I could never get into kale. Heck, I’ve long been timid about greens in general — the delicate ones like baby spinach and arugula were easy but as soon as things got a little heavier, I got nervous. When I finally found a respectable green I found palatable — Swiss chard, which I think of as the green for spinach people — I went to town with it: a tart, a spaghetti dish and then gratin. But I still couldn’t warm to kale. Because I didn’t like the way it tasted. And I don’t care if something is chock-full of vitamin A, C and calcium, I don’t care if it makes you live longer or feel stronger or fixes the budget deficit, I’ve got this hang-up wherein I won’t eat food if it doesn’t taste good to me. (My offspring is a little less particular, it seems.) And kale just didn’t.
But in February, I began seeing a recipe for baked kale chips flitting about the internet. I’m not sure where it started (or re-started, as I see folks have actually been making this for years), but I’m guessing with a Dan Barber recipe in Bon Appetit that month. His version used whole leaves and arranged them daintily in a pitcher; the more rustic version I’d seen on blogs (and hooray for that) was simple to de-stem the kale, cut or tear it up, toss it with a bit of oil and bake it until crisp.
Yes, crisp. I would never lie to you when it comes to chips, as I take crackly crunch quite seriously. Baking kale transforms the qualities I always loathed in kale — the dense bitterness — into something impossibly light, with a nice depth of flavor from the oil and salt. This isn’t a stewy stick-to-your ribs kale braise and it is not something you eat because you ought to, it’s something you’d eat because you like it. Revolutionary stuff, people.
[Psst. And possibly even more so if you do this to it (hat tip):]
This week: We have flown the coop! We’re splashing in the Caribbean! Thus, comment responses will be slow and spotty. But new posts will appear, as if by magic, as I take you through my cooking backlog. Fun for everyone!
One year ago: Bialys
Two years ago: Swiss Easter Rice Tart
Three years ago: Rich Buttermilk Waffles
Baked Kale Chips
Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.
Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!
I love kale chips! I like to season them with chili powder, cumin and garlic!
I make kale chips about 3-4 times a week! I love them with nutritional yeast on them – adds a delicious, nutty, cheesy flavor!
OMG I might actually eat my greens this way!
Kale chips, chard chips, spinach chips — works for most greens. I haven’t tried it with collards yet, but that’s because everytime I see a bunch, I want to sautee it with garlic and top it with a poached egg.
i LOVE kale chips!
I have made these with lemon juice (tossed before they go into the oven) and they also taste great!
I love kale chips!! You make them look so beautiful :-)
I’m 100% with you– baking kale takes it from “Healthy Obligation Food” to “Who Cares How Nutritious This Is!?”
You made leaves into chips. Consider my mind blown…
Have you ever tried kale smoothies? They seem totally sick, but pineapple, mango, and banana all do the trick to cover up the bitterness– just make sure to blend it for long enough to avoid chewing chunks of kale.
Definitely going to try these chips, too!
How funny Deb, I just made this last night and ate today! For any skeptics, they really do taste like chips. So delicious! Totally transforms raw kale. Yummy and good for you! I want to try with a variety of spices (garlic, paprika, etc), and I love the idea of Parmesan!
Hope you are having a great trip!
I make these all the time, and they’re delicious. I like to toss a little bit of cider vinegar on there too before cooking them, it gives them a zing. We put our chips on sandwiches – yum.
hating that I prepped all of the kale for tonight’s dinner party last night. It is all carefully chiffonaded for steaming :(
Baked is my favorite way to eat greens! You can season them with anything, but olive oil, a splash of cider vinegar, and salt and pepper is my favorite. I’ve tried it with collards, Patsy – they’re good, but there’s still that…aftertaste. Also, they smell the worst while baking. This also works well for mustard, turnip and beet greens (which are by far my favorite, especially Detroit Red greens, as they’re pretty and sturdy and stay mostly chip-sized). Gotta say though, Deb, that kale was the first of the sturdy greens that I actually learned to like – it’s great in soup, and young kale is good raw if you chiffonade and bruise it.
A friend introduced us to kale chips just last weekend and they were so good I’ve made them twice this week alone! I love the idea of grinding them up and putting it on popcorn. YUM! Thanks!
I love kale! Also don’t care for the heavy braise flavor, but if you like these you might also like it roasted with more oil, a bunch of chopped garlic, and crushed red peppers… I usually do slightly hotter oven for tenish minutes. Great as a side, or piled on olive oil rubbed- toasted bread and topped with a fried or poached egg…
Crazy! I just made a batch of these last night. Yum :) And what a fun twist with the popcorn!
Seriously, chips made out greens? And they really taste like chips? This all sounds too good to be true…
I make these whenever I get a bunch of kale in my CSA box — so good! I think the Bon Appetit article started a revolution.
I discovered this idea last summer when I kept getting leafy greens in my CSA box that I couldn’t figure out how to enjoy, and kale chips are brilliant…my husband and I couldn’t get over how yummy they were, and they are so easy on top of that! Thanks for sharing!
I just got rid of all of my kale. I was all set to use it then I found a snail on it. Kind of killed the desire to eat it. Would Rainbow Chard work in this? I think the colors would be really pretty for a party. And its cheaper and easier to find in my neck of the woods than kale (mainly because we grow it).
brilliant–we’re big greens eaters here and I usually have tons of kale and swiss chard in the garden….I wonder if I could do this with the abundance of chard we always have on hand…
This is the best way I’ve eaten kale, I have a big bunch in the fridge that will be baked this weekend. Adding some vinegar makes for a salt and vinegar “chip” and makes it extra crisp.
I’ve started making these recently. I love them dipped in a little ketchup or sriracha!
Can’t wait to try this!
Although I’m the weird one who will eat greens – kale, chard, turnip, beet, collard — at any meal. And often just plain or steamed.
Thanks for introducing a new way to eat something!
We’ve been on a popcorn kick lately so this is actually perfect timing!
I made these last fall, for the first game of football season. We ate them instead of potato chips, and everyone loved them. Thanks for the reminder, I need to make them again. And the popcorn tip is amazing!
Well if you say they are actually crisp. Since I first saw a kale chip recipe I wondered how do you make a wet green crispy? But if you say it is possible, I might just have to try it.
I’ve made this before and it’s fantastic. I will say, though, that one of my all time favorite dinners is a soup that features kale and is deliciously bitterness-free. It’s got cannelini beans and garlic and broth, heavy on the cumin and rice vinegar. Yum, I promise.
They’re definitely crispy, but they’re also very fragile – not up to holding a substantial dip. You can layer them, but any more than 3 ply and they start not to crisp up right in the middle before the edges blacken. And they don’t taste like potato chips, but savory and good and not at all like stewed greens – I think they taste a little like crisp chicken skin.
Always have kale in the fridge for this exact reason. Kale “chips” with hot sauce or throwing a fresh bunch into smoothies is my preferred method.
I love the popcorn recipe, can’t wait to try that!
Kale makes me gag – I used to work at a Juice Bar where people were always ordering kale juice. Juicing kale is no easy task.
I have to say though, that looks pretty delishous.
We just made these for the first time a few weeks ago – so amazing! Who’d a thunk it?! :)
Even after having made kale chips (with organic curly kale, courtesy of my CSA), I’m still a dissenter. Kale tastes bitter and a little fishy to me. I’ve made kale-potato soup, braised kale, kale chips and it all tastes bad to me. It’s not that I don’t like greens; I absolutely adore every other variety I’ve encountered: mustard, collard, turnip, beet, kohlrabi, arugula – both young and mature. I’m happy for those who love it. Please eat my servings too.
I tried making these over the summer with my CSA produce, but it wound up just tasting wilted… any idea on what I did wrong?
Mmm I’ve seen kale chips all over the place, and these look amazzzzzzing!
Oh, I’m delighted by this! :-) I have two bunches of kale that are waiting to be done something with. :-) This sounds fabulous! :-)
I am totally going to try this, particularly the popcorn trick. the kids eat the popcorn, and I bet they’d eat it dusted with kale too. ha, ha, ha, ha! evil mother laughing
Yes! Kale chips! My fiance is O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with kale, so it was more a matter of finding yet another way to eat it, but chips are easy and fun and SO delicious.
That’s exactly how I make my kale too!! I love the crunch, and since I’m salt obsessed, I usually use more salt and less olive oil. I’ve never thought to coat popcorn with crumbled kale…that is something I am officially planning to try. Thanks for the tip, and amazing photos, as usual!
Too bad I’ve harvested all my winter kale-this looks like a fun one to try, even though I love kale just steamed…
i tried my hand at kale chips with dinner on tuesday, but i tossed mine with the juice of about half a lemon and some cayenne to taste. they turned out great! i recommend adding a little lemon juice to your next batch.
Hmmm, I’ve never gotten into kale either. Sounds intriguing.
I just made these two days ago. You must be reading my mind!
This is pretty much the only way I can eat kale, I’ve tried others but this is my favorite. I also add in a teaspoon of some Indian spices we get at the specialty market (MDH Chunky Chat Masala), which we also use on our homemade fries as well. yum!
I add a little bit of vinegar and furikake to mine and we can eat an entire head of kale in one sitting.
Another great use for kale with no bitterness is creamed kale. It’s delicious.
another delicious use for lacinato kale is to chiffonade it and make a salad with ricotta salata, olive oil, lemon juice, and shallot. it truly is amazingly delicious.
here is a recipe, though usually i use more lemon juice. and you want to make sure the kale is super-thinly cut.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lacinato-Kale-and-Ricotta-Salata-Salad-236940
Very cool!! I love Kale!!
Part of our health program at work is to bring a healthy snack. Thanks for the great idea. Not sure they are healthy, but at least it looks healthy!
I make Kale chips to my children and they love them! It’s a great way to make them eat Kale, which, like you, I am not a big fan of. I am kind of against snacks, but at least, this is better than out-of-the-bag-fish-like-crackers!
All right, all right. I’m going to have to finally give in and make kale chips. I’ve seen them all over, but I love kale so much that I tend to hoard it for finishing off my rice and grain meals.
ahh! you realize kale-chip dusted popcorn is a homemade, more legit version of veggie booty, right?! genius.
As a southerner, I’ve only just come to love all the “assertive” greens. The trick is all in the cooking. In a a LARGE pot of water, boil bitter greens for 5-7 minutes. Then drain out ALL the water and even squeeze them. Then start your recipe. My traditional is to warm garlic in olive oil and simply saute the kale/other greens for 2-3 minutes. A sprinkling of bacon (or using bacon fat instead of olive oil) is pretty good too! Many people like a splash of vinegar ob greens, but it isn’t to my liking.
For kale newbies, I would suggest trying flowering kale. I think it’s a bit sweeter than other varieties… and it’s purple! A salad of raw flowering kale, apples, shredded beets & hazelnuts has a lovely balance of earthiness and sweetness. Mmm now I need to go make one!
I love kale chips, been making them for ages!! They have become so trendy now!
Must try sprinkling it on popcorn like you did! :)
I had these at a restaurant last night and was trying to figure out how they made it. Theirs was spicy and awesome. I guess I’m still wondering how they did the spice – but this is a start – thank you!
A friend mentioned kale chips and their deliciousness to me just the other day! Good timing. I love kale, but buy it frozen if the farmer’s market isn’t on. (It’s really good with chorizo, in a crockpot, stewed. Yum.) I will be trying this.
I made this last year after seeing the lovely Jacques Pepin make it. There was something about the delightful crackle it made when he touched it that lured me to try it. I thought I HAAAAAAAATED kale until I made this. My friends are quickly converting to kale worship! I’m not a huge popcorn fan, but I love the kale so much now I have to try your popcorn dusting technique!
I tried this once, but they were bitter and tasted like the bottom of an ashtray. They weren’t burned, so I don’t know what was wrong. I might have to try again, but I’m hesitant…
kale chips are so good!!!!
Yes, I’ve recently endeavored to make them too; while I enjoy kale in cooking recipes, my kids sometimes tire of it, but not of these! Everyone gobbles them up as soon as they’re done! Our favorite recipe is a bit more involved than oil & salt and comes from the website deliciouslivingmag.com (if you search for kale chips you’ll find it). They use a sweet/salty/sour sauce that is really great!
The great thing about kale is that it’s tasty all the way from raw to cooked-to-death. I love sauteing or roasting it until it gets nice crispy, caramelized edges. I also love it in hearty minestrone-style soups.
Deb, thanks for the mention in your post. Aren’t kale chips lovely? We have been making them for a couple years now. A friend of ours introduced us to them – they dehydrate theirs. I did not want to buy another gadget for our already small kitchen so we started baking them. I love how creative you can get with the recipe. One of my favorite ways is with a little chili oil or soy sauce. I will have to try your idea of crushing them over popcorn, great snack idea! Or maybe crushed over rice? YUM!
YUM! I will be trying this… Also, if you have more kale leftover, it’s fabulous for pesto sauce.
We, too, have that giraffe! Sophie, I belive she is named.
I love kale chips and make them all the time. I love your idea on popcorn, I bet it would go well with nutritional yeast too!
I learned about this last year from the CSA mom. Clearly she’d had to answer, ‘What the hell do I do with all this kale?” a few thousand times.
I find kale pretty salty and my first batch of chips was ruined by my extra sea salt. So my suggestion is to go light the first time.
I love, love, love the popcorn idea.
The secret for making crispy, not greasy, kale chips is to dry them in a salad spinner after tossing with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Spread onto sheet pans and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Bake and enjoy your salt and vinegar kale chips. What a way to transform something healthy into something tasty!
They’ve been making the rounds here, too — heard about them in December, but still haven’t made them yet. Thanks for the reminder.
I make this all the time. And I have to put them in lots of small tupperwares and hide them from myself so that I can keep them as an all-week-long healthy snack rather than I wow-I-just-ate-that-entire-batch-in-10-minutes snack.
I’ve linked to your post from the original recipe on bonappetit.com. You can see the link at the bottom of the page here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/02/tuscan_kale_chips
We’ve started doing this at BA when we see a recipe from our mag on a food blog because it allows our readers to see other cooks’ opinions of the recipes.
Best,
Emily (Bon Appetit web editor)
(as a quick addendum…I didn’t mean to use the word “original” in an annoying way. This recipe has been featured a lot of great places over the years and who knows where it came from “originally”—like all great food.)
Hello. I got so excited about this post that I had to de-lurk and tell you how much I love your blog. I love your recipes, the photos and of course the baby photos too! I have been hooked since chocolate pudding pie, in fact I am making one this weekend.
Kale chips are pretty amazing, huh? We are part of a CSA and it has made us expand our horizons a lot, so we actually have loads of kale recipes that we like. My most favorite is a kale and white bean dip (it is so creamy and mild, people always assume it is spinach).
I hope you are having an amazing time in the Caribbean!
Try black kale (cavalo nero). It’s incredible.
I’d be inclined to toss with cajun seasoning rather than plain salt.
I have found with kale chips you just have to make very sure they don’t get over baked, as they tend to quickly and then all you have is burnt bitter.
I saw a woman at the Salt Spring outdoor market last summer, she had them bagged and was selling them flavored , coconut, curry, thai etc for 7$ a bag.
Kale in my smoothy, do it all the time, you get all the goodness and none of the flavor.
Dhana
Great! I’ve been wondering how to make this ever since taste testing it at the beach this summer. Even the kiddos loved it!
Thank you! I’ve been looking for a recipe to make Kale Chips and here it is! I was sadly disappointed today watching Martha Stewart- they had a segment on Kale and didn’t make Kale Chips. Thank you for the recipe and I love reading your blog!
Now I have another way to enjoy kale. Thanks!
Kale is also fantastic grilled so there are some crispy edges – it makes a great Caesar salad mixed with “raw” romaine – adds a great smokiness and rich flavor to the salad. I love kale smoothies with fruit – it’s an incredibly nutritious way to get your greens, as it breaks down the cell walls that are hard for us to digest, but leaves the fiber in, unlike with juicing. Combine with some fruit and be blown away – yum! I agree with the poster that says kale makes a great pesto – she’s not kidding – we use it on pizzas with sausage and caramelized fennel, and mix it into pasta, etc.
I’m so grateful for the popcorn tip – I’ll be doing this right away!!
I’ve tried these once and they were such a fail. I have to try them again!
I absolutely loooove kale chips. It takes a few tries to find the ideal temperature and time with your oven (and if the kale is a little older, it might change the time too).
My favorite way to prepare them is to coat them in really good barbeque sauce along with the olive oil, then toss them on the pan and sea salt/pepper them. Definitely the best way to use up a bunch of kale from the CSA!
I’ve been making these for a long time, and I love them! They help me use up the kale in my CSA basket when there’s too much…I add a little cider vinegar as well as the oil, so you might try that too!
Kale chips! yum! and on popcorn? where will the fun end? love this!
I haven’t made these, but the chicken and kale 1 hour dish from Food and Wine is my favorite way to eat kale: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-chicken-legs-with-potatoes-and-kale
Kale chips!! That’s certainly new to me, but I can also see loads of possibilities for this – crunchy toppings on salads, gratins etc!
And gorgeous photo’s again, too.
Thanks!
I was a kale hater until I found Rachael ray’s recipe for Polish Stir Fry. With a Polish boyfriend who grew up on pierogies, it was a done deal. I have celiac, which means we forgo the pierogies these days, and we substitute turkey kielbasa. Love her or not, this is one great dinner, much anticipated by all. Kale chips are just a natural progression – two whole kale-related things to like. Whoohooo!
We started making these last fall and OMG, I never would have believed how delicious they were. YUM.
I learned to love Kale when our CSA produced bags full a couple years ago. We steamed it, and chopped it, and froze it, and baked it into chips and then suddenly…there was no longer enough kale. We regularly eat our Kale chips with Thai peanut sauce. Addictive and decidedly less healthy than simply eating the greens. Glad you have been converted to Kale!
I just recently tried nutritional yeast dusted popcorn–now I’m gonna have to try kale!! Greens scared me at first too, but I actually LOVE them!
Deb! Thanks for the link love- so glad you tried it too! AND with popcorn! xoxoxoxoxo
I’ve never been into kale either, except in one soup recipe. I’ve been trying to work up the courage to try it in chip form, and just haven’t yet! You haven’t let me down with a recipe yet, so I’ll just have to suck it up and try :) Thanks!
Oooh…great idea with the popcorn. My favorite p’corn topper is furikake (japanese seasoning blends), so I’m thinking make-my-own with dried kale / white sesame seed / black sesame seed / salt / pepper.
We call it Crispy Kale here in my little corner of Iowa.
And FYI: Try tasting some kale fresh out of the garden after a few frosts. It loses that bitterness and becomes deliciously sweet. Yum!
Have fun in the Caribbean!! I love baking things into chips–so fun and delicious to snack on! I’m going to have to try this–I never really got into kale either!
I’m mildly confused about Kale. Over here, in Asia, the veg we refer to as Kale looks alot different…And they don’t look chip-pable at all. hmm. I do want to eat these though!
Ok, Deb, I may be willing to give this a try. But it is a testament to you if I do, that I trust you implicitly as you have never steered me wrong. OMG what if you fail me now? I am not convinced about kale chips. But what the hey? I’ll giv’em a whirl. Gulp. Will get back to you.
I’ve tried these before but I think I overcooked them. They were not very good.
These look like the nicest snack. I know what I’m eating RIGHT NOW!
i *just* made these tonight (thanks to seeing your recipe this morning!) and i think i just ate my weight in kale chips. delish! i don’t know what i was expecting, but the light, airy crispy bits of goodness on my baking sheet have become a new favorite! thank you! :)
Okay, this is going to sound weird, I know, but there is an awesome vegan “cheese” version of these that is made with cashews, red bell pepper, nutritional yeast, lemon and sea salt. I’m not vegan, but it is delicious, kind of parmesan-y.
P.S. I am loving that you mention that Jacob is less particular about taste and the link is to him holding the giraffe with a big smile. I am picturing him gnawing on it with a thought bubble that says, “yum.”
Well, I love kale just about every way you can eat it.
My husband remains sadly greens averse but he will eat any kind of vegetable chip. I see a happier future, together!
Never had kale! Kale chips though sounds delicious. I better get on it.
The Caribbean…. I’m not gonna say I’m jealous (which I am) I’m gonna say… have lots and lots of fun!!
Magda
I’ve been making these kale chips for years. Skeptics give it a try…really delish. You definitely need to keep a toothbrush handy afterwards though…the spaces between teeth are a magnet for this stuff.
I love your blog and your recipes! Very generous of you to share so much, thankyou thankyou thankyou a million times over.
Cassandra
PS. My man and his stomach thank you too!
I am very excited to try these. I can’t believe you don’t like dino kale! OMG, love as does anyone I make it for. It sounds like you have tried it lots of way. The only thing I do that really helps is after sauteing I sprinkle with fish sauce. I guess you’ve found your way you like it. Thanks for sharing!
I have just started to eat kale and have found I really enjoy it (shocking!). I will have to make these chips for something a bit more interesting than the cooked version!
Boy oh boy am I pleased to find this recipe. I was spending $4 for 5 ounces of kale “chips” at my local Whole Foods. (They have great variations made with “pizza flavor” – oregano, garlic, parmesan, sun dried tomato(not exactly sure about this one) – or “spicy” – cayenne, paprika. > this one would also be great with chipotle powder, adding a smoky note. And you could go Asian with soy, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. I can’t wait to make these!!!!!!
This quite original and nutritious. Thank you for the recipe.
How did I miss this “flitting around the Internet”? Thanks for trying it and bringing it my attention. It looks really good. I might have to try kale.
Fabulous. I’m now thinking of all the dishes I can garnish with these. Thanks so much for this idea that I wish I had thought of myself!
I’m like Kath..How did I miss this? I’d never heard of such a thing. I fell in love with crisped sage, so I imagine this will be texturally similar. Love the idea of these crisped greens crumbled as a garnish. I have some thinking to do about the possibilities!
I just boought kale to make soup with, might have to do a side of kale chips! To remove some of the bitterness you blanche kale by freezing. yup, freezing. Works. too bad I’m comment 113 nobody will read this.
I add a tsp of balsamic vinegar too – I love the salt ‘n’ vinegar vibe you get from them!
I blogged about them recently too (and Bakewell Pudding, having just been on holiday to the Peak District!).
Love this idea! We make kale all the time by sauteing it with lots of garlic and a splash of Bragg’s Amino Acids and my fiance, who would NEVER eat veggies, let alone greens before, now begs for them :)
I’ve heard about kale chips for the longest time, but never got around to trying it. But with those great popcorn pictures that ties in nicely with my recent popcorn obsession… I have no choice now, I have to try it!
Ive been seeing kale chips everywhere too and wanted to try some on my own. Bought some kale a couple of weeks ago, but that went into pasta. Now just this week I got another bunch. Hope to make these from them!
My three-year-old cautious eater avoids greens but devours batch after batch of roasted kale, because they are “veggie chips” NOT vegetable. I’ve made them as straight chips and as a base for a tasty salad pretty enough for company. I’m game to try the popcorn topping idea.
I’ve got a bunch of kale in the fridge that had a huge question mark on its bag. Not any more! Thanks for sharing this.
I love kale chips! I don’t usually toss them in oil. I spray the baking sheet to keep them from sticking, but then I just sprinkle with salt and pepper. I can easily devour a whole cookie sheet of these myself. So scrumptious.
Deb,
This is one of my favorite ways to eat kale too! Your right it truly is life changing for people with an aversion to dark bitter greens. I think the first place I was this recipe was a few months ago on the PBS series by Jacques Pepin, Fast Food My Way. I was eager to try it then and have since experimented with other greens, i.e. turnip greens and collard greens and the same recipe has produced wonderful results.
OK just made this and it was WAY too salty. I must have gone a little overboard with the sea salt. Won’t be able to eat them at all, so sad! Will try the cumin and cider varieties with my other bunch of kale. Thanks for all the great tips!
I have to say I’ve made these and I think they are just horrible. While they do get crisp, they also had this intensely bitter acrid taste that lingered in my mouth even after rinsing it out with water… Its a shame, as I love kale prepared other ways, both my husband and I found these way too bitter to eat.
I’m so with you on the yay spinach boo other greens. My southern husband is doing collards for Easter and I’d definitely like to give these a shot. Here’s to hoping the greens experiment goes well! Of course I’m sure it’s the furthest thing from your mind laying on the beach and soaking in all things enjoyable and relaxing (can I relive my honeymoon now please?!?!).
Hi,
I just made these and while I didn’t like them my husband and two daughters just gobbled them up. To me they still taste bitter and very brussel sprout like but hey three out of four people loved them. My younger daughter wants me to make them for a snack for her lunch bag!! Thanks Jen.
Jeannie
I buy three bunches of kale every week at the farmers market for kale chips and can eat a batch by myself in one sitting. Delicious and healthy. I like to sprinkle them with salt, paprika and cayenne.
I love kale chips! I tried them with some crushed red pepper flakes, and I cannot recommend it enough! Spicy and delicious!
The first time I made kale chips, my husband was distrustful. But, he was hooked after he tried it. He bought two bunches of kale so that I could make him more! We just had this today and last night. I took a tip from Kalyn’s Kitchen and added some balsamic vinegar the second time I made this.
have i been living under a rock? i’d never heard of kale chips until just now, and i’m going to pretend that you created them out of thin air one particularly creative night.
..and make lots of them.
I’ve never found cooked Kale to be that bitter? Is this just me?
Ooohhh sprinkled on popcorn what a great idea. I’ll have to try that next time I make them… which may have to be tomorrow since I have kale in the fridge right now. :)
Andy,
Some people are able to taste the bitter compounds in cruciferous vegetables and others are not. The compound is called phenylthiocarbamide, or PTC, and not everybody carries the gene that allows them to taste it. Some people are super-tasters and hence really hate veggies like brussel sprouts, kale etc. That is probably why you don’t really taste the bitterness in kale.
Jeannie
for kale consumers who really don’t “do” any bitter flavors, i highly recommend tossing the kale chips in maple syrup in addition to a little oil, salt, and pepper. this really sweetens them up and the flavor marries incredibly well with the deep “green” flavor of the leaves. higly kid friendly too!
Add Parmesan to anything and it will taste better. I really love kale chips but even those you can eat too many (maybe fiber overload :( )
I am a huge fan of Kale Chips! YUM! Have a great trip!
I just made with spinach instead of kale. Delicious! I ate as an afternoon snack, but next time i will make it with a piece of salmon for dinner.
I love kale chips with a tiny sprinkle of apple cider vinegar. Kale chips have been a long standing staple in the Weight Watchers scene.
I just got on your website to search your archives for kale chips….and there they are staring at me on the first page. I can always count on you deb!
When I first saw this recipe on your site, I gave the hugest mental “Ew!” Then I was grocery shopping today and saw kale on sale and it was dirt cheap. I bought a bunch for $0.25 thinking if they were horrible, at least it only cost a quarter. Well, turns out, they were awesome! Nasty looking, but they really do taste just like normal chips! I think I’m converted. Although, we will use less oil next time.
I’m suspect of the kale- but I guess I’ll give the chips a try! Good snack for the kids?
I have never been a fan of greens and definately have never cooked them. I tried these this evening with a little parm. grated over the top. OMG these were fantastic and so-o easy!!! Thanks for sharing:-)
Can’t wait to try these. I’ve just started using a mortar and pestle and am not sure how to clean it. Doesn’t seem like putting it in water is a good idea. I’ve only mashed dry ingredients so far. My set is rough hewn stone with lots of points and crevasses that are just the right texture for crushing. My new favorite tool!
Kale dusted popcorn sounds ridiculously good (as do kale chips).
One word. Ethereal.
I read about kale chips awhile back and had to make them….well, they tasted good BUT my house smelled awful!!! Did anyone else experience this?
I make these all the time and my girls gobble them up. I take them over to friends as a cocktail appetizer. Everyone that tries them loves them.
Try grilling the kale instead of baking it. It is faster, crispier and more delicious! Just put the the oven on broil, toss the kale with olive oil and kosher salt and then broil in the oven for 5 minutes per side.
Hooray for kale!
Thanks- This is one way I’ve yet to try it… I’ll add it to my list.
One of my favorite versions thus far is a kale frittata. Which reminds me, I need to post that one… I think I’ve shared 5 kale recipes this year (thanks to those CSA boxes that stretch my palate & cuisine).
Carol, my house also smelled really weird.
Taste amazing though :)
Thanks for the recipe. I’m pregnant & just found out that I’m slightly anemic, so I need to incorporate iron-rich foods to boost my iron intake. Kale is one of the foods I’ve read about so this post was perfect for me. After eating half of a pan of chips, I think I’ve put a good dent in that iron deficit. :)
Perfect timing discovering this post, just bought 2 pounds of kale yesterday and now this recipe is going into production tonight with a few slight variations.
Bon appetite!
CCR
=:~)
Kale chips are my favorite! I’ve been pushing them on all of my friends. I also recently discovered how delicious brussels sprouts leaves are when prepared in a similar way. It’s like baby kale chips!
I have the same problem with Kale… next time I get some, I will have to try this. I bet a few sprinkles of smoked paprika would be nice on this too.
I’m super glad you posted this! I’ve been reading about baked kale chips for several months and I’m always, “No! They can’t be good.” So, since you tried it, I tried it too! With much good result. I have crunchy kale on my turkey sandwich for lunch today. Whee! I baked them with minced garlic – along with the olive oil.
My roommate is obsessed with Kale chips! She makes them like twice a week. I’m so excited to see them featured here, I will definitely be sending her a link.
Thanks, Deb!
I bake Kale with a toss of olive oil, salt and pepper along with canneleni beans or chick peas sprinkled on the top of kale. They bake well and make it a more substantial snack. For variation I sometimes add chaat masala or lemon juice or garlic along with salt and pepper. Remember, a little oil goes a long way when baking kale chips.
These were so good, but you’re right they have to be cooked until completely crisp. Some of mine weren’t quite there yet, and they were definitely not as good as the ones that had been baked longer. Anyway, I still ate them all and I plan on making them again and again!
I will have to try this, as I LOVE kale. Love it to the point of taking it to work for lunch most days – plain – and just microwaving it to steam it. Dino kale is the best, you can taste the minerals. Like broccoli rabe but with more oomph.
Deb, not that you asked for tips on how to become a kale lover, but… I must say, greens (like many things, but greens more than most) are SO very, very dependent upon being fresh to be tasty. Many grocery store greens are so sad, even if they do in fact look ok. I first fell in love with kale and chard from the famers market, where it has a taste that is 100% different. Even I, who often let produce languish for a week in the fridge, am now a believer that greens must be cooked ASAP upon coming out of the ground to keep that lovely flavor and not turn bitter.
Good, fresh kale or chard is so darn good that just a healthy splosh of olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of lemon juice, and crushed red pepper and I can eat the whole bunch all by myself. Right out of the pan. This summer, give it a try.
kale really WILL save the world.
I made these the other day after buying curly kale from the farmers market. They are unbelievably great! I highly recommend making them. Although a day after I made them, they lost a little crunch.
Thank you so much for this post. I have NEVER thought of anything like this. I wanted to try this immediately, but kale isn’t something we have something we have on hand usually. I tried it with baby spinach. “WOW! My 17months old couldn’t shove them in her mouth fast enough. You don’t see too many 17months old asking for more spinach! I can’t wait to hear what little Jacob will enjoy eating. Thanks again.
After cooking up a big bunch of kale, half of the chips didn’t even make it to the table before my family ate them up! Thanks for the recipe. Delicious (as with all your endeavors) and so very simple.
This recipe is great! I love kale, except it pisses me off that it gets stuck in my teeth.
My new favorite way to eat it? Kale and cabbage, sauteed, then mixed with gruyere cheese and topped with butter soaked panko! Now THAT will make you eat your greens!
I have made kale chips a few times with the curly kale and was baking them at 350 but I tried your recipe with the more flat kale at 300 and they turned out SO MUCH BETTER! I am so grateful for you posting how to correctly do this. My husband now loves kale chips as much as I do and we make them pretty frequently. I love to put spicy seasoning on them or just plain salt and pepper.
I made these last night for a seder – half with curly kale and half with collard greens. They were amazing, though the collard greens stayed crispier longer. Because of the bitterness of the collard greens I seasoned with a little salt, sugar, and paprika and they were phenomenal! Perfect kosher for passover snack.
WOW! I just picked up a huge bunch of kale for $1 (bargain!!), and made a little batch in the toaster oven. Ate the whole thing standing there in the kitchen! I’ll make more when the kids get home, and maybe add some vinegar like others suggested. I hope the kids will go for them! I think I’ve found a new addiction…
It amazes me that this throw away(sadly) garnish could be so tasty! Love, love, love! I dusted ours with some fresh parm right out of the oven, paired with a cold beer…perfection! You did it again:) Blessings!
I have not eaten kale chips yet.This may be the reason of different food culture.
I often buy greens and then they go bad because I don’t know what to do with them. This was so easy and fantastic, and I never thought I’d be snacking on greens! My only question – should I chill the leftovers, or are they okay at room temperature?
I’ve been seeing a lot about kale chips, too. I want to try making them, thanks for sharing the recipe.
I saw the recipe and thought it was intriguing but wasn’t quite motivated enough to try. After reading all the comments, I’m ready to head to the store and serve them up as a snack while we’re pulling together Easter dinner this weekend. Kale chips have got to have some benefit as an antidote for jelly beans!
I may have answered my own question – putting them in the fridge definitely takes the crisp out, leaving just… salty kale.
I’ve been making kale chips for awhile now and have seen them all over the blog world. They really are delicious!!! I like to sprinkle mine with garlic powder and Parmesan too. They make a great garnish, but I’ll have to try them on popcorn, yum!
I loved the kale chips. Making them inspired me to make chips from the beautiful green tops off some fresh beets I bought. They turned out tasty too!
Oh man. I’m making these next weeks. I love kale. Like love it in more ways than is really appropriate.
Thanks for this, Deb – your recipe is right on point, particularly re: the importance of baking the leaves in a single layer. When I roast stuff, I tend to be a little over-piling in the pan and things steam as much as they brown. By not doing that here, every piece got crispy after 20 mins. I don’t think my teeth have ever looked more like piano keys than after eating these, though: those little crumbly flakes are just perfect for hiding in between each and every tooth. And thanks to everyone else who suggested other spices to add: I will be making lots of this recipe and trying all your spice mix suggestions.
Hey! Just discovered your blog- very nice!
Mom always used to make ‘kale soup’ which is basically kale in chicken broth and bunch of spices. I really didn’t like it, so kale and I went separate ways till now. This recipe may revive the relationship though- because I like anything crispy, and I like the taste of baked/roasted food!
Fantastic! I got some kale from our local farm produce delivery and didn’t know what to do with it and then remembered this post. My kids, ages 5,7,and 9, said that they were like potato chips. Thanks for the recipe.
My husband is away visiting family right now. Although I miss him terribly, the time alone allows me to cook things that he doesn’t care for or might be a little reticent about. This recipe would be in the “reticent” column. But now that I’ve tried it (and eaten for dinner for two days in a row while watching movies that are also in the “reticent” column) I cannot wait to bake them for him! These are fantastic! I honestly cannot remember the last time I had something so crunchy!
Now, I’m off to the archives to look for things that involve olives, capers, sweet potatoes or goat cheese. I’ve got a few more meals-for-one to go!
I cannot wait to make these! How do you recommend storing the kale chips? And how long do they last? (Assuming I don’t house them in one sitting).
I made these tonight and they were fabulous! My salt grinder ran out this morning so I was desperate for a salt alternate and contemplated soy sauce but instead mixed in some anchovy paste with the oil. This really added a nice salty depth of flavor. Umami. Yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
Fantastic! Made some tonight with the curly Kale and it was great. Thanks. :)
This looks amazing! I’m so excited I’ll have something to do with all the kale I grow in my garden other than feed it to our rabbits!
I’ve read lots of the reviews but not all, so I apologize if this has been asked and answered. Would this work with beet greens, or are they a different animal? I bought BEAUTIFUL beets at the farmer’s mkt the other day and want to use every last smidgeon of them… ??? Thanks!
I love cooked kale, but I have to admit that when I made these they were too bitter… maybe that’s just the way they taste. Or maybe my kale wasn’t a good batch. Or maybe I need to try another variety next time. I used Dinosaur but usually cook with curly.
I make these all the time. So healthy, and deceivingly good. They’re also good dipped in organic ketchup and a Tahini mustard sauce. Also yes, I always use curly…it seems to work better.
you have blown my mind. i’ll be making these tonight.
I made these today, and they were great! Their texture isn’t like chips – these are literally paper-thin – but the flavor sure is! Not even a hint of bitterness. I don’t know the difference between types of kale, my grocery store just had a big bunch marked “kale” with curly edges, and just as commenters have said, the curly parts were the tastiest. I just devoured half a bunch of kale in five minutes…wow!
I’d never even considered putting Kale anywhere near my mouth, but I do love slaty crunchy things. So I gave these a shot.
…Oh god. I’ve met my new kryptonite. I’m not even kidding, I’ve gone through 3 bunches of Kale in the last week, just making chips. They’ve become my default oh-shit-i’m-writing-a-paper distraction/snack. They’re amazing. Thank you for posting this!
I tried kale chips months ago, loved them, but didn’t try again. (They were just mine; my husband turned up his nose and walked away.) But I saw a big beautiful bunch at the store yesterday and boght them . . . they’re in the oven now! On popcorn? Will try!
I was excited about this recipe, and I wanted them to taste good SOOO badly. But they are so bitter, and still taste just as gross as Kale always does. It’s tragic!
Nice! I’m raw vegan so I make kale chips all the time, but in the dehydrator! I coat them with a mix of tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt, and boy, are they goo
I was roasting brussel sprouts all winter, and I found that the leaves that came off and roasted to a crisp were the best part. For those of you who don’t like the strong taste of kale, try roasting brussel sprout leaves the same way. They’re incredible.
OK, maybe these taste good to people who don’t like kale? I do. These made me gag.
Just to be clear though Deb: I don’t hold it against you! I cook your recipes all the time and this is maybe the second that didn’t slay me!
Love it!
A great way to eat kale.
:)
what’s better than the combination of crunchy-salty-goodness with the smug, righteous thought, “these are HEALTHY and good for me?!”
nothing. that’s what.
I love your site – I try flavors and techniques that really change up how I eat. This recipe is a prime example of that.
I just made these tonight because I just couldn’t stand all the hype anymore – I HAD to try them. And well.. they were crisp, and bitter, and strangely addicting.. but nothing like a potato chip. I think I might’ve burned mine a little as they were a little dark in some spots, which I think might have brought out more bitterness than normal. I have to say, if nothing else, I’m very glad I tried them. And btw, raw kale just tastes like grass to me. :)
My husband and I just made these for the first time because our CSA gave us a huge bunch of kale that we needed to use up. Neither of us are big kale fans, but these were great! I particularly loved the fragile, crunchy texture of the chips.
In addition to the regular chips, we also tried some sprinkled with red wine vinegar and some sprinkled with grated parmesan. The vinegar chips were good, but I felt like the vinegar accented the “green” flavor of the kale. My favorite were the grated parmesan chips, which were by far the best (and of course the least healthy).
These were fabulous! I used a pretty large bunch of kale, but I wasn’t sure exactly how much larger it was than the one you used. So, not knowing how much olive oil should have been used, I just sort of went at it with the olive oil. They turned out fairly drenched in olive oil, and when they came out of the oven, they tasted a bit greasy–but very, very delicious, more like actual potato chips than something healthy! Also, I probably used way too much salt, but that only added to the more-potato-chip-like experience. I’m definitely going to try these again, with a more moderate use of olive oil and salt, and I’m sure I’ll like them just as much.
Wow, I love these! And last night I tried using radish leaves instead, with great success!!! I end up with TONS of leaves for every golf-ball sized radish in my garden, and the only recipe I’ve ever seen for radish tops is soup, which is good, but after my 3rd batch this spring, getting old. I was skeptical that the prickley leaves might be a problem, but they were fabulous!
i have mine in the oven right now!!!
Mine came out very crisp, but also very bitter and nasty-tasting. Is it the kale itself, or did I just cook them too long? They were only in the oven for 14 minutes…
This is a great way to eat something nutritious but to many it’s not the most appetizing food. Some people may just naturally find kale (and other greens) more bitter than others, but I’ve found that this can be reduced or eliminated by using the freshest kale and not overcooking. Additionally, they can be seasoned in so many different ways to suit one’s individual palate and also dipped in your favorite creamy salad dressing, sour cream, etc. etc…..
I, too, felt these were kind of bleck. Maybe my kale was a little old or cooked too long.
I LOVE these Kale chips. Started a community garden project in Boulder CO and we all have been harvesting a ton of Kale and I had no idea what to do with it until a neighbor suggested kale chips earlier in the summer. I can’t stop eating them now :)
Can’t wait to try them… I’ve discovered that even brussel sprouts can be made into “chips” recently, and that my kids will eat them! I usually cut my brussel sprouts in half and roast them (with olive oil and sea salt), a few leaves would fall off and become crunchy and my son would pick them out to eat (he didn’t like the rest because of the slight bitter aftertaste too, but would eat the “chips”). So I started peeling off the outer leaves to intentionally make more of the “chips” for them to pick at. I don’t see why they wouldn’t like kale chips too!
Just made these for the first time, and Holy Crap! are they good. Just . . . wow. And I like kale under normal circumstances, but this might just turn into the only way to eat it for me. Oh, man.
MMM..Before baking I sprinkled a dry miso soup packet on the kale which was just a bit wet from washing, and it was yummy! A little garlic powder (the miso is a bit salty) added to the flavor, but the black sesame seed burned, so I will leave them off next time.
The Kale chips look amazing! I have never seen anyone do that before, but I am a horrid snacker in one of the worst ways. I am going to have to try this. Mind if I tip my hat to you on my blog? I plan to use your recipe. :)
Oh man! I just made a batch & am currently baking another! I can’t believe how good these “chips” taste. Another neat variation to try (inspired by my love of spicy seaweed chips) is to sprinkle them with Japanese chili powder.
I tried the chips, they were life changing. I gave you a shout out in my blog post about them.
http://luvstrawberrycake.blogspot.com/2010/09/kale.html
made these today…not a fan! I actually like cooking kale (Mmmm italian sausage and sauteed kale) – leafy greens in general are yummy. After the 3 or 4 kale chip it was just too kaley. Bitter, earthy, pungent… I may try with a different seasoning or maybe a different green.
I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to this the first time around. But now, after trying a friend’s $6 bag of cheesy kale crisps, I’m paying attention! I can make these for a whole lot less than $2 an ounce!! Thanks!
I love Kale chips! Actually I was at a restaurant recently where they had Brussels sprouts chips–each leaf individually stripped and baked just like this–and they were AMAZING! I have never, ever liked Brussels sprouts before but it was so delicious. Definitely worth a try!
There is a trick to making greens not taste bitter when you cook them. You have to add a little splash of vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar) when sauteing them or even steaming, toss with a little vinegar, oil, seasonings. The vinegar removes the bitterness and most of it cooks off so it doesn’t taste sour.
Please be careful eating ornamental kale. It might be treated with pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Grow it yourself or buy organic!!!
Mine were kinda eh…. but I didn’t follow the recipe so that might have been it. We were cooking a pizza and I wanted to cook them together and have them as a side dish so I coked them for about 6 mins at 400. They were ok. My BF and I kinda picked at them saying, “well, they aren’t *bad*…” But because everyone has such great reviews, I’m going to try again with a lower and slower method. : )
You don’t need to add salt. The kale chips taste remarkably salty even with no added salt. The part I didn’t get right at first is that it helps to “knead” the oil into the kale leaves.
I made several batches of these last week, with one addition: sweet vinegar. I used a pomegranate and tangerine vinegar for most of the batches, but balsamic worked out really well too. 1 Tablespoon of vinegar along with the oil, then proceed as the recipe says. People were raving about how good they were.
Hi Deb, just made these tonight and am munching on them now! I divided them into 3 batches and after baking sprinkled them with salt and then on one batch left plain, one sprinkled with cayenne and one with hot paprika….Anyone who likes a bit of heat will like the hot paprika ones!
I’ve made these before, but with a different recipe and they were a mild success. The ones that came out cooked correctly were delicious, but on the same pan there were undercooked (still soggy) and overcooked (burned and disgusting) – I had trouble getting them just right.
The recipe posted here uses a lower temp and longer cooking time and it was much more successful for me! Also, I used slightly larger pieces (not bite-sized like before) and it seemed to work much better.
Also, the drying. They work far FAR better when dried in a salad spinner. Also, when I added the olive oil and coated them, I gave them a second spin in the salad spinner to distribute the olive oil better.
I didn’t have any burned pieces this time, but I did get a few undercooked pieces. I found the solution to the slightly soggy pieces, however. DON’T EAT THEM! I left the soggy pieces sitting on the cookie sheet and went back to them an hour later and they had dried to the perfect crispness! I guess I was just too eager and eating the kale right out of the oven before. If you let them cool for 30 mins first they all end up perfectly crispy. :-)
I’m off to buy some more kale and to try some other greens as well.
I made these for my boyfriend and I for super bowl snacking. Ten minutes after they came out of the oven, they were all gone. Super crispy, flavorful, and so easy to melt in your mouth. Thanks for sharing!!
would like to try this, chard is so easy to grow and yields a lot of crop!! thank you.
I made these because they seemed so impossibly easy and i need to eat more leafy greens and fewer potato chips. What a crazy transformation these undergo in the oven! I was dubious until I put the first one in my mouth and I was amazed – so crispy and light and delicious! I oversalted mine a little, trying to be a hotshot and eyeball measurements of things. Not the next time! I’ll definitely making these again, and gobbling them up and feeling virtuous about it.
I hated the taste-
It was so bitter (yuck!!)
What did I do wrong?
Did I but the wrong type?
Tried these. Shoveled them into trash. SO bitter and nasty. Oversalting (my fault) didn’t help. But the chips themselves were transcendantly awful. I don’t get what everyone seems to like about these…..
So I know this comment is quite delayed HOWEVER, the BEST kale chip recipe to have ever graced the earth is also the simplest one :)
DEFINITELY use 1 bunch curly kale
equal parts: olive oil, almond butter, and bragg’s liquid aminos (can sub with soy sauce) to make approximately 1/2 cup total.
Toss ripped kale pieces in mixture and bake until crispy. You don’t even have to put it on buttered popcorn because it TASTES like buttered popcorn!
Enjoy!
Sounds yummy. Can’t wait to get to the farmer’s market & buy Kale.
So…I tried this recipe last week and loved it, and I was so pleased with myself for trying kale for the first time.
…but today, I was back in the grocery store, and realized I had purchased red chard, not kale. Dang it! :) So I STILL can’t say I’ve ever tried kale.
I just made the kale chips this afternoon…. well I have to say I hate veggies except peas and cauliflower..these were delicious I just tossed with oil and salt and garlic powder and devoured the bowl, now on my way out for more kale, thankyou
I made these last night, they are truly excellent and easy to make. I like this recipe better than the one on Martha which suggests a 250 degree oven, 300 degrees works better.
The only thing I’d like to point out is the importance of placing them on your baking sheet in a single layer as the recipe above states. It’s the difference between crispy chips and chewy kale. I got lazy on my third tray and learned the lesson.
My sister is a kindergarten teacher. One of her kids’ parents brought these in to class, to tempt the children into eating their veg. They loved them, and my sister raved. I’m new to your blog, so thanks for starting me out on a recipe I know I’ll love!
@ Elaine
I had the same problem, until I tried different kale. The curly green kind is the only one that tasted right to me. Red was too bitter to eat and flat green was similar.
I just tried these and our 16-month old daughter who is suspicious of all green vegetables really enjoyed them (we did too!). It’s a great way to use up excess greens from our CSA. By the way, does anyone know how nutritious they are?
I’m looking forward to baking these tomorrow. I will probably experiment with several sassy spices! YUM.
I love kale chips. I like to use olive oil, agave and curry powder (or chipotle). And I dehydrate them for about 6 hours so they count as raw food. They are so good that I sometimes eat the whole batch in one day.
Came to this site looking to find out whether I can use chard. Looks like I can, so I am back to the kitchen.
I came looking for a way to use a bunch of spring turnips, and ended up discovering I could use their greens for delicious chips. So much better than just tossing those tops in the compost (my original plan). Thanks for the recipe and thanks to all the readers for their variations.
Be careful with the salt on the Kale Chips. Remember, they shrink. I got too much salt on my first batch.
I used toasted sesame oil on mine instead of olive oil and they were to die for! I do have trouble keeping them crisp for more than a day, so I have to make them in small batches.
I used the bagged already cut up curly green kale, quick and easy. I poured Benissimo Mediterranean Garlic oil on bottom of broil pan added salt to taste and put kale on top and mixed right in pan. Baked 350 20min’s till light and crispy will brown. I PLACED PAN ON HIGHEST TOP RACK. I HAD MY DOUBTS ABOUT KALE CHIPS. TO MY SURPRISE, SO DELICIOUS. I’M HOOKED AND EVEN MY GRANDCHILD LIKED THEM. MY SON-IN LAW SAID TASTE SIMILAR TO SEAWEED. I AGREE
Okay, so after seeing this recipe a bazillion times here, and getting a beautiful bunch of curly kale in my CSA basket this week, I tried them.
Sadly, they were not as exciting as I was led to believe.
Oh, yes, they were light and airy and crisp! And tasted WAY too cruciferous. And I like cabbage, and brussels sprouts, and broccoli, etc. Even kale! I like kale and chard and beet greens.
Can’t eat these :(
Yum! I used to go to a restaurant in Greenwich, CT that served “Crispy Spinach” that was very similar to this. I used to love it and always wondered how they got that texture without being overly oily. I loved the kale recipe and I’m going to give it a try with spinach soon to see if I can recreate one of my favorite restaurant dishes!!
i loooved this! we are getting too many (by our standards) greens in our CSA, however i made the kale chips and devoured a WHOLE bunch of kale in 1 day!! good way to get greens. i did think they were much crispier right when they came out of the oven. they were chewier when i ate them about 12 hours later.
on another note, just started coming to this site about a month ago and am totally addicted. will definetly be buying your book when ever you get done.
thanks for sharin the delicious eats!
I find that using convection oven helps getting them crisp faster without overcooking.
I used green and red curly kale. I tossed olive oil with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, some fresh lemon juice (liked the comment above suggesting that) and black and white sesame seeds. Chips turned out perfect at 300 degrees, convection on, about 11-12 minutes on middle racks. I used two small cookie sheets. Thanks for posting!
We started at the Farmers Market early this morning. We have heard about kale chips and were delighted to read your blog.
We decided to bake the entire bunch of freshly purchased kale. We were surprised at the light, crisp texture of the baked product. After trying to consume all the chips we realized that this should be a snack that is eaten in MODERATION.
Thanks for the entertaining words on kale.
My 2 year old dubbed these “salad chips.” 4 year old loves them, thinks they taste like potatoes. 6 year old does not like, says they taste like “ginger.” (don’t think he knows what ginger is.) Husband thinks they taste like brussel sprouts, and likes.
We are fans of kale chips. My 3 & 5 year old will not touch cooked greens but they will fight me for kale chips. They not only get super excited when they are ready to eat, but they help me make them.
We have a Good4U 10 shelf dehydrator and fill the whole machine. The boys then pull out trays, take them to the table and eat them all. I swear in an hour they can eat 2 big bunches of kale. It doesn’t get better than that.
We are heavy on the lemon and they love the tang. Kale chips rock!
after ten minutes, the smoke alarm was going off and the puppies are very sad…
too hot? too close to the burner? ‘
help!! i love kale chips.
i do this, but add chili flakes, and some engevita and even ground hemp sometimes. I also throw in plum vinegar and a little tamari.
i hated kale before this.
Thanks, this was simple and yummy!
I like to dehydrate them it works to preserve the nutrients ,doesn’t take as much care or worry as baking,I make marinades of different types honey mustard,teriyaki,cheese and nut varieties ,we store them in large yogurt containers in cold storage.They don’t last long not because they go bad but because the kids get into them.What is so fun is putting ingredients out for the children to come up with their version and have a tasting and vote on the best .It is so hard to judge.I find that the ones that have a little sugar in them or fruit tend to be not as crisp but chewy. Still amazingly delicious!
i never thought of doing this with greens!
and we just happen to have kale growing in the backyard…hmm.
Just tried this with collard greens. After they came out of the oven, I just sprinkled some sea salt and crushed red pepper mix on top. Soooooo tasty.
Made these for the first time this morning. Amazing simple and delicious!
I made these last night. Quick and easy, but with one issue…
They were still very soft and almost wilted after 20min. It took a good 30min total, and finally they were crispy.
Hi, Folks. Love this website – want to make a comment about the “taste of kale”. Kale is a Brassica (cabbage family) and has a kind of bitter, cabbagey, strong taste UNTIL KISSED BY FROST. This is true with a few other veggies like parsnips…also radicchio and other members of the chicory family. A few freezes and it tastes much different because freezing temperatures make kale cells manufacture sugar….like when you put vodka in the freezer but it doesn’t freeze.
So, depending on when you eat your kale and where it’s grown (in B.C. where I am most organic kale comes from California – it never freezes there…so always tastes semi-awful) So, go figure.
just tried this out for my first time..had trouble getting to the crispy without burning…sort of turned out wilty and I did not use too much oil…any suggestions?
@Sharon above, that is so interesting about the frost. I was recently talking with an organic gardener in BC (on one of the islands) and she put her garden to bed in autumn but leaves the kale trees up to over-winter – told me it tastes better in spring after over-wintering than at any other time. So, I’m leaving my kale up this winter to try the same thing.
I tried this today from a different recipe that had the oven hotter (375) and I had the same experience as candace #258. 1/2 burnt, 1/2 wilted. And a lot of it literally melted into the pan.
I was so excited to try these but I must confess mine were downright NASTY. I really tried to like them…
Reading all these positive comments I will try again with this recipe and follow it exactly. (Maybe After freezing my kale too per above suggestions but I wonder does that affect the nutritional value?) Will try some spinach chips too. But after today’s debacle, well, my expectations are much lower…
I tried again — with this recipe and they came out great. I didsome spinach chips too which I liked even more. Glad I tried again. I made sure they were very dry before tossing in the oil and while I didn’t use much oil at all I made sure they were evenly coated. AWESOME!
I’m really glad I gave it a second try thanks to all the rave reviews I saw on here!
After a couple of nights with below-freezing temperatures (and snow too), I harvested some of my garden kale and gave this a try! I used a small (Breville) convection toaster oven and 20 minutes was way too long. I also over salted the kale (ooh they were salty). So next time I will cook them for far less time (probably 10-12 minutes would suffice) and be more careful with the salt. My kids loved them, however (VICTORY!). There was no bitterness in the kale; they were very sweet (thanks to #257, above, about waiting to harvest).
Kale chips are a great healthy snack to substitute for potato chips. Try adding a touch of paprika for a little kick. Good stuff!
Try our kale chips, we know you will love them: Spicy Curry, Garlic, Za’Atar, Zing Zang, and Sweet… all natural, gluten free, and always tasty!
I have made a great Kale smoothie with green apples, banana, ice, and kale that is sweet and nutritious!
I have been making kale chips for a while now, and every time someone asks me for the recipe, I send them here. I just brought them to a potluck at work today, and 10 people have asked for the recipe! I am happy to have your site to credit. :)
The texture of my kale chips was perfect but the flavor was bitter. Will try them crushed on popcorn. That may be the only way we can eat them. sigh.
I finally made these last night and they are AWESOME!
Any tips on how to keep them fresh and crisp longer? (Ziploc bag was an epic fail) I’d love to eat them at work and avoid the vending machine for my salty fix. :)
This is so easy and delicious. I am no chef, but I love kale and this is such a yummy variation. Literally fool proof recipe if I can do it and even my two year old loves them. What’s not to love?
now if only they were sturdy enough for use w/ guacamole and pico de gallo
I love kale and cook with it all the time, but lately I’ve been wanting to try something different. I remembered this recipe from way back when and finally decided to give it a try with some purple kale I had. Delish! Even my five year old was eating them & coming back for more. My two year old however, remains unconvinced.
I just made the Kale chips but with baby Kale. That’s all they had at the store so my husband picked some up for me and it worked out great. The flavor is a little odd though. Kind of like a cross between a potato and a hint of cabbage or pumpkin. It tasted way better than it smelled! Can’t wait to try it with regular size Kale!
i just made these for the first time! SO DELICIOUS!!!!
This is great. I’ve been looking for a way to use the hot weather but bitter kale I grow. Spring and Fall are sweet but, oh my, hot weather changes it all. I’m going to do these kale chips from now on.
are these just good the day of?
These kale chips are delicious! Only my second kale recipe ever. This is a keeper and should be a great way to get my daughter to enjoy kale too. Thanks for the recipe!
trying to stay away from fried things for Lent and missing the crunch of chips. :(
i love kale … and now i love these chips! just baked a small batch to try them out. this will be a staple in my house now … all year long! :)
Thanks for posting this. My husband and I now use this recipe frequently.
I’ll second Steph’ s question: what is the best way to store these? Just bought a whole bunch of kale to give my smoothies a boost but there’s NO WAY I can use quite that much. I’m gonna give this recipe a try but I’m not sure if a plastic Ziploc would be best or something else.
For those of you wondering about why they aren’t getting crispy or chip-like enough….I like to bake mine at 175 or 200 for an hour maybe a bit longer. Just keep checking after an hour till you know how your oven works for this. This works more like a dehydrator and you get crispy flaky chips. I like to do 2 tsps olive oil and juice from half a lemon per pan. For seasonings I use tomato powder, pepper and celery salt. I call these my bloody mary kale chips haha. They’re delicious!
As for storing, You must leave them out on the pan until they are completely cool before storing in tupperware or a sandwich baggie (just don’t smush them!), otherwise, any liquid left in the chip will steam and make them mushy…I think the longer cooking time/cooler temp is really the secret though.
I just ate some about 5 minutes ago and they were delicious :)
Just tried these, and they’re great! Finally, something to do with the kale that my CSA box keeps being filled with…
I agree, I am obsessed with kale chips SO YUMMY!
M x
I LOVE these! I had heard about kale chips several times and then came across your great post about them. This got me to finally make them, and not only do I love them, but the two oldest boys that I nanny (ages 5 & 2) also love them. They eat them faster than cookies and always ask for more! I have always loved kale and I juice it daily with carrots, apples, and ginger, and this is just one more way to love it.
Thanks!
I’ve been skeptical about kale chips, but I made these last night with a little salt, garlic powder and smoked paprika. They were SO. GOOD. I am a true believer now!! haha :) Thanks for the recipe!
I made these last year, and they were very good, bit bland.
This year, I have made some changes. I used steak seasoning on them, plus salt, pepper, & garlic powder. For zing, I used a bit of red pepper & celery seed.
After they cool, I sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. They are awesome!
I live in zone 5 and my curly Kale never seems to die out. The plant puts on seeds, year after year, which I am saving, and they continue to produce.
( I may need all of those seeds if I start a Kale Chip plant. Any investors? LOL! )
Next batch, I am going to try salt & vinegar chips and Bar-B-Q. Wish me Luck!
I like to put these out with sweet potato and beet chips! They are one of my favorite combinations and the colors are just beautiful!!
We grow Italian kale in our backyard garden so I made some of these. I used smoked salt and that added an extra dimension. The only problem is that since I have limited growing space, I have limited amounts of kale.
These remind me a Korean seaweed chips. Thanks for the recipe.
after being “kaled out” week after week from my csa, i felt like the only way I will be eating kale for awhile in chip form.
I made them with splash of acv and “grilling spice” that was a memphis bbq flavor – resulting in BBQ CHIPS YA’LL! no salt added.
Thanks!
Thanks for the easy recipe. I made my first batch this morning and have been munching all day. Fortunately I checked my teeth before heading out – the green really sticks!
I just saw a recipe for kale chips that calls for much shorter baking at much higher temps. Since I’d over 90 degrees outside, I think I’ll give your version a try this time. One thing…You REALLY have to dry the kale THOROUGHLY before you oil and bake. It will steam and sog out otherwise.
Wonderful recipe to use the abundance of Kale at the farmer’s market right now. Just popped it in the oven. Love boxsquat’s suggestion above to make a BBQ style chip.
Finally a good kale chip recipe – excellent directions! Worked like a charm. I did not add or take away anything. I did just as you said in the directions and it came out perfectly. I will be saving this one for sure! Now I know what to do with the remaining part of the kale bag. So happy!
I made two batches. One batch was made with dry Ranch Dressing and the second with a dried salad/vegetable dressing. I can’t wait to try a different method next time. I took them to a neighborhood meeting and everyone liked them. Thanks for a easy and great tasting recipe.
I love these!! They are very tasty. Didn’t know what to expect at first but WOW! So good!
Only down side…my kitchen stinks!!! Remember to open the windows before baking kale LOL
First time making these. They’re in the oven now!
I tried this tonight, with some skepticism, and was blown away! We ate one whole pan of it while the rest of dinner finished cooking.
Will be making this tonight! Thanks for the awesome ideas!
Thank you for this recipe!
Just made my first batch and they are great!!! Yum, yum, yum!
I made some tonight using coconut oil with a little acv and sea salt. They were delish.
Just wanted to say that these work with baby kale, and it’s actually far easier. No need to wash (provided you buy the pre-washed kind) or chop or destem. They look different – they flatten almost completely – and the remaining stems are a tiny bit tough, but for me the ease is worth it.
I love them best cooked with a touch of salt, the olive oil, and DUSTED WITH BROWN SUGAR. Mmmm, making them now. DELISH!
oops, rewrite the previous comment: I think I put the sugar on AFTER cooking last time, and it worked better. …But this time I also failed to thoroughly DRY the kale before cooking, so they steamed unnecesarily. Eating them anyways…
Hi! I’m making this tonight! I’m from portugal and in Portugal everyone eats Kale! Tons and tons of it! Everyone who has a piece of land in the country side plants kale! So here’s my favorite traditional portuguese dish with Kale: Caldo Verde. It’s peasant food, it’s simple and it’s so good!
Try it!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caldo-verde-portuguese-green-soup/
Misted with olive oil, dusted with mixture of lite salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder…mmmmm
Do the chips retain nutritional value?
Any good ideas on using the stems (besides compost!)?
I love kale chips! I add a healthy squirt of siracha to the olive oil before tossing with the kale and it adds a nice kick.
I am starting to make mine now. Just washed a 2 bunches of Kale and heating up the stove.I love the nutritional factor of a crunchy vegi. No more chips for me for a long time. Kale chips will be my new potato chip.
For anyone who gets this far in the comments who is worried about the people above saying that they’re super bitter – I think it a lot of it depends on where you get the kale. These are super awesome and not bitter at all when I make them from organic farmer’s market kale, still good but more bitter when I buy the kale looking fresh and good at the grocery store, and even more bitter when I get pre-bagged kale.
Most of the time these are gone about 1 minute after I bake them, but I have been toying with making these and storing them somehow so that I have healthy snacks on hand. How do you suggest storing them (or..say..apple chips) so that they stay crisp?
It has been exceptionally great reading ALL these reviews !!!!! Our chips are sizzling in the oven but we wanted to offer a hint for what we think will be an exceptional hint for all these wonderful ideas after preparing the kale place it in a large mixing bowl add oil and spices cover with plastic wrap and shake vigorously to make sure oil covers all leaves evenly this will provide the most flavorful chip EVER
iT IS A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE SURE THE KALE IS VERY DRY BEFORE YOU PUT ON THE OLIVE OIL BECAUSE THE KALE WILL STEAM AND NOT GET CRISPY.
I made kale chips today (DEHYDRATED) in my oven, I added a little garlic salt, cumin, cayenne and pepper. (No oil) The lowest temp. My oven goes is 135* so I left the oven cracked open a little until they got crispy, they turned out really yummy.
Thanks for sharing. I love the pictures too!
Wow, had to stop at response 98, ran out of time, but wanted to thank everyone making comments and sharing their ideas. I will certainly be trying all of them! Kale has always been a favorite, growing up on a farm where all we ate was what we grew or raised. Coming to the city when I ate out with friends, I actually ate the “decorative” kale from everyone’s plate with their permission. I don’t know why some find it bitter–it is a robust flavor granted but does indeed stimulate your taste buds.
My first experience with baking kale chips was my own invention when I found them in a small container in the store for over $8, I read the ingredients, bought a bunch of kale for less than $2 and proceeded to roast them. Washed, dried, added olive oil, sea salt (must be sea salt), did not cut them up. So when they came out of the oven one could hold them by the stem and snack. Since they are so fragile when crisp this made them easier to eat–my tip for all of you!
I just picked the kale from my garden, washed the leaves, cut the stems, sprayed them with olive oil from Trader Joe’s and sprinkled with Hickory smoked salt. Vaked for 20 minutes at 275~Yummy!
Looks great! Can’t wait to try this. I’ve made them once before, a while ago, (they burned a little, unfortunately) and we added Parmesan cheese. I’d definitely suggest that to anyone who wants to try this.
Oh my goodness, I bought an entire box of kale just for this recipe and the whole thing was gone within the hour- my 1.5 year old devoured them (admittedly my husband and I helped a LOT). Thank you so much!!!
These are amazing! A great way to make everyone LOVE kale :)
Such a delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
I made your crispy kale on the grill! It’s 90 degrees in Atlanta today. No oven required. Just used a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil, massaged the kale with evoo and added salt. Placed the cookie sheet right on the grates of the gas grill. Kept checking it every 10 mins, shaking it around a bit until crispy. Took a total of about 20-25 mins. I did 2 batches and they are absolutely awesome! I’m a chip-aholic so this was a nice treat.
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Perfect recipe!! you did such a nice job explain each and every item. Not only that but also with pictures. It is more visualize. I will make chip, using your recipes.