutes. However, don’t forget to flip over the leaves between the baking sessions so that they are baked evenly. And when 10 minutes are left, keep a watch on them to avoid over-cooking or burning the chips.

When they turn light brown and appear crispy, power off the oven, take the sheet out, and let it cool for about five to ten minutes before serving.

8. Easy Ranch Kale Chips Recipe

Looking for a simple recipe that will quench your child’s salty and crunchy craving? Well, this easy ranch kale chips recipe is worth a shot. Much like everything bagel seasoning, the ranch recipe is also packed with all the nutritious ingredients that are available in your kitchen. And the best part is the seasoning receives its delicious flavor from dried shives, salt pepper, garlic powder, parsley, dill, onion flakes and powder.

Ingredients List

One to two tablespoons of ranch seasoning
One bunch of kale
Three tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation Method

After preheating the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse the kale leaves and pat dry before removing them from the stem. Then, cut them into slightly larger pieces, put them in a big bowl, and drizzle olive oil onto them. Of course, you’ll have to toss the leaves quite a few times to ensure that they are coated.

After that, sprinkle ranch seasoning atop the leaves and toss them again to distribute evenly. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lay the leaves and bake them for about 10 minutes. Then, take them out, toss them over, and re-run the oven for 10 minutes to make them crisp. When they turn light brown, turn off the oven and serve immediately or store them in an airtight container.

4 Reasons You Should Eat Baked Kale Chips Every Day

The crunchy and delicious baked kale chips are perfect for everyone who wishes to munch on tasty snacks without gaining calories. Not only are they low in calories, but they are an excellent way to supply your body with essential nutrients.

What’s more, you can customize them to your taste and preference by adding vinegar, everything bagel seasoning, tahini, maple syrup, or other herbs and spices.

Having said that, we’ve enlisted four reasons why everyone must consider adding scrumptious kale chips to their diet. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Baked Kale Chips Are Loaded With Antioxidants

Much like other green leafy vegetables, kale is also packed with antioxidants, including Vitamin C and beta-carotene. For those unversed, let us tell you that antioxidants prevent oxidative damage caused by free radicals in the body. And since kale is brimming with flavonoids, quercetin and kaempferol, and polyphenols, it will reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer.

2. Crispy Kale Chips Are A Low-Density Snack

If you’re trying hard to lose weight but cannot resist your cravings for potato chips, then the good news is that crispy kale chips are perfect for satisfying your hunger pangs. Besides being healthy, they are tasty, flavorful, and low in calories. This means you can munch on them whenever and as much as you want without worrying about gaining extra calories.

Oh, and let’s not forget that they boost energy, so they will improve your metabolism and help combat fatigue.

3. Kale Chips Are An Excellent Source Of B Vitamins

There’s no denying that leafy green vegetables are loaded with essential minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients needed by the body for proper functioning. Of course, kale is no exception as it contains high amounts of Vitamin B1, B2, and B6 [8].

So, when you consume it regularly, you will notice significant differences in the body as it may alleviate the symptoms of menstrual syndrome, morning sickness, and depression.

4. Kale Supplies Vitamin K To The Body

Not only Vitamin B, but kale is rich in Vitamin K, which is needed by the body for making proteins. While women require at least 90 micrograms, men need about 120 micrograms of Vitamin K1 for proper functioning. Of course, one cup of kale contains about 472 micrograms of Vitamin K1, so eating it regularly will keep your bones and heart healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How Do You Keep Kale Chips Crispy After Baking?

Instead of storing the chips in an airtight container right after baking, allow them to cool completely to make them crisp, or else they will end up being soggy.

Q2. Are Kale Chips Healthy?

Absolutely, yes! Since kale is packed with Vitamin A, B, and C, potassium, calcium, antioxidants, and fiber, they are sodium and fat-free, making them highly nutritious. So, it’s a perfect guilt-free snack that you can munch on anytime to satiate your cravings for potato chips.

Summing It Up

On that note, it’s finally time to wrap our guide on how to make crispy oven-baked kale chips.

Delicious, crispy, and flavorful, they are perfect for satisfying your cravings for chips and crackers without gaining extra calories. However, those available on the market cost a bomb, which is why we suggest giving the recipes mentioned above a shot.

What’s more, they are highly versatile as you can season them with almost anything you want, be it tahini sauce, everything bagel season, or maple syrup.

With that, it’s time to call curtains for the day. Enjoy your meal, bon appétit!