kale chips
June 10th, 2010
A few mornings ago, my nextdoor neighbor surprised me by bringing over a huge basket of fresh kale – YUM! Such a wonderful way to begin the day!!
I’ve been craving kale chips this month, so was anxious to pop them in the oven and make a quick batch. Talk about instant gratification — after just 12 minutes in the oven, the kale had reached that gorgeous dark green color, was perfectly crisp, and ready to be enjoyed!! There are a million different ways you can season them, but for this batch I went nearly al natural — just tossed them in some olive oil and sprinkled on a little sea salt. Completely delicious!!
If you’ve never made these before, I can’t recommend them enough. In addition to providing a fresh alternative for when the crunchy “chip” craving hits, kale is absolutely packed with nutrients and powerful antioxidents.
So grab the olive oil, and whatever favorite seasonings you enjoy (herbs, a little lemon or lime juice, garlic, etc.), and enjoy this addicting, yet wonderfully guilt-free snack! :)
Kale Chips Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch fresh kale leaves, well-washed and dried (you can use a salad spinner, or pat dry with towels, or just let air dry!)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- coarse sea salt (or whatever salt you prefer)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a cutting board, use a kitchen knife to chop the kale into bite-sized (about 1″) pieces. (You can also tear it apart with your hands.) Place pieces in a large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil. Then using your hands, toss the kale until the leaves are evenly coated with the oil.
Lay the kale pieces out evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until kale is dark green and crunchy. Remove from oven, let cool, and then serve.
Ali’s Tip:
If you would like to keep these “raw”, they can be easily cooked in a dehydrator. Just prepare them similarly, and pop them in the dehydrator for 4-5 hours.
Hi Ali. how hot should the oven be when making the kale chips? thanks!
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Yeah for kale! I love Cale! Oh wait that is my husbands name! ;)
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What temp should the oven be for that 12 minute bake time? Thanks!
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ali Reply:
June 10th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Oh no! So sorry everyone — forgot that “minor” detail. :-)
The oven temp needs to be 350 for these. I just edited the post. Enjoy!!
~A
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My biggest craving is “salty crunchy” and this looks like the best way to do it AND be healthy. Cannot wait to try–I’m off to the Farmer’s Market tomorrow!
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This is such a creative use of kale – I never would have thought to do this! Great recipe!
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Yum… These look great! I have seen various posts about kale chips but haven’t given them a try yet. I really need to! We get a lot of kale in our CSA, so now I will have the perfect recipe to try!
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ali Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 10:30 pm
Hey Jen!
Actually, it was an abundance of CSA kale that initially led my friends and I to try them! So fun – and versatile too. :)
~A
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made them! love them! Would be great on a hamburger!
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Question. Do these keep well, or do they need to be served immediately?
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ali Reply:
June 21st, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Hi Sara!
I’ve kept them around for 2-3 days (stored in an airtight container), but not sure if they would last just too much longer. Sorry, not too sure on that one…good luck!
~A
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Thanks! Kale is abundant at the farmers market right now, and I was looking for a new way to use it. I wanted to make ALL of it into these chips, but that’s a lot to eat in one serving. Two or three servings, not a problem. :-)
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Ugh. One more question. I went to the grocery store this morning and forgot to get parchment paper. I really don’t want to have to go back just for that. Is it necessary, or might there be an alternative?
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ali Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Hey Sara!
Absolutely – feel free to just use cooking spray to grease the pan a bit. Or you can also use aluminum foil. Whatever works! :-)
Enjoy!
~A
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Just made a batch! Looking forward to giving them a try! I love your blog.
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My daughter made these to snack on while she has been dieting….she gave me a taste , and now I am hooked on this delicious snack…this was the first time I have ever eaten Kale….I never thought in a million years that I would eat it…….. (it just never appealed to me)….but I’m here to tell you, you just gotta try it, and you will be hooked on it just like the rest of us…..It is soooo good !!!!
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Just made and these are awesome!
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I dehydrate mine! wonderful and so good for you!
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