These kale chips are delicious, oil-free, nut-free, and can be made without a dehydrator.
Most kale chips require a dehydrator, and many recipes also include oil.
These kale chips are incredibly tasty and crispy – without needing any oil – AND without needing a dehydrator.
Now, you do have to use a particular method of baking with the oven. Because it’s very easy to burn kale chips in the oven. When they overcook or burn in spots, they lose that gorgeous vibrant green color and taste bitter. The taste is just not the same. It’s not fresh and clean, but rather bitter and sulfurous.
See, most recipes for kale chips in an oven have the setting WAY too high, usually around 400 degrees. But even in recipes that bake chips at a lower oven temp for longer (ex: 300 degrees for 30+ minutes), your kale chips will “cook” rather than “dry”. A dehydrator is so effective because it dries the foods, it doesn’t cook them. That’s why the chips taste so fresh and the greens taste more sweet than bitter.
I don’t have a dehydrator so I started experimenting, to get these crunchy-munchy bites of deliciousness. And this is what I discovered…
The trick is to mimic dehydrating in your oven.
To do that, you need to use the lowest temperature setting possible for your oven, and then alternate turning the oven off and on. For my trials, this took about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. The result? Crispy, irresistable kale chips!
Healthy Kale Chips: Seasonings
Before I jump to the recipe for these healthy kale chips, let’s talk about seasonings. In my experience, kale chips can be too heavily overseasoned, or seasoned with just salt and oil.
This recipe gives you an oil-free ‘dressing’ for the chips that is flavorful but not sickly or hot-spicy. Remember that the kale becomes smaller, and more concentrated with this drying method or with dehydration. So, be somewhat conservative with assertive spices and also with the salt. Try the recipe as-is first, then add your spices to personalize the next time round (see note about seasoning).
And finally, this ‘dressing’ uses some nooch (nutritional yeast). I promise it tastes good. It’s the combination of the ingredients together. Give it a try, even start with a touch less at first to get the idea.
Let me know if you’ve made these, share in the comments. x Dreena
Oven-Dehydrated Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh kale curly or dinosaur; about 6–8 loosely packed cups after prepping
- 2 teaspoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 2 1/2 – 3 tbps nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon (scant) sea salt
Instructions
- Wash the kale leaves. Strip the leaves from the stems and place the leaves in a salad spinner. Spin to remove as much water as possible.
- If leaves are still damp, use a kitchen towel to blot dry.
- Turn oven to lowest setting possible (ex: 170F).
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, tamari, and maple syrup.
- Stir or whisk through until fully smooth in the bottom of the bowl.
- Add kale leaves and toss through with your hands, gently incorporating the sauce through the leaves.
- Add the nutritional yeast, and continue to work through the kale leaves.
- Transfer the kale leaves to the prepared baking sheets, spreading out.
- Sprinkle the leaves with the sea salt.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven on 2 racks. Bake for an hour.
- Then, turn off oven, rotate trays, and then let sit in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Then, turn oven to 170F again, and bake for another 15–20 minutes.
- Check kale: if completely dry and crispy, remove from oven. If not, turn off heat and let sit for another 30–40 minutes. By then, the kale should be crisp and ready to eat!
Notes
- If your oven can go lower than 170F, the process may take another 20–30 minutes.
- To re-crisp leftovers, reheat at same low temperature until flaky again.
- Do not add extra wet seasonings or it will make the leaves soggy.
- If you want to add other flavors, stick with dry seasonings, and remember the flavor intensifies with drying.
This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated for 2023.
Laloofah says
Thank you for this! Our new oven has a “dehydrate” setting on it (perfect!). I adore kale in all it’s forms, but I have zero – ZERO! – self control when it comes to kale chips. If there’s a bowl of kale chips at a party I’ll shamelessly eat them all without an ounce of compassion for my fellow party guests. 🙂 Seriously, I could plow through an acre of kale all by myself in an afternoon if it were in the form of kale chips.
Bee says
These are truly the best! I just made a triple batch. I changed the recipe a bit: no tahini (didn’t have it) and no lemon juice or syrup (didn’t want ’em) and just a bit of olive oil, garlic, and onion powder. I had had perfectly good results with the baked chips, but I think it’s worth the extra time to keep them technically “raw” for the nutrients.
Emma says
I first tried Kale Chips whilst living in Victoria in Canada (my friends mum had made some) and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since! Of course we don’t have anything like this to buy ready made in England so I was very happy to stumble upon this recipe.
I tried making them for the first time tonight and they have worked out great! Can’t stop munching on them!
Thanks for posting this 🙂
Dreena says
wonderful to hear that Emma! Thank you. 🙂
Lynda says
Hi Emma,
You absolutely can get them in the UK. In most health food stores, the chains and the small independent ones. I recently bought them in Infinity Foods in Brighton and a small health food store. Brand is http://www.inspiralled.net, so ask your local store to get some if they don’t have them in stock. They’re delicious! But they’ve inspired me to make my own :), so thanks for the recipe Dreena!
Joanna says
Also, Inspiralled is based in Camden so if you live in London you can buy direct from them for much cheaper than in the health food shops!
donna says
I made these tonight and they are so good! I had given up on making kale chips that turn out half burnt and half soggy. These are perfect and delicious.
Dreena says
Fabulous! Thanks for the report, Donna. 🙂
Anne says
Great recipe!!! I make these all the time now. I just can’t get enough of them! Thank you 🙂
Dreena says
Wonderful to hear, thanks Anne!