So if you haven’t noticed, Kale Chips are really popular right now, and there’s a very good reason for this… they are DELICIOUS – and good for you too! My husband introduced me to them a while back and we’ve been hooked ever since.
You can make these at home for a fraction of the cost you’ll find them in stores – and I think they turn out soooo much better! Plus, the ingredients are 100% Raw and so, so, so good for you! Everyone – even our 1 year old eats these, since they just melt in your mouth. There is a collective ‘Awwwww’ in our family when they run out.
The Tools & Ingredients Used in this Recipe:
The BEST Kale Chip Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 hours
- Total Time: 20 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 dehydrator trays 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Description
This is the BEST Kale Chip Recipe you’ve ever tasted! It’s Raw, Gluten Free & Vegan. They taste AMAZING & are Good for you! Featuring the VitaMix Blender & Excalibur Dehydrator.
Ingredients
SOAK INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Cup Macadamia Nuts (this gives it the creamy taste!)
- 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Cashews
- 1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds (optional)
- 5 Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 4 Dates (pits removed)
- Approx. 1 1/2 Cups Water to Cover the Soaked Ingredients
KALE:
- 4–5 Heads of Green Leafy Kale (Washed & De-Veined – see video or images on how to do this)
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion
- 1 Single Stalk of Celery
- 1 Carrot
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Braggs or Coconut Aminos (or to taste)
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (or to taste)
- 1 Cup Nutritional Yeast (this gives it the ‘cheesy’ flavor) – Add Last!
- Additional 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Water – only if needed.
Instructions
- Place the Soak Ingredients (Nuts, Seeds, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Dates) into a medium sized bowl and place just enough water to cover them. Let soak for approx. 1/2 hour.
- While Nuts are soaking, Wash the Kale and strip the leaves off the Center stalk or ‘Vein; and set them aside.
- Once Nuts are done soaking, dump them (including the water) with the other veggies into the Vitamix, then Blend on High until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the Vitamix with the Nutritional Yeast last.
- Blend everything until smooth… using your Vitamix Tamper to mix it around as needed. Feel free to add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup water if the mixture is too thick. Ideally the mixture should have a consistency like mustard, but smooth.
- Scoop approx. 1 Cup of Mixture into a large bowl – lining the sides and bottom of bowl.
- Add in a couple of handfuls of Kale Leaves to the bowl then Coat each piece of Kale generously with mixture.
- Transfer onto your lined Excalibur Dehydrator trays (I use the ParaFlexx Non-Stick Reusable Liners for the Excalibur). If you don’t have a dehydrator, see the oven instructions below.
- Dehydrate at 125-135 degrees for 1-2 hours, then reduce heat to 115 degrees for an additional 20-24 hours or until all of the Kale is very crispy and flakes if crushed.
- When done, remove the chips from the Dehydrator and store in airtight containers or Ziplock bags in the fridge until use. This size batch typically fills up 3-4 large Gallon Ziplock bags.
Notes
Your dehydrating time may vary depending on humidity, temperature, mixture, etc…
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS: If you don’t have a Dehydrator, you can use your oven. Preheat oven to the lowest temperature (the lowest mine goes is to 170 F.). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper & line with the seasoned Kale. Place in oven until chips are dried completely. You will need to rotate the trays periodically for even drying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cup
- Calories: 150
Place the Nuts, Seeds, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Dates into a medium sized bowl and place just enough water to cover them. Let soak for approx. 1/2 hour.
While Nuts are soaking, Wash the Kale and strip the leaves off the Center stalk or ‘Vein; and set them aside.
Once Nuts are done soaking, dump them (including the water) and the remaining ingredients into the VitaMix, then Blend on High until smooth.
Add the Nutritional Yeast last.
Blend everything until smooth… using your VitaMix Tamper to mix it around as needed. Feel free to add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup water if the mixture is too thick. Ideally the mixture should have a consistency like mustard.
Scoop approx. 1 Cup of Mixture into a large bowl – lining the sides and bottom of bowl.
Add in a couple of handfuls of Kale Leaves to the bowl, and Coat each piece of Kale generously with mixture.
Transfer onto your lined Excalibur Dehydrator trays (I use the ParaFlexx Non-Stick Reusable Liners for the Excalibur)
Dehydrate at 125-135 degrees for 1-2 hours, then reduce heat to 115 degrees for an additional 20-24 hours or until all of the Kale is very crispy and flakes if crushed.
When done, remove the chips from the Dehydrator and store in airtight containers or Ziplock bags in the fridge until use.
Don’t have a dehydrator, but what else could I use this mixture for? A salad dressing?
Hi Beth!
You could definitely use this as a dressing – but might have to adjust the flavor as you go…
However, you should be able to use your oven to dehydrate these! Just set it to the lowest temperature possible and keep the door cracked open. The oven will obviously dehydrate them a lot faster, so keep a close eye on them! =)
Let me know how it goes!
God Bless!
~ Erika
Ericka,
Do you have a suggestion for replacing the macadamia nuts and cashews? My husband is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts. I was able to get raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds not processed with peanuts today so wondering if I increase those amounts if it would turn out close to the same. I made BBQ kale chips a couple weeks ago and my husband loved them! One child liked them and the other wouldn’t try because it was green :) Any suggestions on changing the color…lol
Thanks!
Stacy
Hi Stacy!
A tree nut allergy is such a bummer… but thankfully you know about it! It took my dad nearly 50 years and a lifetime of asthma to figure out he was allergic to peanuts!
Unfortunately I can’t think of any substitutions for the tree nuts on this particular recipe, but you can try a smaller batch with just the sunflower & sesame seeds to see how they turn out. The beauty of Kale Chips is you really can make them with all kinds of great tasting ingredients… like the BBQ ones you tried!
Oh, and did you know that there is purple kale? You might be able to find some at your local farmers market… and have a little fun serving it to the kids! =)
God Bless!
~ Erika
Ericka,
This recipe looks great! I recently got an Excalibur dehydrator, but I don’t have the paraflex nonstick liners. Do you know the best place to get them? Could I use parchment paper instead? I also am saving money for a Vitamix, but I do have a Cuisinart food processor so I’ll try making the coating mixture in that for now. I saw where you commented on someone making BBQ flavored kale chips. I don’t want to use commercial BBQ sauce do you have a recipe or suggestion as a substitute? Thanks for all your help and expertise, your little boy is precious!
Blessings,
Lee
Hi Lee!
Yes, you can definitely use some parchment paper… However, they are really lightweight compared to the Paraflex liners and often blow all over the place. A great fix for this is putting a blunt silverware knife on either end so it weighs it down and doesn’t ruin your treats! =)
Also a food processor should work fine for this recipe… just be sure to soak the nuts so they are soft enough.
BBQ Kale Chips are also great! We just usually take out the nuts and add in a couple of Chipotle chilies, Nama shoyu, and extra spices (don’t over do it – flavors concentrate in a dehydrator). There’s a recipe on The Raw Chef’s Blog that you can try: https://bit.ly/afCXvo I’ve never made it, but it seems to get good reviews.
Hope that helps! Enjoy & God Bless!
~ Erika
Hello Erika,
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is divine! I purchased an Excalibur Dehydrator about a month ago and I’m on my third batch of kale chips.
With much gratitude,
Melodee
These kale chips are the king of them all.Well worth the effort and wait time. I usually use cashews in place of the macadamia, due to the cost. They come out just as creamy.
Thank you.
I just purchased a NESCO dehydrator – would that work as well as the excalibor? These look so great! My two daughters are eating me out of house and home with their love of store bought kale chips, so I am excited to try these!
I do mine in the square Nesco & they are great. I get about 1 head of Kale in each batch using 4 trays. I suggest splitting the sauce and only applying on the Kale as you prepare the trays.
My toddler has a nut allergy. What would you suggest as a nut free alternative?
Thanks.
Hi Ainsley!
Is your child allergic to seeds as well? If not, you can try using different seeds as a base instead of nuts. Otherwise, you can use just about anything for Kale chips. We’ve tried variations of BBQ Sause, Tamari, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax Seeds, Mustard, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, etc… Just remember, that flavors concentrate in the dehydrator, so don’t over do it.=)
God Bless!
~ Erika
Hi Ericka,
I really like what i saw. Thank you for your recipe and your video! God bless!
When you specify “heads” of kale, what do you mean? Is a “head” just one leaf, or one bunch, as sold in the grocery store, or what? Thanks –
Hi Sarah!
Good question! By ‘heads of kale’, I mean one bunch like you’d buy at the store. Hope that helps! =)
God Bless!
~ Erika
You say a 4-5 heads of kale do you mean bunches ?
Please let me know thanks:)
Hi Tara!
Yes, I do mean bunches, not individual stalks of kale.
You’re going to love the Kale Chips!
God Bless!
~Erika
These are fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I will note that it only took around 5 hours in my dehydrator.
Aloha Jim!
Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’m impressed that it only took 5 hours – I’m assuming you had the temp on your dehydrator turned up a bit? That always speeds up the process! =)
Enjoy & God Bless!
~ Erika
Thank you so much for the recipe! It was delicious!
Attn: nut allergy/sensitive people
My son is allergic to nuts so instead I increased
The sunflowers seeds to 1 cup and omitted all the nuts
In the recipe above. It still turned out delish!!!
Thank you!
Aloha Ame!
So glad to hear it turned out with the substitutions! Thanks for sharing your modifications!
Enjoy& God Bless!
~ Erika
Would baby kale from Costco work for kale chips?
Aloha Emily!
I have never personally tried using the baby kale, because it doesn’t seem as hearty… but it just might! If you try, let me know how it turns out! =)
Thanks & God Bless!
~ Erika
My dear goodness, these are the BEST kale chips that I’ve ever tasted in my entire life!!! My friend concocted them just Thursday, and I’ve already purchased my own dehydrator so that I can duplicate the experience at my own will! Thank you so much! I shall absolutely return for more!
Hi Nicole!
LOL! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I especially love to watch people try them who’ve never eaten ‘natural’ food before… they go from hesitantly tasting them to consuming an entire bag! I hope you’ll get your dehydrator soon, so you can make your own batch & other fun treats!
God Bless!
~ Erika
Hello Emily,
Thanks for the interesting video. I like the recipe, and would like to make it myself, but am trying to cut out refined oil from all recipes in my kitchen . I notice in an earlier response to a comment that you have substituted for the oil in this recipe. What substitute would you suggest in the place of the Olive Oil ?
Thanks
D.
Hi David!
I’m sure you could substitute the olive oil for coconut oil – but the flavor may be a bit strong for this recipe. The only other suggestion might be flax oil… its flavor might be just right! =) Hope that helps!
God Bless!
~Erika
Ericka,
How can I make this recipe for the Kale Chips when I have nut allergies? They look like they are delicious! I’m trying to move toward eating more raw/whole foods. Thanks.
Hi Tammy!
There are so many wonderful variations of Kale Chips you can make… but if you can’t do nuts, then I would substitute them with a green bell pepper and add a few more sunflower seeds… and perhaps a little bit of flax meal. Adjust the water ratio accordingly so it doesn’t end up too soupy without the extra bulk.
Let me know how your experimenting turns out! =)
God Bless!
~Erika
Hi Erika,
I made the kale chips yesterday and had a quick question. I’m using a Nesco dehydrator and followed the temperature guidelines you gave in the recipe. My chips started dehydrating at 10pm and when I got up at 6:30am, they, I think, were done. I’ve only ever had store-bought ones so I’m not sure how to test them for home made.
Thanks,
Cindy
Hi Cindy!
Generally, we know the chips are done when they come out very crispy (will break apart easily if squeezed in hand)… just be sure that any well coated pieces are not still moist – otherwise they can ruin a whole batch during storage.
God Bless!
~ Erika
Thank you so much for your ingenuity and sharing such an awesome recipe. My 11 year old only eats Kale and I just put these in the dehydrator for him, can’t wait to try them. Do you have any suggetions for the left over mix? Thanks so much and God bless!
Hello Erica,
I can’t wait to try this recipe, but realized that all nuts (macademia, cashews etc) that I bought are roasted (unsalted). Wonder if it will still work, or do you always use all raw nuts and seeds?
Thank you,
Sandra
Hi Sandra!
Good questions! =) I always use raw nuts & seeds, and for the maximum nutrition and nutrient absorption, I soak/spout them as often as possible. However, I don’t see why you couldn’t use the roasted ones – although it may slightly affect the end taste. Either way, you’re still going to get a delicious & nutritious snack!! =)
Thanks & God Bless!
~Erika
Thank you for your recipe.Can any left over mix be used on other vegetables such as courgettes.
Thank you
Reshard
Hi Erika,
I got my dehydrator last Friday and these kale chips were the first thing I made. I can honestly say they are one of the best things I’ve ever tasted :)
I accidentally left out the oil and they are great. I’ve now made 3 batches.
I’m currently dehydrating your corn chip recipe and the extra trays are filled with more kale chips.
Thanks for your great website.
Michelle :)
Hi Michelle!
So glad they turned out ok without the oil & that you like them! We sometimes call them ‘Kale Krack’ in our house since they are so addicting! Thankfully they are actually good for you!
Thank you for your sweet comment… Have fun with your new dehydrator!
God Bless!
~Erika
What is the purpose of the yeast?
Can coconut flour be used in place of the yeast? Or some other alternative? Btw, good demo. Very clear and concise. Can’t wait to try it.
Hi Jessie Rae!
It actually isn’t active yeast like what you’d bake with, but Nutritional Yeast, a wonderful product full of protein & vitamins (especially B-Complex). It is essential to this recipe because that’s what adds the additional ‘cheesy or creamy’ flavor. Coconut flour would not be considered a substitute – But you can feel free to experiment with any substitutions… you may just come up with something new & delicious! =)
Thank you for the sweet comment… God Bless!
~ Erika
Hi, can you replace nutritional yeast with anything else or can you omit it from the recipe? I live in Australia and it’s really hard to find nutritional yeast from the supermarket or my local health food shop.
These are AWESOME!
I just bought a 5-tray Excalibur dehydrator and wishing I had the bigger model already.
These kale chips are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. The second batch I made,I omitted the cayenne pepper and instead used dehydrated green onions. They were very similar to eating sour cream and onion potato chips! Wow! So tasty! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Thanks again Erika, for sharing your awesome recipes.
With much appreciation,
Laurie
Hi Laurie!
Yay! Congrats on the Dehydrator, you are going to LOVE it!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the Kale Chips. I love the modifications you made, I may have to try that myself next time!
Thanks for the comment… God Bless!
~ Erika
These are still my favourite dehydrator recipe! Sooooooooo good!!! I’ve got a batch in now…and am patiently waiting.
I even have many of my extended family members making special requests for these! :) Pleading, actually! *lol. My sister asked me not to buy her a birthday present, but make her kale chips instead!
Hi Erika,
My husband and I just made our first batch and they are currently in our new 5 tray Excalibur. My question is ~ we filled up all 5 trays, is that going to cause a problem being packed in there so snugly? I noticed on your video (which was great, btw) that you have a 9 tray but used 4 and spaced them out.
Thank you so much!
~ Christy
This recipe has been on my list for over a year…finally made some today!
Unfortunately, I think I need some fine tuning. Maybe my sesame seeds were too stale?
–Do you ever pack 1 tray per slot, or do you always skip a slot?
–Have you ever substituted soy sauce or namu shoyu for the braggs aminos?
–raw, unsalted macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds?
Thank You!
Thank you so very much for the most kick butt Kale chip recipe EVER!! I just made my 4th batch in the last month. My daughter loves them so much that it’s impossible to get her little fingers out of the dehydrator.
Hi Alex! Thanks so much! So glad your family is enjoying them too! God Bless! ~Erika
Hi Erika!
Quick Q- just wondering why you use the Teflex sheets? When I make kale chips I normally do them on the tray with the screen so that the air can better circulate. I have made your recipe a few times this way and they turn out perfect. Just wondering how they might differ.
This recipe is such a hit, thank-you so much!
Breanna
Thanks for sharing this yummy kale chips recipe, Erika. I can’t get enough of them. I’m just as hooked on kale chips as you are. :) They’re tasty and good for you at the same time. I love how you used two powerhouse tools, a dehydrator and Vitamix to create these delicious chips. They’re certainly worth the investment when it comes to healthy eating. Now that kale chips have become so popular, the store-bought kinds are expensive, processed and loaded with all sorts of ingredients that strips away all the nutrition. So it’s always best to make your own kale chips, as this will be healthier and save you money as well.
Hi Erika,
As someone who loves cooking and food and currently on day 8 of a 21 day water fast, I really wanted to do some cooking and your recipe was a perfect solution. I ended up going on Craig’s list and picking up an Excalibur dehydrator like yours for only $90 (and it was only used twice) the same day as I saw your video. Fortunately the pickup location was a Whole Foods parking lot so I grabbed the ingredients and when I got home I told my wife what I was making.
We had great fun and I even captured a time lapse video of the process and our new dehydrator is humming away right now with the delights inside.
I will have to say that at 8pm tonight when they’re ready, I will try one as I’d love to taste them but that will be it for another 13 days … not sure if they’ll keep but my wife will likely make headway on the chips before I come off the fast and I’ll probably have to make some more!
Thanks for your great videos and I will be following more of your recipes soon.
David
Hi David, It’s so amazing that you were able to find such a great deal on the dehydrator! This is one of my all time favorite snacks… we just made some yesterday and they’re almost gone! =) I hope there will be a few left by the time your fast is over! Enjoy & God Bless! ~Erika
Well done Erika! It looks and I bet even taste better. Excited to try this kale recipe of yours. I’ve also read that kale is one of the most healthiest food!
This is my new crack OMG they are wonderful thanks for the great recipe I have a batch dehydrating now. I have added my pizza blend spice from YIAH and they taste like pizza. I sprinkled it on after laying them out I did’t want the who batch like that. Amazing!
Great recipe and I am a visual person, so the photos of the steps were an added plus to a wonderful recipe. I made half the recipe and it coated 3 bunches kale, flat and curly leafed. I thinned it a dab more so it wouldn’t so fully coat the leaf, . I added a whole, de-seeded very small habanero for a little kick, juice of a whole small lime and did not use yeast, (I eat a lot of yeast regularly), the flavor is great. I loaded trays very carefully, directly on the plastic mesh screen for air flow, flattening out the leafs as best as possible so I could use all the trays to do a full load in Excalibur. 3 bunches fit on 5 trays. They seemed ready after 6-8 hours but left them on longer just cuz… it is very humid here, putting them into glass w mason lids but don’t expect them to stay crisp. Need to order some desiccants to place in storage bottles…?
About to make this recipe. Only change I’d make is NOT soaking the nuts and seeds together with the dates and sun dried tomatoes. Nuts and seeds need to be soaked in order to get rid of lectins(an anti-nutrient) and need to be soaked over night (that also wakes up the nutrients by starting the sprouting process) They must be rinsed well to get rid of the lectins. Clean water can be added to this recipe instead of the soaking water! :)
Erica, I love the whole veggies included for flavor but a whole raw onion sounds aggressive, did anyone else feel that way before trying this recipe? I want to try but am having a hard time getting started because of this mental hang up lol looking through the comments no one has mentioned it so far.
Btw thank you Ana Medina for the Lectin shout out.
These kale chips are the king of them all.Well worth the effort and wait time. I usually use cashews in place of the macadamia, due to the cost. They come out just as creamy.
Thank you.
★★★★★
Simply the BEST KALE CHIPS ever! I’ve made them many many many times. Yum thank you.
★★★★★
I have left over coating can I use this for anything else????
My go to kale chips recipe for outstanding taste. I use cashew nuts instead of macadamias and they taste just as good . I make 6 batches from my garden kale and they store well in large glass maison jars plus a couple of silica pouches to absorb moisture..Thank you
★★★★★