Name: Cheesy Oven-Roasted Kale Chips {Vegan}
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 large bunch of curly green kale (washed and stems removed); 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted (extra-virgin olive oil would work as well)); 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (optional); 1 teaspoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed); 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast; 1 tablespoon tahini; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

I have never been one of those people, who have to have popcorn and soda while watching a movie. Because (1) I cannot stand when little pieces of popcorn get stuck in between my teeth, and (2) I don’t drink soda. But Dwight, on the other hand, loves to have popcorn and Coke when it is movie time.

A couple of months ago, as we were about to watch a movie, I wanted to make popcorn for him, but realized that we were out of it. Instead, we had kale in the fridge, and I thought that this was a perfect time to try the kale crisp recipe I saw in Julie Morris’s Superfood Kitchen cookbook a while back. I quickly put together the liquid mixture ingredients (tahini, coconut oil, flaxseed, onion and garlic powder), massaged the kale leaves with it for a minute, and roasted them in the oven. They turned out so wonderfully delicious that Dwight had not asked for popcorn since that day. These cheesy vegan kale chips have been our new favorite movie snack.

For some reason, it never occurred to me to post it as a recipe on the blog until a couple of days ago Dwight asked me if I had shared the recipe of his newest favorite snack. I guess I didn’t, because I thought that it was just too easy and not worth sharing. But when I saw that Ina Garten put a kale chip recipe on her new cookbook, I thought to myself that I have to share our favorite vegan version of kale chips the next time I find kale on the island.

About The Recipe:

When making kale chips there a couple of things to pay attention:

1. Kale leaves should be as dry as possible: You should definitely wash the kale after you bring it home from the store. However, for the liquid mixture to stick to it, it should be as dry as possible.
When I am ready to use them, I first cut the stems and tear the leaves into smaller pieces. Then, I place the leaves in my salad spinner and spin them in batches. Lastly, I lay a large piece of paper towel on the kitchen counter, and spread the leaves on the towel for leftover water to be absorbed.

2. Do not overcrowd the baking sheet: In order for the kale to get crisp, it is imperative to not to overcrowd the baking sheet. I use 2 baking sheets for 1 large bunch of kale. If you put all of it in one baking sheet, it will steam rather than roast. And as a result, it will not become crisp.

3. Low temperature and slow roasting works the best: The original recipe suggests roasting them in a 200-degree oven for 55-60 minutes. It definitely works, but after many times of trying different temperature settings and roasting times, I think the best (and quicker) combination is 300-degree oven for 30 minutes. However, you need to make sure to rotate the sheets halfway through the process for even roasting.

4. You can use different spice combinations: I made this particular recipe using flaxseed meal, onion and garlic powder. But if you want to switch it up, feel free to add different spices to it. I, once added a teaspoon of chili powder to this exact recipe, and used it as garnish for a Mexican soup. It was yummy.

5. Keeping it fresh for the next day (The Truth): I read it in so many places that if you were to put it in an airtight container it will keep its freshness for the next day. To be honest, I tried doing that and it was just not as crispy and delicious as it was when it first came out of the oven. Therefore, I usually make it right before we are ready to eat.

Bowl of Cheesy Oven-Roasted Kale Chips with a bottle of beer in the background

On a last note, cayenne pepper and flaxseed powder in this recipe are optional. If you don’t have or prefer not to use them, feel free to make the chips without them.