Vegan Cheesy Kale Chips

We are calling all snack lovers! When you need something delicious, kale chips save the day. But why settle for bland when you could be crunching on incredibly flavorful Vegan Cheesy Kale Chips?

Life is about balance, and these indulgent but nutrient-packed kale chips are the perfect snack. With just ten simple ingredients, whipping up a batch of cheesy kale chips is easier than ever!

So let’s get ready to bake (no frying is involved!) because these little bites are an extraordinarily healthy snack.

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, and beet hummus with horseradish.

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.

Are kale chips healthy?

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.

Jump to:

• Are kale chips healthy?
• Ingredients
• What is nutritional yeast?
• How to make these vegan cheesy kale chips
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Expert tip
• FAQ
• More vegan healthy snacks
• Pairing
• Recipe

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.
• Roasted red bell pepper - I used canned roasted bell pepper for flavor and to add color.
• Garlic powder - this is for seasoning.
• Lemon juice - use fresh lemon juice.
• Apple cider vinegar - we use the one with "the mother."
• Sea salt - to bring out the flavor.
• Nutritional yeast - this is 100% vegan -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.

See the recipe card for the exact quantities.

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 these vegan cheesy kale chips

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.

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.

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 oven and prepare cashews

Preheat a standard oven to 275ºF - line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews with fresh water.

Make the "cheesy" sauce

Mix the "cheesy" sauce with the kale

Bake

Hint: Keep the pieces of kale as large as possible since the pieces will shrink considerably once baked in the oven.

Substitutions

Here are some substitutions you can try:

• 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

Here are some tasty variations you can try:

• 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.
• Kid-friendly - leave out the garlic.
• Oil-free - leave out the oil.

Equipment

• Two baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Large bowl
• High-speed blender
• Spatula

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, bake the kale chips briefly on a baking sheet to get them crisp again.

FAQ

More vegan healthy snacks

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with these vegan cheesy kale chips with nutritional yeast:

Recipe