Baked Kale Chips

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

Quick and easy Baked Kale Chips are one of the tastiest ways to eat more greens. You need just two ingredients and 20 minutes to make these healthy vegetable chips.

A bowl of baked kale chips.


 

Homemade kale chips are a crunchy healthy snack that bake up shatteringly-crisp without the bitterness of raw kale. You can also easily customize your chips with a variety of herbs and spices, nutritional yeast, or Parmesan cheese to suit your taste.

Depending your toppings, Kale Chips make a tasty gluten-free, dairy-free snack that even your kids might love.

Recipe ingredients

The ingredients for kale chips.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Kale: Any kale works here: Common curly, Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale or Dinosaur kale), red or Redbor, or Siberian kale. Be sure to remove the woody stems before tearing the leafy greens into “chip”-size pieces. The bags of chopped kale always include stems. Aim for 1 bunch of kale that is 9 or 10 ounces with stems (it will be 6 or 7 ounces without stems, about 8 cups tightly packed before baking). 
  • Extra virgin olive oil: Or substitute 2 tbsp avocado oil, coconut oil, or you favorite nonstick spray. I like Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray and Spectrum Naturals Organic Olive Oil Cooking Spray.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Fill a large bowl with water and add kale. Swish around to remove any dirt; drain. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel.
Cleaning kale in a bowl of water.
  1. Tear the kale leaves into 1-inch to 2-inch bite size pieces, discarding the ribs, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands until evenly coated.
A bowl of kale torn into pieces.
  1. Arrange the leaves in a single layer (with NO overlap) on ungreased cookie sheets. Rub each leaf gently between your fingers as you work to ensure each is covered in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Kale chips on a baking sheet.
  1. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until leaves are crispy.
Kale chips on a baking sheet.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This easy Baked Kale Chips recipe starts with 8 cups raw kale which cooks down to 4 cups crispy kale chips.
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • Your pan plan: Kale cooks down to a fraction of its original size. Plan on 2 to 3 sheet pans per bunch of kale (depending on the size of the bunch and the size of your pans). I do about 4 cups uncooked kale per baking sheet. Save your parchment paper for cookies; these chips crisp up best on a dry, ungreased sheet pan.
  • No overlap: The most important step for super-crispy vegetable chips? They must be arranged in a single layer. Overlapped chips causes them to steam and they won’t be crispy.
  • Spice things up: At the same time you add salt, feel free to sprinkle on a tsp of your favorite savory flavorings: Smoked paprika or sea salt, onion powder, red pepper flakes, Cajun Seasoning, cumin, chili powder, Za’atar, garlic powder, or Everything Bagel Seasoning. Or skip the salt and use my copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt instead.
  • Kale Salad: With a fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette and a plethora of complimentary toppings like fresh kale, roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries, and feta cheese, this Kale Salad is an ode to the spectacular cuisine of California.
  • Harvest Bowl: Elevate your meal prep with a hearty Harvest Bowl. It’s made with rosemary-roasted butternut squash, chewy farro, massaged kale, toasted pecans, sliced apples, pomegranate seeds, and feta cheese tossed in an Apple Cider Vinaigrette with a splash of maple syrup. 
  • White Bean and Kale Soup: This homemade soup recipe is affordable, easy, and the epitome of comfort food no matter what season you serve it. My simple soup recipe proves that you can coax loads of flavor out of 5 ingredients in just 30 minutes.
A bowl of baked kale chips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much kale in a bunch?

The weight of a bunch of kale varies, but here are some guidelines. The bunch of curly kale pictured in this post weighed 9 ounces, then 6 ounces after I removed the toughest stems. After tearing it into small pieces, I had 8 cups of uncooked kale. This cooked down to 4 cups kale chips.

Are baked kale chips healthy?

Baked kale chips are healthier than potato chips. You can cook them in healthy fats like olive oil or avocado oil, and you can limit the salt that you put on them. They are also free of preservatives and artificial flavors or other ingredients.

More leafy greens recipes

Join Us

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow along on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for our latest recipes! Tag all your glorious creations #culinaryhill so we can eat vicariously through you.
A bowl of baked kale chips.

Crispy Kale Chips

Quick and easy Crispy Kale Chips are one of the tastiest ways to eat more greens. You need just two ingredients and 20 minutes to make these healthy vegetable chips.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings (1 cup each)
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Calories 160
5 from 19 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Fill a large bowl with water and add kale. Swish around to remove any dirt; drain. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel.
  • Tear the kale leaves into 1” – 2” pieces, discarding the ribs, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands until evenly coated.
  • Arrange the leaves in a single layer (with NO overlap) on ungreased cookie sheets. Rub each leaf gently between your fingers as you work to ensure each is covered in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until leaves are crispy.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Kale: Any kale works here: Common curly, Lacinato (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur kale), red or Redbor, or Siberian kale. Be sure to remove the woody stems before tearing the leafy greens into “chip”-size pieces. The bags of chopped kale always include stems. Aim for 1 bunch of kale that is 9 or 10 ounces with stems (it will be 6 or 7 ounces without stems, about 8 cups tightly packed before baking). 
  2. Olive oil: Or substitute avocado oil or you favorite nonstick spray. I like Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray and Spectrum Naturals Organic Olive Oil Cooking Spray.
  3. Yield: This Crispy Kale Chips recipe starts with 8 cups raw kale which cooks down to 4 cups kale chips.
  4. Storage: Store in an airtight container or a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cupCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 77mgPotassium: 987mgVitamin A: 20080IUVitamin C: 241mgCalcium: 302mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
    Website | + posts

    Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

    Quick & Easy Meals in Under 30 Minutes!
    15 simple recipes for busy weeknights.

    You May Also Like

    Questions and Comments

    Thank you for your comments! Please allow 1-2 business days for a reply. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am PST to 5:00 pm PST, excluding holidays. Comments are moderated to prevent spam and profanity.

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Comments

    1. Technique and prep are everything here – oven temp, separation, rubbing oil on each one. Mine were delicious although I over did the salt! I used a convection toaster oven, and they were crispy in about 12 minutes, so watch your timing the first couple of times you make them. Definitely making these again!5 stars

      1. Hi Julie, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad you loved them! – Meggan

    2. This is an amazing recipe, chips turn out crispy and tasty, and easy directions. I Definitely recommend trying this recipe, especially off you’re new to kale chips.5 stars

    3. Hi Meghan, 
      I can’t wait to make this kale chips., I love almost all kinds of chips. They’re my biggest problem, when I get home from work if I have any chips in my pantry, I’m in trouble.., LOL, so I rather not buy them. I’ll definitely try this Kale Chips. 
      Thanks so much, 
      Annie 💃🏽

    4. I keep on making the chips. I prepare them in my  dehydrator, so I can make 9 sheets in one. I also use parmezan cheese, that is good to. But I prefer SALT and pepper. Thanks for this great idea.

    5. Thanks I follow this recipe and had some delicious kale chips last night. Have you ever tried storing these? Do these keep well in an air tight container? How long do they last?5 stars

      1. Hi Bek, I can honestly say I’ve never had to store them… overnight yes, and they were fine, but beyond that they never lasted (as in, we ate them immediately)! I will see what I can find out and get back to you, though. Thanks!