Have you tried crispy kale yet? This vegan cheesy version of crispy kale is ridiculously easy to make and tastes so good, you might mistakenly think you’re eating junk food as you greedily stuff more and more into your mouth. Momentary guilt, then the delightful realisation that you’re actually eating one of the healthiest foods on the planet! So gorge away on this delicious healthy snack! 😋
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My kids absolutely love crispy kale and actually fight over the bowl when it comes hot out of the air fryer! (Ditto for my air fryer frozen edamame beans!). It's super easy to make as well and, of course, super healthy so I'm always happy to oblige when the kids ask for it!
There are endless different flavours you could mix into the kale but this recipe is one that is very popular in my household. It is also a great seasoning mix for popcorn!
Nutrition
Kale is chocca full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Couple that with the fact that it is low calorie and low fat, it makes it one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world! In fact, munching on this vegan cheesy crispy kale must be the easiest way to eat health food! See this very informative healthline article for more information on the health benefits of kale.
Ingredients
This is a very simple recipe with a very short list of ingredients!
- Kale - try to get the whole leaves of kale rather than the ready prepped bags of kale. The bagged kale always seems to be chopped across the stem so you can't cut it out so easily and it makes it too tough and chewy.
- Olive oil - since this is cooking at a high temperature, I would use regular olive oil and not extra virgin olive oil (which has a lower smoke point so is less useful for cooking with and better to save for drizzling and for salad dressings).
- Nutritional yeast - if you haven't come across this before, it is quite common in vegan cooking because it is an excellent source of vitamin B12 which is often lacking in a vegan diet. It is a deactivated form of brewer's yeast and is full of nutrients. Often referred to as "nooch", it is sold as dried yellow flakes and gives a slight cheesy flavour to dishes. You can find it in the vegan section of your supermarket or with condiments. I like the Braggs and Engervita brands.
- Salt - for seasoning. I use Himalayan pink salt which is mildly flavoured and rich in minerals.
Please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Basic Instructions
The technique is basically:
- wash and dry the kale;
- rub it with oil and whatever flavours you want (see below for variations);
- bake until it goes crispy.
That’s it!! It’s easier to make than popcorn and just as moreish!
Please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed instructions.
Air Fryer Instructions
If you have an air fryer (I have this air fryer) (paid affiliate link), it makes fantastic crispy kale even faster! Just put the flavoured kale leaves straight into the air fryer basket and cook for 6 minutes at 180°C (turning half way).
You do need to watch out because the little leaves fly about everywhere and can get stuck in the fan on some air fryers. For my last air fryer, I bought a small metal vegetable steamer basket (paid affiliate link) to put on top of the raw kale in the air fryer basket to hold it in place. (Make sure you use oven gloves to remove it as it will be desperately hot to touch!).
Chef's Tips
- Kale stems are really tough so it’s best if you buy whole stems so that you can easily cut off the soft leafy bit from the stems rather than buying the packets of ready chopped kale that always seem to be chopped across the stem.
- When you wash the kale, you need to make sure to dry it thoroughly before using it to make crispy kale. Either spin in a salad spinner or put the wet kale into a clean tea towel, wrap it up and then spin it around your head so that the water droplets spin off onto the towel!
- If using the air fryer to make crispy kale, do not make too much at once. Since you need to place a sieve or steamer basket over the top of the kale to stop it from flying up into the fan, it will not brown evenly if you pack it too tightly. This depends on the size of your air fryer and the basket over the top but I find doing it in 2 batches works best otherwise you end up with crispy outer leaves and soggy inner leaves!
- Watch the kale like a hawk at the end of the cooking time, as it takes only a few moments for it to change from perfect crispy green tinged with brown to dark brown and bitter-tasting.
Top Tip for Parents
I make this before I start making the kids supper so that they can snack on it while I’m cooking. Then I know they’ve had their portion of dark greens already and I’ve stalled the endless questions of “when is supper going to be ready?”… well, for the few minutes it takes for them to demolish a bowl!
Variations
This recipe is extremely versatile. The only important thing is to massage the oil into the kale and then you can add whatever flavourings you like! Here are a few different options:
- Asian flavours - sesame oil and a touch of tamari (or even better, a spray of coconut aminos!).
- Chinese flavours - chinese 5 spice and sesame seeds.
- Garlic and Lemon - garlic powder and a touch of lemon juice.
- Spicy - chilli flakes and a touch of lemon juice or jalapeno tabasco.
- “Everything But the Bagel Blend” seasoning or nutty cheese.
Tops Tips for Adding Different Flavourings
- If you add liquids, make sure that it is only a tiny amount to impart flavour without making the kale wet (which would make it harder to de-hydrate and go crispy).
- If you add hard ingredients like sesame seeds, sprinkle them onto the kale after you take it out of the oven, just before serving. Otherwise you may find that they all fall down through the air fryer basket or burn.
Crispy Kale FAQs
If you find you've made too much, you can store crispy kale for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature. Just make sure to cool it completely before storing otherwise the condensation will make it go soggy.
If you find your crispy kale has lost its crisp, just pop it back in the oven or air fryer (with a metal steamer basket over the top) for 2 minutes at 180°C / 350°F to crisp it up again.
We all know how healthy kale is but is it still healthy when it's made into crispy kale?
Yes! Luckily, kale retains its nutrients when it is baked! You are of course adding salt and oil but it is still a far healthier alternative to eating crisps or chips because of all the nutrients in the kale.
I usually serve this just as a pre-dinner snack for the kids or as part of a graze board when entertaining. It is also a great topping for soups or risottos as something crispy and fabulous on top!
Video
📖 Recipe 📖
Vegan Cheesy Crispy Kale
Ingredients
- 4 stems of kale, (about 100g once de-stemmed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Set the oven or air fryer to 180°C/350°F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Wash the kale really well (I find it easiest to soak it for a few minutes in a basin full of water then swish it around to let the dirt fall to the bottom of the basin), then dry well, either in a salad spinner, or put it in a clean tea towel and spin it around a few times to get the droplets of water off the kale and onto the towel!4 stems of kale
- Cut along each side of the stem and discard the stem. Then chop the leaves into big bite sized pieces (be aware that they do shrink while roasting so you don’t want them too small). (Depending on how big and fibrous the leaves are, you could just tear the pieces off the stem instead of using a knife to cut it - see video)
- Put the chopped kale into a big bowl and add the oil. Use your hands to rub the oil into the kale leaves. You really need to make sure it is rubbed into both sides of each piece so that it all cooks evenly.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once covered in a thin film of oil, add the nutritional yeast and salt, and mix so that the flavouring is evenly distributed among the kale pieces.1½ tablespoon nutritional yeast, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Oven Method
- Pour the kale onto the lined baking sheet and spread out thinly.
- Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes at 180°C / 350°F, turning the leaves half way through cooking. (Check the kale at 5 minutes to turn the leaves, then check again at 10 minutes. It may need a minute or two longer if it is not quite crispy but keep a close eye on it).
- When it is dark green, just tinged with brown, and perfectly crispy, take it out of the oven and pour into a bowl. Serve immediately.
Air Fryer Method
- Put the oiled and flavoured kale leaves into the air fryer basket with something heat-resistant with holes all over it, over the top of the kale leaves to hold them down. (You need to do this otherwise the leaves fly about everywhere and can get stuck in the fan). I use an upturned metal steamer basket which holds them perfectly in place whilst letting the air circulate because of the little holes.
- Cook for 6 minutes at 180°C / 350°F (turning half way). (Make sure you use oven gloves to remove the steamer basket as it will be desperately hot to touch!). Serve as soon as it is slightly browned and crispy.
Notes
- Kale stems are really tough so it’s best if you buy whole stems so that you can easily cut off the soft leafy bit from the stems rather than buying the packets of ready chopped kale that always seem to be chopped across the stem.
- If you’re not into the nutritional yeast flavour, leave that out and just use the salt or you could sprinkle on some of my favourite “Everything But the Bagel Blend” after you take it out of the oven, just before serving. See the blogpost for more ideas of flavour combinations.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ on the recipe card!
More Gluten-Free & Vegan Snack Recipes
If you like this vegan cheesy crispy kale recipe, you may like these other delicious vegan and gluten-free recipes too:
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Vee McAllister says
Found some “Nutritional Yeast” in my cupboard, wow delicious 😋
Camilla Sanderson says
Oh good! You can try it on popcorn too - the same mixture of salt and nutritional yeast and a bit of olive oil. So yummy!