Air Fryer Kale Chips are the best way to enjoy kale! Homemade crispy kale chips are a delicious, healthy, low calorie snack that can be made in less than 20 minutes. Roasting kale chips in the air fryer is so easy and keeps crispy for days!
Guys...this is the only way ever that I have been able to get my daughter to eat kale.
And yes, I am totally fine with it...if she wants these crispy fried kale chips. They are easy, homemade, healthy and a great on-the -go snack!
These kale chips made in the air fryer are vegan, gluten-free and great for a keto low calorie diet.
The added bonus is that we love these baked kale chips too. You can season them in so many ways - make them cheesy by adding some parmesan or make them spicy with some cumin and paprika. Dip them in your favorite sauce.
We enjoy them dipped in ranch or garlicky yogurt dip.
See below for all my tips to make the best air fryer kale chips!
How to make?
Prep & Cut
Wash and dry kale leaves. Spread each leaf on a cutting board. Cut the leaves from the spine. Discard the spine and roughly tear the leaves into small pieces.
You can also use a salad spinner to dry them completely if you want to wash the leaves after cutting.
Season
Transfer kale to a bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt making sure each leaf is coated with a thin layer of oil.
I kept the seasoning very simple, so the little toddler in the house could eat the kale chips too. You can season them in a variety of ways. I have shared some seasoning ideas below.
Other seasoning ideas:
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Cumin powder
- Garam Masala
- Hot Chili Sauce
- Maple syrup
- Umami - or soy, miso sauce
- Make them cheesy with parmesan or nutritional yeast (for vegan)
Air Fry
Transfer the kale to the air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches based on the size of your air fryer and the quantity of kale.
Also, you can cover the kale with an air fryer rack. This helps to avoid the kale from flying around in the air fryer.
Air fry at 350°F for about 6 minutes. Shake the basket at 4 minutes. Keep a close eye after 4 minutes.
Kale chips are ready when they are crispy.
Remove in a serving plate. Enjoy as is or with a dip.
Kale chips are a wonderful snack. There is really no wrong time to enjoy them.
You can eat them for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Or serve them as a side with eggs or with burger for your lunch.
Look at that crispy leaf below. So good!
Looking for accessories for the air fryer? Check out my list of the 10+ Best Air Fryer Accessories
Bake in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the kale is crispy and just begins to brown. Stir halfway through. Watch closely as it can burn easily.
Common Questions
Kale chips are all veggies, so they are a healthy whole30 snack, a great substitute for potato chips. They are vegan, gluten-free and low in calories.
Let the chips cool completely. Then store in an airtight container for 4-5 days at room temperature. If they are less crunchy, air fry again for a minute or two.
We love to dip kale chips in ranch, tahini sauce and garlic herb yogurt sauce.
Hope you enjoy this easy kale chips recipe.
Other air fryer veggies you might enjoy:
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower with cilantro yogurt sauce
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer No-Breading Zucchini
Crispy Air Fryer Kale Chips
Equipment
Instructions
Prep & Cut:
- Wash and dry kale leaves. Spread each leaf on a cutting board. Cut the leaves from the spine. Discard the spine and roughly tear the leaves into small pieces.
Season
- Transfer kale to a bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt making sure each leaf is coated with a thin layer of oil. Transfer them to air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches based on the size of your air fryer. You can cover the kale with an air fryer rack. This helps to avoid the kale from flying around in the air fryer.
Air Fry
- Air fry them at 350°F for about 6 minutes. Shake the basket at 4 minutes. Keep a close eye after 4 minutes.
- Kale chips are ready. Remove in a serving plate. Enjoy as is or with a dip.
Video
Notes
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Cumin powder
- Garam Masala
- Hot Chili Sauce
- Maple syrup
- Umami - or soy, miso sauce
- Make them cheesy with parmesan or nutritional yeast (for vegan)
- Ranch
- Tahini
- Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Dur-e-shehwar says
loved them. Better than potatoes. Good snack while dieting. You are doing good job.
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi - So good to hear that. 🙂
Lillian says
I put the kale in and next thing I know something is burning to I look in the air fryer and most of the kale was sucked into the top of my air fryer and almost on fire
Meeta Arora says
Hi Lillian - Sorry this happened. You can cover the seasoned kale with an air fryer rack (see step by step images). This helps to avoid the kale from flying in the air fryer.
Denise says
I don’t know what happened, but I put the basket into my air fryer with the kale pieces covered with oil and the next thing you know I smelled a lot of burning … I open the basket and half of them are gone and their is smoke pouring out from the heating element up above. I think they flew up into the burner and are stuck up there and now I don’t know what to do!!!
Meeta Arora says
Hi Denise - Sorry this happened. You can cover the seasoned kale with an air fryer rack (see step by step images). This helps to avoid the kale from flying in the air fryer.
Shana says
This turned out to be FRIED but maybe I was looking for more of a chip recipe. The last time I made this I (a recipe I can’t find) dehydrated it after massaging it in lemon juice and it took a long time. I was a bit in disbelief that it could be made in such a short time but I gave it a go I added lemon and it turned my kale brown and burnt but crispy burnt, I still ate it but I’d rather not lose the minerals and nutrients by “cooking” it out.
I gave it 3 stars instead of zero because it was still oddly addictive regardless of the dark burns. (Probably because of the lemon?)
Meeta Arora says
Hi Shana - Sorry to hear the kale was not as you expected. If it was burnt, try a lower temperature, so that it cooks well, but does not burn.
Izzy says
Excellent!! Added red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and sesame oil. DELICIOUS!!!
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi - So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing back 🙂
Sherri says
Excellent! Used olive oil and garlic powder. Tip: wash and dry first then cut. Make sure you throughly dry before air frying. Will make again.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Sherri - Glad to hear you enjoyed the kale chips!
Paul Kostandin says
I love kale chips and theres really no good way to make them at home if you've only got a still oven. Thankfully I've got an air fryer, so I'm definitely going to give this a try. I've got a garden filled with kale and now I've got something new to do with it! Thank you for sharing.
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Paul - So happy to hear that 😊
Kaci says
These turned out so good, . We used garlic powder and olive oil for seasoning. Nice and crunchy, good flavor. Great recipe! Thank you ☺️