30-Minute Cheesy Kale Chips

When I first realized kale could be made into chips, I went a little overboard.

Kale chip nachos.
Kale chip sprinkles.
Kale chip salad.
Kale chips on everything.

But a cheesy version? That was a new challenge.

This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to Trader Joe’s, when I discovered yet another amazing food item I’d never seen before: Cheesy kale chips!

One bite in = mind blown. I was immediately determined to make them at home. Spoiler alert: It’s SO easy!

These chips are simple, requiring less than 30 minutes and just 8 ingredients to prepare! Plus, they’re loaded with healthy ingredients:

Kale // Rich in flavonoids; lowers cholesterol; Vitamins K, A and C; anti-inflammatory.

Nutritional Yeast // Thiamine, folate, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and contains all 18 essential amino acids making it a complete protein.

Cashews // Heart-protecting unsaturated fats, protein, copper, and magnesium.

Sunflower Seeds // Vitamin E and B, copper, selenium, magnesium, protein, and healthy fats.

Did I mention they taste like cheesy, garlicky kale doritos? Because they totally do. They’re:

Cheesy
Savory
Crispy
Satisfying
Quick
Healthy
Easy
& Delicious

Make these chips for movie night, game night, when you’re hosting friends, or just need a snack. These would also make a great topping for dishes like avocado boats and spicy plantain black bean tacos or a great base for my easy vegan falafel (topped with this tahini dressing)!

If you give these a try, let us know! Leave a comment and rate the recipe. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers!

30-Minute Cheesy Kale Chips

Easy, baked kale chips in just 30 minutes with 8 ingredients! Cheesy, crispy, and nutrient-packed!

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE SAVED

4.90 from 56 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 5 (1-cup servings)

Course Snack

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 10 ounces chopped kale leaves (washed, thoroughly dried // stems removed)
• 2 Tbsp grape seed, olive or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 Tbsp raw or roasted (unsalted) sunflower seeds
• 5-6 Tbsp nutritional yeast (divided)
• 1/4 tsp each salt + black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 healthy pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (148 C).
• Add kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with oil. Use hands to massage the kale to soften its texture and disperse the oil. Set aside.
• Add cashews, sunflower seeds, 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast (12 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), salt, pepper, garlic pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional) to a food processor or blender and blend/pulse into a fine meal, scraping down sides as needed.
• Add spice mixture to the kale and toss with hands to distribute, working it into the grooves so it’s thoroughly coated.
• Divide kale between 2 large baking sheets (or more if increasing batch size) and spread into an even layer, making sure the pieces aren’t overlapping to ensure crispiness. You may need to bake them in two batches depending on size of baking sheets.
• Sprinkle the kale with remaining 1-2 Tbsp (3-6 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) nutritional yeast for extra flavor and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and toss/flip kale to ensure even baking.
• Bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until chips are crispy and golden brown. Watch carefully to ensure they don’t burn. Let cool slightly before enjoying.
• Once completely cooled, store leftovers in a large plastic bag or container for 2-3 days. The crispy texture begins fading past 24 hours, so enjoy as close to baking as possible!

Notes

*Method slightly adapted from Oh She Glows!
*Recipe as written yields ~5 cups.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 5 servings)

Serving: 1 one-cup servings Calories: 137 Carbohydrates: 10 g Protein: 4.4 g Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 1.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 35 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 0.5 g