Make Dehydrator Kale Chips in 3 Tasty Flavors

It may be safe to say that not everyone knows about kale, let alone what to do with it. But the good news is we can take the mind-boggling kale roughage and turn it into a pretty delicious and enjoyable snack. Welcome… kale chips!

Horizontal image of a white platter with a mound of kale chips.

I actually grew up with kale occasionally at the dinner table. I don’t remember it too much as it really was just ‘occasionally,’ but aside from it being a little bitter in taste, I loved my veggies so I ate it anyway.

Now in my adult and parenting years and I can only hope that my kids will APPRECIATE veggies. I’m not asking for a mega-LOVE-fruit/veggie relationship from them, but exposure will do.

Next time, I’ll make them a fresh kale salad with grapefruit, apples, and onions. This tasty salad is worth a shot!

This recipe for dehydrated kale was a rather simple and tasteful snack to put together, especially when fresh out the oven! You’ll even want to try this technique for other leafy veggies, like our recipe for mustard greens chips!

Lynne’s Notes:

  • It is definitely not a dish you can save for later snacking. The chips, when done, will be a mix of crispy and soft. The crispy bunch is exactly as it should be to resemble chips. The soft bunch resembled more like sauteed kale, still equally as good if you’re down with the wilted veggie version.
  • I would probably do them in batches so I could align them in a single layer on the baking pan to ensure all leaves have an equal chance at getting crispy. And I’m just going to throw it out there that when I say crispy, I mean they are disintegrate-in-your-mouth crispy, similar to roasted seaweed! NOMZ!
  • For easy prepping, kale is sold already washed and cut at Trader Joe’s. Had I known that, I would have just splurged the extra cents to just grab a bag. Now I know better. But hey, manual labor is also good too!
  • It’s easy to over salt the chips. One subtle layer of salt will do as the lemon gives it much oomph already.
  • Also, I’m a little impatient and bumped the oven temp up to 350° baking it around 10-15 minutes.

Family Verdict:

The boys and I could not keep our hands off it! Definitely looking forward to our next batch of these. With it’s simplicity, I just might make this weekly!

Recommended:

Heck-to-the-YES!

Horizontal image of fresh, clean kale in a metal bowl.

Kale Chips
yield = 4 servings

Ingredients:

 

  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or cooking fat, melted)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350ᐤF and line baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Thoroughly wash kale, drain, and pat dry.
  • Cut off stems and cut leaves into sizes equivalent to chips.
  • Place the cut kale leaves into a bowl and massage olive oil (or melted cooking fat) and lemon juice into the leaves to ensure even coverage.
  • Place kale in a single layer on baking pan. (You may have to do more than one batch).  And season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place baking pan in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on the chips to make sure that leaves are not getting overcooked. Some may still come out soft, but it will taste just as good!

About Alex Jones

Alex Jones is a local food consultant and writer based in Philadelphia. Evangelizing about local food is second nature to Alex, whether she’s working an artisan cheesemaker’s farmers market stand or developing growth strategies for her favorite small-scale artisans. Her favorite areas to work in currently are the artisan cheese and pastured meat supply chains. When she’s not working, Alex spends her time managing her usually-overstuffed fridge, growing vegetables, foraging for fruits around the city, playing tuba in a disco cover band, and hanging out with her partner Dr Thunder, Philadelphia’s karaoke superhero, and their two cats, Georgia and Li’l Mama. Alex’s favorite food is some kind of cheese on some kind of bread.

46 thoughts on “Make Dehydrator Kale Chips in 3 Tasty Flavors”

  1. Wow! Great idea. I would have never thought to try this. I have gone to a mostly 50/50 vegan diet recently and was wondering how to make my Kale more tasty. I can compensate in salads pretty easily with the dressing and sauces that I make, but this sounds like a much tastier way. This may be the perfect thing to get my kids to try kale. Kale is a wonder veggie packed with so many nutrients and vitamins and any way i can find to get more into my diet is great. Thanks to this i can see me munching away soon. Looks delicious!

    Reply
  2. I have never tried Kale, in fact I am not even sure where to get it over here in the UK. I always hear about it from American cooking shows and sites, as you stated I have heard it can be a bit bitter. Although reading about all the health benefits and using Kale as part of a dish like this is very interesting. Looks like I need to make a trip to a specialist fresh veg shop in my city.

    Reply
  3. Alright, a question though, can i substitute Kale for another vegetable whilst preparing this awesome recipe?…Kale has too much acid content and according to my blood group, foods with too much acidity are not allowed…the doctor just had to put a damper on my food list :(. …but like the article states, am sure its extra scrumptious, i might just end up bending some rules here {cheeky smile}.

    Reply
  4. I like the idea of lemon juice to add some flavor. I have added chilli flakes afterwards for a bit of a kick.
    I get a bit impatient too, but you need to spread them out to get them crunchy, soggy kale chips are not as yummy.

    Reply
    • If you like the lemon juice flavouring, you could potentially try picking up some “citric acid” or what’s commonly known as “lemon salt”. It’s the acidic component of lemon juice and can be sprinkled on dishes in the same way as salt. Your local grocer should sell it in bags for rather cheap. It makes for a great addition to a lot of dishes that would benefit from lemon or lime juice, and it’s convenient as it’s just powder.

      Reply
  5. I have seen bags of Kale Chips for sale at Whole Foods and I remember cringing at the price $5+ for a small bag. I did not imagine that the recipe would be easy for me. I am fascinated about the taste and the crunch of raw Kale. I am excited to make this recipe with my Mom, she loves the vegetable as much as I do.

    Reply
  6. I have tried Kale chips made by co workers, and they haven’t been crispy enough. However, this post inspires me to try it myself. I also wonder if baby spinach can ever be substituted, as this one of my husband’s favorite vegetables (of which there are few). Great to know about Trader Joe’s selling kale washed and cut. If I find a time to try this recipe out I will definitely be going there to get my kale!

    Reply
  7. What a lovely and healthy way to get your crunch dose. I’ve never tried Kale Chips before, I’m not sure they sell it where I’m from. That doesn’t mean I can’t try them though.

    Reply
  8. I know these are absolutely fantastic! It’s something I make when my mother comes to visit. She loves eating and often times eats mindlessly, so I always purchase a lot kale (dependent upon her time with me) and make chips for her. I would like using seaweed as well, but its really hard to find fresh seaweed in my area. Luckily I can buy dried seaweed snacks from a local store near me. My momma thinks I’m crazy when I feed her stuff like this…but it doesn’t stop her from eating it. LOL.

    Reply
  9. Kale chips have been all the rage for a while now, but I’ve never tried them. I’ve never even had kale at all, actually. But you make things look so simple! I’m due for a TJs trip and I’m going to grab me a bag of kale and jump right on this ol’ bandwagon. Why the heck not.

    Reply
  10. I honestly wish I liked kale more than I do. Sometimes I eat it in salads, but I can’t get past its bitterness. I did buy some kale chips from Trader Joe’s once, but I did not like them at all. Maybe homemade chips would taste better than that. It’s worth a try.

    Reply
  11. So, I finally tried these and there were truly, amazingly, good. You really don’t need to worry at all how to store these, because there will be none to store. Some are left soft, and that’s okay because they still taste great. My next batch, I’m going to try some lemon pepper to see how that goes.

    This is a *great* after school snack. I’m so glad I finally tried them!

    Reply
  12. I’m definitely going to try these. We are trying very hard to improve our diet as a family. I know I miss crunchy potato chips, and I’m sure the rest of the family does as well. These look amazing — crunchy, a little salt, but healthy? YEAH!

    We are pretty awful at eating our dark, leafy greens too. This may be an excellent way to finally, finally get in the number of vegetable servings I’m aiming for. If these are a hit, they’re gonna rock my world. 😀

    Reply
  13. I’ve had kale in salads before, but I’ve never thought about making it into easy to eat chips. That’s a completely new idea to me. I’ll have to try these out. It might get me to cut out potato chips (as they are one of my weaknesses), and if they have a crunch to them, then I’m sold!

    I’m trying to cut out food that are bad for me, and I’ve been thinking of ways to tweak things I already eat. This is a great idea. Maybe I can finally get my boyfriend to eat kale with me. He’s just so picky that it’s hard to eat healthy when we cook together.

    Reply
  14. This is such a unique idea. I have always seen people make apple chips and banana chips, but never kale chips. Or any vegetable chips for that matter. What’s even better is how delicious these look. I am going to try these out.

    Reply
  15. I love making kale chips at home. It’s inexpensive and the chips are a healthy alternative to potato chips. One thing I like to do is add some different spices to the kale while it is baking to give these some additional flavor. The one problem I still experience is that most of my crispy kale chips are so crispy that I have a difficult time not having it fall into tons of little pieces when I remove it from the oven.

    Reply
  16. I’ve been wanting to try roasted seaweed for a while now, but they don’t sell it in my country. You mentioned they disintegrate in your mouth like roasted seaweed, but do they also taste like seaweed?

    Reply
  17. I’m a fan of exotic vegetable chips! I’ve tried sweet potato, tapioca, cassava and beetroot chips, but I’ve never fathomed using actual leafy greens to make chips! I would think that the moisture content is too high for them to come out crunchy. Besides kale, what other vegetables could be used?

    Instead of lemon juice and sea salt, I tend to use lemon salt instead. I worry that too much lemon juice might lead to soggy chips, and no ones enjoys eating those 🙁

    Reply
    • Beetroot chips sound really interesting. I’ve had sweet potato ones before and they were delicious, but the beetroot sounds really different. Did you buy them, or did you make them yourself?

      Reply
  18. Omg, these are so great!!! I found out about them a year ago and now I’m hooked. I think the first recipe I saw was a raw food one where you dehydrate them versus bake. I don’t have the equipment for dehydrating, so I baked mine instead and absolutely loved it.

    Reply
  19. Interesting – I might grab some kale next time I’m shopping and give this a go. I’ve heard how good it is for you but as chips they’d at least try it!

    From reading the comments above, I also thought of perhaps making the chips then adding them to a salad (instead of croutons effectively) for something different. Has anyone tried this?

    Reply
  20. It’s only recently that I picked up on kale chips and learned about it’s health benefits to those that consume it. I haven’t gotten the chance to try it yet but as I’m becoming more vegetables-oriented these days, I’d like to add this to the menu and have it every now and again. It’s definitely interesting to say the least. That’s for sharing this informative post.

    Reply
  21. We’ve tried the kale chips several times and we decided to save it for a once in a while thing. They tasted great, as we tried several flavor combinations, but the texture was never consistent. One batch would be fantastic and then the next several would be not as crunchy or overly crunchy and the roof of your mouth felt like it was sand blasted. I think we will probably stick to using Kale in other dishes. But like I said, every once in a while we did a perfect batch and they were fantastic. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
  22. The first time I heard about kale chips, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. I was sure that it was super health freak really stretching to make another health food trend. But everyone was raving about it, so I figured I would give it a try. You know what? They are surprisingly good!

    Reply
  23. I love veggies, especially green ones. I’ve even learned to appreciate Brussel sprouts,which is an accomplishment for me. But I can’t seem to get into Kale. I’ve had it in fresh salads, prepared deli salads and even these chips. I just don’t find this particular vegetable all that appetizing. It’s not bad; it’s just not something I would add to my diet or menus. The recipe here is simple enough. But if you want more flavor used lemon-pepper seasoning instead of salt. It didn’t make a difference for me, but it might for someone else.

    Reply
  24. I love this recipe, these are so good! In fact they are too good, seriously addictive, though I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Even my kids love them. I definitely agree though that they don’t store well so need to be eaten as soon as they are made.

    Reply
  25. Kale chips are a great snack and are high in nutrients, while low on calories and fat. I’ve purchased kale chips in supermarkets a few times. They cost so much for such a small amount! I’ve always wondered how to make them myself. It seems so easy! I don’t think i’ll ever be buying them again. They even sound good for my next party!

    Reply
  26. If you’re worried about them going soft, just dip them in a light coating of tempura batter. Most batters already include salt so don’t add any more after. Adding the tempura batter may make it look a little less healthy, but it’s really only a little bit and it ensures that you have crispy chip-quality kale to snack on!

    Reply
  27. This sounds fun. I have purchased kale chips before that were done in a dehydrator, they were delicious! It is great to know I can make my own version in an oven. I like your recipe, and I am surprised to see the lemon juice. It is probably a key ingredient to the success of the chips. I can get kale right out of the garden, so this is a must do for me. I already know I will be addicted, and that is alright.

    Reply
  28. I hate that kale has become this popular vegetable. It really ruins the deals I used to get on buying it in bulk. It has, however, increased its availability. I’m just not sure if that outweighs the price that it’s available so often.

    Reply
  29. I just recently tried Kale for the first time. It was a prepackaged salad from the store and I admit it was delicious! I have never had it any other way and I really wanted my daughter to try some since I know its packed with nutrients that she needs. Since she refuses to eat salad Ive been at a loss but I never thought of making Kale chips, this is perfect! If I were to buy a bag of pre-washed Kale would a bag be equivalent to the one bunch of Kale your recipe calls for? I cant wait to see if she enjoys this, I know I will 🙂

    Reply
  30. Those kale chips look absolutely divine. I have a bad relationship with carbs especially starches and I’m always looking for ways to reduce my carb intake. Chips and french fries are my absolute worst enemy so having a healthier alternative like these delicious kale chips sounds good to me. Thanks for being so detailed in your recipe. I’m definitely going to make a batch today.

    Reply
  31. Looks good. I have a few of these recipes around here, but I haven’t tried it. This is making me want to do it. You can also use a dehydrator. The raw vegans use that. About $150 at Walmart for a good one.
    This has got to be way better for you to eat than potato chips in a bag. I’ve seen the kale chips in the store. Expensive though. This seems so easy. I was just thinking about picking up some kale for soup.

    Reply
  32. I personally love kale. I usually sautee it up with some garlic and olive oil. Can’t get enough of it! I’ve never attempted Kale chips although the concept is interesting to me. I’m a little afraid I will not like them crispy like a chip.

    Reply
  33. I tried this recipe and it was great! I love these because they are such a healthy but delicious snack. I usually buy them from the store but this is a much cheaper way to make them and they taste just as good. This recipe was super simple and easy to do and I will definitely be making them again.

    Reply
  34. I love making kale chips. They are a great inexpensive healthy snack. Sometimes if I want to add a little more flavor I’ll throw in popcorn or grated cheese. This is definitely a great alternative to a bag of chips.

    Reply
  35. Kale chips are one of my all time favourite “healthier” snacks because they taste so good yet they aren’t AS fatty as chips (although if I accidentally eat too much it could be equally as bad) but I usually make them about once or twice a week and I always eat them all in less than a few minutes! Always a better alternative than chips whenever I just need something to munch on.

    Reply
  36. Kale chips are a big hit in our household. My kids and I love to add red pepper flakes or cayenne as a spice to the chips. We love spicy food and I love making these chips because they’re so healthy and not to mention delicious.

    Reply
  37. The most delicious snack in the free world…kale chips. I first stumbled upon this recipe watch Rachel Ray (my favorite)…and she showed this recipe. Needless to say I make these at least twice a week..the whole family loves them..and if someone I know has never tried them….I always give the recipe. The healthiest snack…and utterly delicious!!

    Reply
  38. I make these all the time!
    Hey did you know they are not the only greens you can “chipify”?
    Swiss chard is another green that can be done the exact same way.
    For some other veggies, you can get out a mandolin and slice them nice and thin and bake them for a similar effect.
    We like to do a root vegetable chip medley. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes ect ect. Most root veg hold up very well to baking.
    Happy Chipping!

    Reply
  39. I have never tried kale before, but this sounds like this would be a great idea for a quick snack! Plus it’s a better alternative than most chip brands out there. Plus I think this could be a hit, especially when it comes to hosting events.

    Reply
  40. Despite how green and healthy these looks, my kids eat them up every time! They love the taste, and would [refer kale chips to regular potato chips, which is a huge win-win for us! I will be making this next time, just to switch it up a bit.

    Reply
  41. Thanks for posting this! Kale chips in the store are so expensive! I like to eat mine with hummus, It sounds like a really nice, easy party snack. It would be interesting to use the leftover, wilted ones instead of lettuce in lettuce wraps. Maybe with a Thai peanut dipping sauce? Hmm…

    Reply

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