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    Home » Vegan recipes » Air Fryer Recipes

    Air fryer kale chips (with plenty of flavor variations!)

    Last Modified: Sep 21, 2020 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    image collage of preparing kale for the air fryer and the finished kale chips

    Air fryer kale chips cook up crispy and perfect in under 10 minutes, including the time it takes to make your delicious, from-scratch seasoning blend of choice.

    white bowl of air fryer kale chips flavored with ranch seasoning

    Y'all, I made kale chips in my air fryer. No big deal.

    Actually, for me, this is a huge deal. I never make my own kale chips anymore, because for some reason spreading pieces of kale in a single layer on baking sheets feels too inefficient to me.

    But I do love to eat kale chips by the handful, and even two baking sheets of chips just feels like so few, considering how long they need to bake. 

    I've been crazy about my air fryer ever since it landed on our doorstep. These air fryer kale chips are my latest air frying adventure, but be sure to also try my Crispy Air Fried Tofu and Air Fryer Avocado Fries. You won't be sorry!

    Jump To:
    • What is an air fryer?
    • Important recipe notes
    • Seasoning ideas
    • Can I store these for later?
    • Air fryer kale chips recipe

    image collage of kale in the air fryer and cooked kale chips in the same basket

    What is an air fryer?

    I get this question a LOT. Think of an air fryer as a super fast convection oven that makes food crispy and delicious in less time than it would take you to bake it.

    I KNOW.

    And it cooks even faster than a regular convection oven. A typical convection oven cuts baking time by 25 percent. My air fryer cuts baking time in half, and the results are crispier than you'd get from a proper oven.

    Read all about the joys of air frying and get tons of vegan air fryer recipes in my handy air fryer FAQ.

    image collage of a bunch of kale, kale with stems removed, chopped kale in a bowl, and the same kale after massaging

    Important recipe notes

    But maybe you already know what an air fryer is and just want to make some kale chips already. Here's what you need to know.

    When you're making air fryer kale chips, you don't have to worry about creating a single layer, like you would on a baking sheet. Just make sure you give a thorough shake a few times during cooking, so they are able to cook evenly. 

    Making these kale chips also won't heat up the house, like baking them in the oven does.

    They also only cook for four or five minutes. That means, from start to finish, you're looking at about 10 minutes total standing between you and a big ol' pile of air fryer kale chips. That includes the time to make your seasoning blend from scratch.

    I KNOW.

    To make these, start by stemming your kale. This is not something you can skip.

    You can save the stems and toss them into soups or stews. Just don't leave them on the leaves when you're prepping your kale for this recipe.

    The woody kale stems take a lot longer to cook than the leaves, so if you don't stem, you'll end up with chewy stems in the center of your crispy kale chips. Not ideal.

    Or, if you cook longer, so the stems get crispy, you'll end up with burnt leaves. Also not ideal!

    Don't do it. I ruined a good batch of kale chips this way. Lesson learned!

    Once you stem the kale, just massage it with olive oil, and air fry for four to five minutes, shaking a couple of times. Then, toss on your seasonings, and devour them!

    kale chips in a bowl before seasoning
    You can eat these as-is, or up the ante with seasoning!

    Seasoning ideas

    You can season your kale chips however you want. Here are some ideas to get you started:

    • Plain: pinch of salt 
    • Ranch: 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • Magical: 2 tablespoons of my Magical Fairy Dust seasoning
    • Easy Cheesy: 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • Italian: 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • Za'atar: 1 tablespoon za'atar seasoning

    If you want to experiment with your own seasonings, go for it! You want one to two tablespoons of dry herbs and spices total.

    Can I store these for later?

    Eat these kale chips immediately, if possible. The ones you buy at the store come bagged with a desiccant, which keeps them from absorbing moisture.

    Homemade air fryer kale chips do not come with a dessicant, and they will get soft over time.

    The good news is that the recipe below makes an amount that one to two people can easily eat in one sitting.

    If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge and know that they will be soft when you eat them. They'll still taste good, but they won't be remotely chip-like in texture.

    close-up of a bowl of air fryer kale chips with ranch seasoning

    Air fryer kale chips recipe

    Air fryer kale chips cook up crispy and perfect in under 10 minutes, including the time it takes to make your delicious, from-scratch seasoning blend of choice.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    4.41 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: air fryer kale chips
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 100kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups loosely packed kale - stemmed (see note)
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • pinch of salt
    • 1-2 tablespoons seasoning mix of your choice - See notes for suggestions.

    Instructions

    • Lightly massage the kale with the oil and salt in a medium-sized bowl. You aren't going for a kale salad here, just a little wilting is fine. Then, dump the coated kale into the basket of your air fryer.
    • Cook on 370° F for 4-6 minutes (do not preheat), shaking every 2 minutes, checking for doneness. Check in every minute for the last 2 minutes.
    • Toss with your seasoning of choice, and eat immediately.

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Video

    Notes

    About the kale stems: This recipe says to stem your kale, and that is not something you can skip. You can save the stems, and toss them into soups or stews, but don’t leave them on the leaves when you’re prepping your kale for this recipe. The woody kale stems take a LOT longer to fry than the leaves, so if you don’t stem, you’ll end up with chewy stems in the middles of your crispy kale chips. Or, if you cook longer so the stems get crispy, you’ll end up with burnt leaves. Don’t do it. I ruined a good batch of kale chips this way. Lesson learned!

    Seasoning ideas

    You can season your kale chips however you want, using 1-2 tablespoons of herbs and spices. Here are some ideas to get you started:
    • Ranch: 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • Magical: 2 tablespoons of my Magical Fairy Dust seasoning
    • Cheesy: 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • Italian: 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning  and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast
    • Za'atar: 1 tablespoon za'atar seasoning

    Nutrition

    Calories: 100kcal
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    More Air Fryer Recipes

    • Ranch seasoned air fryer chickpeas
    • Crispy tofu bowl with sweet chili sauce (air fryer or sheet pan!)
    • Addictive Nutritional Yeast Tofu (baked or air fried!)
    • Addictive, crispy buffalo cauliflower tacos

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gwen

      September 16, 2020 at 10:01 am

      This worked perfectly for me. I love the shortened time it takes me now with this method. I did however, do a couple of things a lil different. I did it somewhat the same way I do them in the conventional oven for the crispiness I love. My temp and time in the conventional oven was 15 min at 350, season, flip over. Then 15 more min at 350. It takes less than 12 min opposed to 30 for making a batch with your method, and I dont have to worry about burning and ruining a batch. I wash kale leaves, then lay out on paper towels, patting dry, letting batch completely air dry for about 15.
      for about 15 min. You can spin dry as well. However, I end up still laying them out on paper towels to dry so I skip all the extra appliances and just lay them out for less work. With your method, I do the first 6 min w/o any ingredients, just leaves, then I take out and toss with oil and seasonings putting back in air fryer for 2-4 min more.. It makes it more crispy to me. Voila kale chips galore in less than 12 min thx!

      Reply
    2. Reggie Gore

      April 22, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      I used beet greens and they were all sucked up into the top in the air blower thingy. Any idea why or how I can prevent that from happening again. The 2 that survived were delicious.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 22, 2020 at 5:39 pm

        Beet greens are lighter weight than kale, which is probably why. I'm sorry that happened to you!

        Reply
        • clare

          April 29, 2020 at 6:36 pm

          I was hoping there was a tip in this recipe cause I have previously tried making Kale crisps, in AF but like the above person with her beet greens, mine too got sucked up and burnt and got into the workings.

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            April 30, 2020 at 12:03 pm

            Oh dear! I always have a few leaves that fly away like that, but mostly they stay put. Are you tossing them with a bit of oil before air frying? Oil helps add a bit of weight to the leaves, so they don't fly away as easily.

            Reply
            • mms

              September 16, 2020 at 1:39 pm

              I saw a person recommend placing an extra air fryer rack on top of the kale to prevent this.

            • Becky Striepe

              September 16, 2020 at 3:33 pm

              I've seen that recommended, too. My only worry with that is that it would compress the kale, so the air wouldn't circulate well. That would cause uneven cooking.

      • Lenore Lounsbury

        August 03, 2020 at 9:50 pm

        Cover them with another air fryer rack. This will keep them in place while allowing air to flow around them.

        Reply
        • Becky Striepe

          August 04, 2020 at 8:30 am

          Oh my gosh, this is GENIUS!

          Reply
          • Gwen

            September 16, 2020 at 10:06 am

            What is nooch seasoning? Lol

            Reply
            • Becky Striepe

              September 16, 2020 at 10:46 am

              It's nutritional yeast, a cheesy sprinkle.

    3. Corinna

      October 18, 2019 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      This was the fourth thing I made in my Air Fryer and possibly the most successful recipe to date! I absolutely love it, they turned out perfect. Thanks for this!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 20, 2019 at 6:30 pm

        You are so welcome, Corinna! Thank you for coming back to rate and comment -- that means a lot to me!

        Reply
    4. Janet

      July 15, 2019 at 8:04 pm

      Shhh I have to admit hubby wanted an air fryer and I did not because of counter space. Friend gave me one and I LOVE it (except for the space it takes on the counter)

      Reply
    5. Jonathan

      January 06, 2019 at 1:04 am

      5 stars
      Nice chips

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 07, 2019 at 1:18 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Norma Jean

      December 29, 2018 at 11:54 pm

      I don't have kale but I have lots of collards. Has anyone tried collards?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 31, 2018 at 11:35 am

        I haven't, but there is a recipe for collard chips in Kathy Hester's air fryer cookbook! You may just need to adjust the cooking time, so check in often, and add a minute or two at the end, if needed.

        Reply
    7. Cadry

      September 04, 2018 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      I'm glad I never shelled out the cash for a dehydrator! These air fryer kale chips were perfect and without waiting hours like with a dehydrator.

      Reply
    8. Mommommom

      January 18, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      2 stars
      So salty :/

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 18, 2018 at 1:07 pm

        You can adjust the salt, if you prefer less! ;)

        Reply
        • Michelle

          August 11, 2018 at 7:29 pm

          Are the yeast flakes mandatory?

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            August 13, 2018 at 6:59 am

            You can leave them out, but it will be more like a dilly chip than a ranch one.

            Reply
    9. Nicolette

      January 17, 2018 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      Do you know if it's required to completely dry after washing the kale? In making kale chips in the past this is always the most time-consuming part. Either way I'm looking forward to making these!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 17, 2018 at 11:13 pm

        I definitely would. Otherwise the moisture will steam the leaves, and they’ll be soft instead of crispy.

        Reply
    10. Jessica

      January 23, 2017 at 10:56 pm

      Hi there, is anyone else having trouble with smaller leaves flying up into the mechanism (and burning until they smoke) or flying out of the pan when you take it out mid-way to shake them up? I made great chips today and am thrilled with how fast the kale leaves get crispy, but I don't think I can do it the same way I did today, since I lost ~20% to the aforementioned problems.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 24, 2017 at 7:21 am

        Oh wow. I definitely have a few leaves go flying in the GoWISE, but not 20%! What brand of air fryer do you have?

        Reply
        • Jessica

          January 24, 2017 at 10:12 am

          Thanks Becky. I have the Philips Viva. It made me really nervous because the few leaves that flew up and got stuck in the heating mechanism were smoking.

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            January 24, 2017 at 11:16 am

            You know, I have heard that stuff flies more in the Philips. When you remove the basket to shake, can you quickly (but carefully) wipe away any leaves from the inside with a sponge? Maybe some extra shakes, if you smell something starting to burn? Just don't burn yourself!

            Reply
            • Jessica

              January 24, 2017 at 3:31 pm

              I'm just glad to hear that you've heard of this happening with a Philips, I was worried I was missing a piece or had a defective machine. I will try what you suggested. I'll see if there is some sort of cover/mesh I could cover the leaves, and other light items, with. Love your site, thanks!

            • Becky Striepe

              January 24, 2017 at 3:45 pm

              Good luck, Jessica! If you find a good solution, I'd love if you let me know. I'm sure other folks have the same question. And thank you so much!

      • Chantelle

        July 18, 2017 at 2:52 pm

        Massage the kale with the oil and that helps weight it down.

        Reply
      • Kerri

        November 16, 2017 at 1:33 am

        Just read a suggestion to put a steamer rack over them

        Reply
        • Becky Striepe

          November 16, 2017 at 7:18 am

          What a great idea!

          Reply
    11. Denise DeSerio

      September 17, 2016 at 9:58 am

      The method says "toss the cashew ranch and kale pieces together" but I see no mention of cashews in the ingredients, nor in the ingredients for the vegan ranch spice...am I missing something?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 17, 2016 at 10:07 am

        Oops! I'll fix that wording. It's a holdover from recipe testing when I tried a different method. Thank you for pointing it out!

        Reply
        • Denise DeSerio

          September 17, 2016 at 1:01 pm

          Oh, great, thanks! I'll be making these tonight! :)

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            September 17, 2016 at 2:41 pm

            Oh man, jealous. We are out of kale, so no chips for me until we shop again. Enjoy them!

            Reply
            • Denise DeSerio

              September 18, 2016 at 4:28 pm

              They were SO delicious!!! I've never had success making them in the regular oven, so very glad I got an air fryer and very glad to stumble across this recipe. Thanks again!

            • Becky Striepe

              September 18, 2016 at 4:40 pm

              You are so welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed them. Congrats on the air fryer. It's definitely my most used kitchen appliance right now.

      • Becky Striepe

        September 17, 2016 at 10:09 am

        OK, all fixed up. Thank you again for asking about that!

        Reply
    12. swathi

      August 29, 2016 at 11:54 am

      I make kale chips never tried with ranch need to try it myself, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning and tweeting.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 29, 2016 at 11:55 am

        Enjoy, Swathi!

        Reply
    13. Nico @ yumsome

      August 24, 2016 at 10:06 am

      Wow, these look amazing! I don't have an air fryer, so it's the good old oven for me. Even so...

      **rubs tummy in anticipation**

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 24, 2016 at 11:12 am

        Enjoy them, Nico!

        Reply
    14. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine

      August 24, 2016 at 6:01 am

      O I think it's snacktime! The ranch sounds delish!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 24, 2016 at 7:41 am

        Enjoy them, Rebecca!

        Reply
    15. POPPY

      August 23, 2016 at 11:06 pm

      Becky these look amazing! And Ranch!!! I've wanted an air fryer forever, this makes me want one even more!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 24, 2016 at 7:41 am

        Aw thank you, Poppy!

        Reply
    16. Kate @ Veggie Desserts

      August 23, 2016 at 10:57 am

      I need to get an air fryer! These ranch kale chips sound incredible.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 23, 2016 at 11:14 am

        Thank you, Kate! You'll love it. You could do these in the oven like regular kale chips, if you can't wait, though!

        Reply
    17. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite

      August 23, 2016 at 12:15 am

      You're really making it hard to stay away from this air fryer!! Looks so good!!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 23, 2016 at 6:37 am

        Thank you, Sophia!

        Reply
    18. Dianne

      August 22, 2016 at 4:41 pm

      You've convinced me – I'm asking Santa for an air fryer!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 22, 2016 at 4:45 pm

        Woo woo!

        Reply
    19. Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen

      August 22, 2016 at 10:36 am

      I've always wanted an airfryer but I've been told that if I get one more kitchen gadget, I'm evicted from the kitchen! Kale chips are the best and I love the sound of this flavour. YUM.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 22, 2016 at 10:40 am

        I mayyybe purchased this without talking to Dave, because he would have asked me where it was going to go, and I had no idea. I am also banned from further kitchen gadgets without a family meeting first!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 150 Best Air Fryer Recipes - Prudent Penny Pincher says:
      December 26, 2018 at 11:41 am

      […] Air Fryer Ranch Kale Chips from Glue & Glitter […]

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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