If you prefer your veges in salty snack form then crunchy kale chips are absolutely for you. I like to think this recipe has the power to transform kale into a snacktime superstar, or at least somewhat less likely to be the vege-bin reject.
Have you ever found yourself eyeballing a limp bunch of kale, knowing that this sad specimen, and your best intentions for it, are once again destined for the compost? Friend, this is not a personal failing. Kale is famous for its nutrients, and notorious for it quirkiness. It’s a bit over textured, boils down to a still-chewy substance and goes through the juicer with a teeth-aching squeak (just typing that made my face scrunch).
After years of shaking my head at vege bin kale fails, I’ve accepted reality. If I’m going to eat the kale I buy, it has to be crunchy and salty. Let’s pretend it’s 2003 and make some kale chips.
step by step kale chips
1. Obtain kale.
2. Today’s the day. We are not putting this kale in the fridge, we are making kale chips, right here, right now.
3. Preheat your oven to 150ºC (around 300ºF).
4. Wash the leaves, then pat them completely dry. You don’t want any trace of moisture left or you will get soft baked kale (still tasty, but not the goal).
5. Separate the leaf from its stalk by tearing it into bite-sized (chip-sized) chunks.
6. Place the leaf chunks on a baking tray, drizzle them with olive oil and rub it through with your fingers.
7. Spread the leaves out so they are almost single-layer. Sprinkle with salt.
8. Place the tray in the oven and, listen to me, do not become distracted. Yes, there are things to do, but this is not set and forget, unless you want charcoal chips.
9. After 10 minutes, take the tray out and remove the chips that are already crunchy and put them aside. There will be a few that are still partly soft. Put those back in for two minutes, and repeat the process until all the kale is crispy but not turning brown.
10. Pile the kale chips into a bowl and dig in!
storage and serving ideas
Honestly, these are so easy to eat that storage isn’t usually required. However, if you do have some to stash, a sealed container will keep them fresh for a few days. They don’t need to be in the fridge.
As kale chips are essentially baked leaves, they are not very satiating on their own. They work paired with some nuts, cheese or hummus dip as a snack, and make an unusual addition to a charcuterie board. Otherwise, they shine as a vege side at lunch or dinner, or sprinkle over a salad for some light crunch.
I’m pretty confident regular readers will like these kale chips, but be warned. I set the expectation a little high with a friend and got a text that they should be called kale ‘nothing like chips (!!)’ and something about my sanity. Let me know how it goes for you.
recipe card
Easy, Crunchy Kale Chips Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Oven tray
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 150°C (302°F).
- Wash the kale and pat it completely dry. Ensure there is no trace of moisture left.
- Tear off bite-sized chunks of kale and spread them on a metal oven tray. Try not to get too much overlap.
- Drizzle the oil over the kale and massage it into the leaves.
- Sprinkle the salt over the oiled kale.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Check the kale chips and remove any that are already crispy. Place those in a bowl.
- Cook the remaining kale in two minute increments until every piece is uniformly crispy.
- Enjoy as part of a snack or as a side dish.