High protein kale chips (11.3 grams per serving!) are a fantastic snack, or complement to lunch! The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and can be made oil-free, too.
Nourishing Vegan Snacks with Protein
I am a proud snacker. Nourishing snacks. High-powered snacks. Protein-packed snacks. Fruity snacks. It’s how I prefer to eat most of the day, most all of the time. So for awhile, I am going to share a lot of my go-to portable snacks here on Nbirz. You can think of them as mini-meals, portable food, or whatever you like if you don’t like the connotations of “snacks.”
Part of the reason for my focus on portable food is that I am training for Ragnar Chicago!
Do you know about Ragnar? It is a 200-mile running relay race that you complete with a van-load of friends over the course of a day and a half. I am so excited!!! We are running from Madison, Wisconsin (have never been) to Chicago. As I get ready, I’ve been more focused than usual on making ready-to-eat, portable foods to keep my energy high.
Kale Chips with a Protein Twist
These kale chips are a reliable example. I know you’ve seen many a kale chip recipe, but these have a protein twist. Minimalist kale chips made with a spritz of oil and sprinkle of salt are irresistible, but they need to be eaten immediately. Moreover, they are delicate. Touch them and they crumble.
By contrast, these chips are sturdy, crunchy, cheese-y, and will keep in an airtight container for several days.Better still: they pack a protein punch thanks to the addition of pea protein powder.
I predict you are going to love them as much (or as munch!) as I do.
Recipe Benefits
- High protein (11.3 grams per serving)
- High fiber (2.9 grams per serving)
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Grain-free (if using a grain-free protein powder, such as pea protein)
- Oil-free option
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.
- curly kale
- unflavored plant-based protein powder (I use pea protein)
- jarred marinara sauce, (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- nutritional yeast
- olive oil (or the oil of you choice, such as avocado oil or coconut oil. See notes foroil-free option)
- vinegar, (I used red wine vinegar; any variety will do, such as apple cider vinegar or white vinegar))
- salt
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the tough stems and center ribs from the kale; tear the leaves into approximately 3-inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk the protein powder, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, vinegar and salt until blended and smooth
- Add the kale leaves to the bowl, dredging the leaves in the paste so that it adheres–really get your hands in there! Mush the leaves around so they are well-coated.
- Arrange the leaves in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (they should look fairly dry and will seem squashed/flat–that’s normal!); turn the chips over.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer (check periodically), until they are completely dry and stiff and the coating is golden brown.
- Cool the kale chips completely on the baking sheets.
FAQ
- How should I store the high protein kale chips?Store the kale chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- How do I make the chips oil-free?Replace the oil with an equal amount of tahini or runny nut or seed butter of your choice, such as almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or cashew butter.
- Can I use other varieties of kale, such as lacinato kale (Italian kale/ Tuscan kale)? Yes, you can. However, for the reliable texture and crispiness, I recommend using curly kale.
Happy munching!
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High Protein Kale Chips (Vegan, Oil-free option)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound curly kale rinsed and thoroughly dried
- 1/2 cup unflavored plant-based protein powder (I used pea protein)
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or the oil of you choice. See notes for oil-free option)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (I used red wine vinegar; any variety will do)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper .
- Remove the tough stems and center ribs from the kale; tear the leaves into approximately 3-inch pieces.
- In a large bowl , whisk the protein powder, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, olive oil , vinegar and salt until blended and smooth
- Add the kale leaves to the bowl, dredging the leaves in the paste so that it adheres–really get your hands in there! Mush the leaves around so they are well-coated.
- Arrange the leaves in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (they should look fairly dry and will seem squashed/flat–that’s normal!); turn the chips over.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer (check periodically), until they are completely dry and stiff and the coating is golden brown.
- Cool the kale chips completely on the baking sheets.
Notes
Storage: Store the kale chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Oil-free option: Replace the oil with an equal amount of tahini or runny nut or seed butter of your choice, such as almond butter , peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or cashew butter.
xx
