edible ink

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.

Note: If you buy something using links in this post, we may receive a small commission. This helps support Edible Ink in our quest to bring you high-quality free recipes and foodie travel tips.

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.

Have you tried these kale chips? Let us know what you think in the comments below!