crispy kale chips

by Stacy

Recipes for kale chips are everywhere. Turn a weird leafy green into a salty, crunchy, snack food! Amaaaaazing!

The only type of kale I had eaten before was the flat lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or black kale), but this week in our CSA we got some gorgeous curly red monarch kale.

red monarch kale

Its leaves range from light green to deep purple with purple stems. It’s pretty!

red monarch kale

After I removed the tough stems, I chopped the kale up and tossed it in a large bowl with a glug of olive oil and a dash of vinegar. Before tossing, the oil pooled in the bottom of the bowl.

kale tossed with olive oil

After tossing, the kale was evenly coated with oil. Then I spread it in a single layer on a large baking sheet and sprinkled it with kosher salt.

kale tossed with olive oil

A little over 10 minutes later (turning the kale halfway through), voila! Crispy kale chips.

I’m not big on snacks, so these didn’t blow me away. They are satisfyingly crunchy, though, and are nice if you want to nibble on something fairly guilt-free if you’re not actually hungry. My husband said he wouldn’t go out of his way for them, but he would eat them again. This was after he said he would try a few and promptly polished off the rest of the batch. However, if this gets your kids to eat veggies as snacks, more power to you!

toasted kale chips

I think I’ll stick to my kale sauteed, mixed in to mashed potatoes, or in a salad, but making the chips was a fun experiment. If I had an abundance of kale and a potluck to attend, they could make a good conversation piece — if you could hear the conversation over the crunch.

Have you tried kale chips yet?

Crispy Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Directions:
1.) Wash and dry kale. Cut out center stems. Chop kale into pieces about 2 inches wide.

2.) Preheat oven to 350F. Place kale in a mixing bowl and add oil and vinegar. Toss until kale is evenly coated. Turn kale onto a large baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt.

3.) Bake 10-15 minutes at 350F, flipping the kale after 5 minutes. Do not let kale brown or it will become bitter.

toasted kale chips

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

tater1112 February 6, 2010 at 10:18 am

I made these over the summer, and I wasn’t blown away. I also made waaaay too much, and the leftovers got pitched.

We put kale in stir-fries and curry (oh, I forgot A doesn’t do curry. What a weirdo.) and things like that. I also have a great potato/kale/Italian sausage soup recipe.

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stacy February 6, 2010 at 12:01 pm

Glad to know it’s not just me. Maybe if you actually like kale it’s not as exciting. Angie quoted someone once about raisins and other dried fruit: “It’s like fruit without the fun.” While I do like some dried fruit, I think that’s how I feel about kale chips.

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Elie's Papel February 9, 2010 at 5:00 pm

I love kale… i usually have it in salad with lime juice and olive oil with some tomato wedges… it’s so good!

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Kim at Rustic Garden Bistro March 21, 2010 at 5:28 pm

These look great! I have a similar version for chard. mmm

[K]

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Greer May 19, 2010 at 9:15 am

I LOVED these. I just ate an entire bunch of kale. I did have to add about 6 minutes of extra time (I flipped a few more times) but perhaps I didn’t dry my kale off very well. Seem like a tasty alternative to potato chips, which are my weakness.

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