Homemade Kale Chips – 6 Ways!

I am so grateful for the abundance of our garden. The greens were the first crops we harvested around here (we didn’t plant radishes this year) and before we knew it we were surrounded by kale, collards, swiss chard, pak choy, rapini, kale and even more kale. So far we’ve preserved a lot our kale by freezing, both blanching and non-blanching methods, but one of my favourite ways to eat kale is in the form of chips.

Healthy, crunchy and delicious, kale chips make a delicious snack. Kale is high in beta carotene, calcium and vitamins C and K which makes them a much better choice than a bag of chips! And the flavour options for homemade kale chips are only limited by your imagination.

So let’s dive into the world of kale chips.

What You’ll Need

  • One bunch of kale

  • Freshly picked and crisp works best

  • Dehydrator or oven

  • Olive oil (1/2 – 1 tbsp for one bunch of kale)

  • Sea salt (to taste)

  • Optional additions

  • Vinegars (balsamic, white, red wine etc.)

  • Spices (paprika, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, chili powder, garlic, cayenne, onion etc.)

Instructions

  • Wash your greens thoroughly and pat dry using paper towels

  • Dry kale makes better chips so don’t rush through this step

  • Remove the leaves from the stems and tear your kale into chip sized pieces

  • Compost the stems

  • In a large bowl combine your olive oil (start with 1/2 tbsp) and kale leaves

  • Using your hands gently massage the kale so that all the leaves are coated lightly with oil. Add more oil if necessary.

  • Choose one of the 6 flavour variations found below and add to your oiled kale

  • Or experiment with your own recipes!

Add Your Spices/Flavours – 6 Flavour Variations

  • basic kale chip – 1 tsp of sea salt

  • salt and vinegar kale chips – 1-2 tbsp vinegar of choice and 1 tsp sea salt

  • smoky and spicy kale chips – 1/2 to 1 tbsp chili flakes and 1/2 tsp smoke paprika

  • spicy lime kale chips – 1/2 to 1 tbsp sriracha hot sauce, 2 tsp lime juice and 1 tsp sea salt

  • cheesy kale chips – 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast), 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper

  • garlic kale chips – 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and a pinch of cayenne (optional)

Dehydrator Method

  • Line the prepared kale on your dehydrator trays

  • Do not overlap your kale

  • If you want your kale chips to be a raw food set the temperature to 105-110 °F for 8-12 hours

  • For a faster method (but not raw) set the temperature to 135 °F for 3-5 hours

Oven Method

  • Preheat your oven to 275 °F

  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place your prepared kale on the tray.

  • Bake in the oven until the the chips are dry and crispy (15-20 minutes).

  • Keep an eye on your chips! They can go from raw to burnt rather quickly.

Enjoy!

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