Satisfyingly crunchy, deliciously cheesy, and ready in about 30 minutes. Can you think of a better way to eat your greens? These Kale Chips are super easy, and vegan & gluten free.
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The Best Kale for Kale Chips
This recipe uses Tuscan Kale, formally known as Lacinato Kale, which is the dark green, fiborous kale in the super market. It’s also sometimes known as Dinosaur Kale, due to it’s rough bumpy leaves which presumably look like dinosaur skin.
Curly kale is a lighter, less dense, relative of Tuscan Kale. It’s ideal for salads and eating raw, as it’s texture is closer to a hearty green like spinach.
Curly kale or Tuscan kale work for this recipe. I’d recommend using Tuscan kale as it’s heartiness makes a sturdier chip!
You can read more about the difference between Curly, Tuscan and Russian Red Kale here.
The Mighty Green
Yes, kale is nutritious — but it’s also delicious! The trick to kale is to treat it differently than other leafy greens. It can be sautéed like spinach with olive oil and spices, but unlike spinach, it won’t release a whole bunch of liquid.
Massage kale in a citrus-based dressing to make it the perfect salad green. The acid in the citrus breaks down the fibrous texture of the kale, making it less dense and chewy when you eat it.
I’ll admit I was skeptical of how good kale chips would actually be. After all, they don’t seem like the best contender for a crunchy delicious chip. Thankfully, these exceeded my expectations.
They aren’t as sturdy as your typical potato chip, but do pack a satisfying crisp. The nutritional yeast gives them an irresistibly cheesy flavor. Yum.
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches tuscan kale
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275° degrees.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove stems from kale. Shred the leaves by hand or cut with knife to make chips.
- In a bowl mix nutritional yeast, salt and chili powder.
- Toss kale in the bowl with seasonings.
- Bake for 15 minutes then toss kale. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until done.
- Cool and store in an airtight container or enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to mix it up by adding any of your favorite seasonings or spices.
- Though it may be tempting, refrain from adding oil to the chips. Oil adds moisture which will prevent the kale from crisping up.
Have you tried these kale chips? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
