These nutrient-packed Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast are the perfect snack to munch on. With just ten simple ingredients, whipping up a batch of cheesy kale chips is easier than ever!
Try a batch of homemade kale chips for a nutritious snack; I bet you can't have just one! This leafy green packs in goodness, including fiber, antioxidants, and plenty of vitamins. And to top it off - this recipe uses just enough oil and salt for flavor. Learn about the additional health benefits of vegan cheesy kale chips with nutritional yeast.
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These kale chips are an irresistible snack for game day or game night; for more ideas, try these recipes: baked sweet potato fries, guacamole, horseradish aioli, air fryer shishito peppers, and beet hummus with horseradish. For a delicious cocktail to serve, try this Aperol Spritz, Hugo Spritz, or Tinto de Verano.
So let's prepare to bake (no frying is involved!) because these little bites are an extraordinarily healthy snack!
These kale chips are so good...my family gobbled them up. Will make again!
- Colleen
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this homemade kale chips recipe with healthy fats:
- Cashews - we use raw, unsalted cashew pieces. The raw cashews I buy are heat treated for safety. I purchase a 5-pound bag and store it in the freezer.
- Pine nuts - I love their flavor, like in this vegan basil pesto.
- Kale - You can use curly kale, as I did, or black kale, dinosaur kale, or lacinato kale. I used one bunch of kale.
- Apple cider vinegar - we use the one with "the mother."
- Sea salt - to bring out the flavor.
- Nutritional yeast - this is 100% vegan and adds umami flavor and savory flavor. It is found in the healthy section of the grocery store or near the dried seasonings and spices. You can also buy it online. Nutritional yeast is packed with protein and has a deliciously cheesy flavor, making it perfect as a cheese alternative in this recipe!
- Water - thin the "cheesy" sauce as needed.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements and recipe instructions.
Substitutions
- Cashews - instead of cashews, you can use sunflower seeds.
- Pine nuts - use cashews or sunflower seeds instead.
- Water - use plant-based milk instead of water, or use more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Roasted bell pepper - use fresh red bell pepper instead.
- Garlic powder - use fresh garlic cloves instead, or try onion powder or a combination of both.
- Extra virgin olive oil - use grapeseed oil or avocado oil instead.
- Apple cider vinegar - feel free to omit it or use coconut vinegar.
- Nutritional yeast - For umami, you can try a small amount of organic chickpea miso. Do not use brewer's yeast or active yeast.
Variations
- Spicy - add a pinch of cayenne pepper, black pepper, or chili powder. Or replace the roasted red bell pepper with roasted green chile.
- Smokey - add smoked paprika.
- Deluxe - sprinkle Everything But the Bagel Seasoning on the kale leaves before placing them in the oven.
- Oil-free - leave out the oil.
What Is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is an inactive form of yeast and has undergone a heating process that deactivates the yeast. It is a food supplement and is grown for that purpose.
It is a good source of protein, with 5 grams of protein per serving, and contains many nutritional compounds that boost immunity. Depending on the brand, nutritional yeast is fortified with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. B vitamins are important for brain development, energy metabolism, and the health of the skin, hair, and nails.
It is also known as "nooch," although I prefer to call it nutritional yeast. It contains all nine essential amino acids that have to be obtained from food.
How to Make Kale Chips With Nutritional Yeast
It's simple to make this savory snack with a great cheesy flavor, even if it is your first time. You can soak the cashews in boiling hot water while you prep the kale.
Prepare the kale by washing it; we soak ours in a clean kitchen sink, drain it, and rinse it. Tear the kale into large pieces by holding the stalk of kale, and pull towards you along the stalk, to strip the leaves from the stalk.
Tip: Keep the kale pieces as large as possible since the pieces will shrink considerably once baked in the oven.
Dry the kale. Sandwich the leaves between two large kitchen towels and roll them up to absorb water. If you have a salad spinner, you can use that instead to dry the kale leaves.
Preheat a standard oven to 275ºF - line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews with fresh water.
- Step 1: Place the cashews in a blender. Add roasted bell pepper, garlic cloves, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and half of the sea salt.
- Step 2: Blend to combine for a couple of minutes. Add water, more lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar to achieve a creamy consistency. The dressing should be slightly thick yet pourable. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Step 3: Place the kale pieces into a large bowl and pour the nutritional yeast mixture over the kale.
- Step 4: Coat the leaves evenly with the nutritional yeast mixture, using your hands, lightly massaging the kale.
- Step 5: Place the kale onto the prepared sheet pans, ensuring not to overlap the kale leaves. Sprinkle the kale with the remaining sea salt.
- Step 6: Bake for approximately 25 minutes; turn the kale leaves over to ensure they bake evenly for another 25 minutes until crispy.
Note: Watch the kale closely to ensure it doesn't burn. Remove it from the oven when crispy. It will continue to crisp once you remove it from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.
Serve and enjoy these kale chips as a snack, crumble them on top of salads like this vegan southwest quinoa bowl or put them in wraps. Add them to whatever you eat - they are addictive!
Expert Tip
Turn the leaves over halfway through cooking to ensure they bake evenly. Watch the kale to prevent it from burning to a crisp!
Storage
- Let the kale chips cool completely before placing them in an airtight container to prevent soggy kale chips.
- I usually keep them on the counter in a bowl; they don't last long! They are best enjoyed within 24 hours; otherwise, they lose their crispiness. If needed, briefly bake the kale chips on a baking sheet to make them crisp again.
Recipe FAQs
Chances are, you overbaked them. If they are brown and crispy, they have been in the oven for too long.
Baking kale retains the nutritional value of kale. It is a nutrient-dense snack that is beneficial to your health.
No. Unlike active yeast, which helps bread rise during baking, nutritional yeast stays inactive.
Spread the kale chips onto dehydrator sheets and dehydrate them at 120°F. After 3 to 4 hours, when the top of the kale is firm, turn the leaves over, and place them back in the dehydrator to dry the other side of the chips. This will take another 3 to 4 hours.
Yes, kale chips are healthy. Kale keeps its nutritional value when made into chips, unlike potato chips. It is high in antioxidants, calcium, fiber, vitamin A, and calcium, as well as B vitamins, vitamin C, and potassium. Adjust the amounts of olive oil and salt to your preference.
These can't be made in an air fryer because they need space between them to get crispy and because they're creamy to start with, which wouldn't work well in an air fryer. If you have a toaster oven, that should work as well.
Related Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
The Best Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast (Vegan)
EQUIPMENT
- 2 Baking sheets
- blender high-speed if possible
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for thirty minutes minimum, or sunflower seeds
- 1 roasted red bell pepper
- ¼ cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided
- 2 tablespoons water, optional If needed, add another tablespoon or two of water if needed to get a creamy consistency, or use more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- 8 cups fresh kale washed, de-stemmed, torn into small pieces, 5 oz
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 275ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drain and rinse the cashews.
- Place cashews in blender. Add roasted bell pepper, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt.½ cup raw cashews, 1 roasted red bell pepper, ¼ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Blend to combine. Add one to two tablespoons water or more lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to achieve a creamy consistency. The nutritional yeast mixture should be slightly thick and pour easily. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.2 tablespoons water, optional
- Place the kale pieces into a large bowl and pour the dressing over the kale. Coat the leaves evenly with the dressing, using your hands, lightly massaging the kale.8 cups fresh kale
- Place the kale onto the prepared sheet pans, making sure not to overlap the kale leaves. Sprinkle the kale with the remaining ¼ sea salt.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes, turning the kale leaves over to ensure they bake evenly. Bake for another 25 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning the kale. Serve and enjoy!
NOTES
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Penina says
So yummy I ate a lot of it fresh without turning into chips!
As chips they came out crisp and unburnt.
Emily Miller says
Thank you very much for your review, Penina! I'm so glad you enjoyed the kale, it's so good when it's fresh or baked into chips, isn't it!
Sarah says
these sound delicious! how would I make them in an air fryer?
Emily Miller says
Hi Sarah! These can't be made in an air fryer because they need space between them to get crispy and because they're creamy to start with, which wouldn't work well in an air fryer. Please give this oven recipe a try! If you have a toaster oven, that should work as well.
Colleen says
These kale chips are so good! They're so addicting, my family gobbled them up. Will make again!
Emily says
Thank you for your glowing review of my kale chips recipe, Colleen! I appreciate hearing about the great reaction your family had to them!
Mina says
I love these vegan cheesy kale chips! Perfect to munch on while watching my favorite netflix shows.
Emily says
I am delighted that you are enjoying these vegan cheesy kale chips, Mina! Thank you for the kind words and five-star review!
Nancy says
Tasty and healthy kale chips! I love that you used nutritional yeast for a vegan cheese alternative.
Emily says
Nancy, thank you for your fantastic review! I am so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the kale chips!
Andrea says
These kale chips are such an awesome snack! Love the cheesy flavor!
Emily says
Hi Andrea, thank you for the fabulous review of my kale chips! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the cheesy flavor.
Nora says
What an amazing flavorful snack idea! Love it! Can't wait to give it a try!
Emily says
Thank you for your wonderful review, Nora! I am so pleased to hear that you're eager to give this healthy snack idea a try!