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Quick, easy and healthy Air Fryer Kale chips make a perfect gluten-free vegan snack with a dose of green power!
I recently fell in love with my air fryer. The hype is real! I had a bunch kale to use and thought I would try my hand at making some kale chips as they can be so expensive to buy pre-made at the store, and who doesn’t love a crunchy snack? The results: oh my gosh, these are so EASY and TASTY – so much better than store bought! I can’t wait for you to give these a go yourself! My kids were gobbling these down before I could finish taking pictures, and I always see that as a success.
These Air Fried Kale Chips Are:
- Super quick and easy to make.
- Healthy as can be.
- Satisfyingly delicate and crunchy.
- Versatile, and can be seasoned to suit your tastes (though simple salt will blow your mind alone!).
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, keto, low-carb, sugar-free, nut-free and soy-free.
What Do You Need To Make Air Fryer Kale Chips?
- 1 bunch of kale – I like to choose a healthy, organic bunch of common curly kale for best results (and taste!).
- Oil – I like to use avocado oil, but coconut oil, olive oil and grapeseed oil work great too.
- Salt – Pink salt or sea salt work great to season these kale chips.
That’s it! These three ingredients make perfectly crunchy, delicious kale chips that are great on their own or seasoned however you would prefer (see seasoning suggestions below).
How To Make
- Tear kale from the stems into chip-sized pieces.
- Rinse and drain.
- Massage with oil and salt.
- Arrange in a single layer in your air fryer.
- Air fry and enjoy!
Kale Chip Seasoning Ideas
These are absolutely fabulous all on their own with simple salt, but here are some ways we like enjoy them from time to time! Before popping the basic recipe in the air fryer sprinkle your kale chips with one of these combinations:
- Nutritional yeast and smoked paprika for a “cheesy” taste.
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
- Chili powder, cumin and dried oregano.
- Nutritional yeast, dried dill, dried parsley, a sprinkle of lemon juice and a dash of black pepper for a ranch-like flavor.
- And if you want to get super fancy, a combo of nutritional yeast, coconut sugar, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder and onion powder lends a deep, smoky-sweet flavor.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
Kale
You can use any variety of kale that you prefer, I find commonly found curly kale to lend excellent results but this recipe also works well with lacinto (dinosaur) kale, chinese kale, red kale and siberian kale.
Oil
I love how well avocado oil holds up with high heat cooking, but any oil of your choice will work in a pinch! And on a low or no-oil diet? You can lower the amount of oil or omit it and still get some crunchy and delicious kale chips!
Salt
Salt only serves to enhance the natural flavor of kale, but it can be omitted for low-sodium diets for still-tasty kale chips.
Storage
These kale chips keep well stored in air-tight containers at room temperature for up to 5 days. It’s important to keep the moisture out to maintain crispiness. If your kale chips absorb any moisture, simply pop back in the air fryer for a few minutes to re-crisp.
More Healthy Snack Ideas
Baked Garlic Pepper Polenta Fries (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Sea Salt Chickpea Crackers (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Maple Walnut Goji Berry Granola (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
If you try this recipe please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, share this post, use Pinterest’s “tried it” feature, or take a photo, & tag me on Instagram and I’ll share it! Thank you so much! <3
Air Fryer Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale (see notes above in post) stems removed, and leaves torn into chip-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or oil of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or pink salt
Instructions
- Remove stems from kale and tear kale leaves into chip-sized pieces. Rinse and drain well.
- Place clean kale in a bowl. Sprinkle with oil and salt. Massage well.
- Arrange prepared kale in a single layer in your air fryer basket or tray.
- Air fry for 6 minutes at 385°F, or until kale chips are sufficiently crispy.
- Let cool, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Equipment
1 Comment
Daniela
05/08/2020 at 3:25 AMI have such a weakness for kale chips! These look absolutely perfect out of the air fryer! So bright and vibrant! I’m going to try these!!!