Air Fried Kale Crisps
Light, tasty and packed with goodness; kale crisps are the snack you didn’t know you needed.

Ingredients
- 2 cups curly kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt/garlic salt
Nutritional breakdown
Approx per serving
- Calories
- 35 kcal
- Protein
- 1g
- Carbohydrates
- 1g
- Fibre
- 1.5g
- Fats
- 2g
- Sugar
- 0g
- Sodium
- 290mg
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (320°F).
- Remove any thick or fibrous stems from the kale and gently pat the leaves dry with a clean cloth or kitchen paper to help them crisp up evenly.
- Place the kale leaves in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle over the sea salt/garlic salt to taste. Use your hands to massage the oil and salt into the leaves, ensuring they’re evenly coated but not oversaturated.
- Spread the kale in a single layer in the air fryer basket (you may need to work in batches).
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. The kale should be dry, crispy and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
- Keep an eye on them in the final minute to avoid burning.
- Transfer to a wire rack or plate and allow to cool slightly – they’ll crisp further as they cool.
Gut health benefits
Kale: Adds fibre, vitamin K and polyphenols that help nourish your gut microbiome, may help calm inflammation and support regular digestion. It also contains glucosinolates, sulphur compounds that gut bacteria convert into protective isothiocyanates.
Olive oil: Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fats and antioxidants that may help calm inflammation and protect the gut lining. Its polyphenol content supports microbial diversity and promotes a healthy balance of bacteria.
Gut bacteria supported
Bifidobacterium: Supported by the fibre in kale, which helps feed this beneficial bacterium, improving digestion, enhancing nutrient absorption and supporting immune health.
Akkermansia muciniphila: Encouraged by the polyphenols in kale and olive oil, this key bacterium may help strengthen the gut barrier and support metabolic health.
Want to know more about these microbes? Read The Gut-Health Top Ten.
From The Gut Health Cookbook
More than 35 recipes, a 10-day gut health reset and 3 months of the NutriScanner® Gut Health app in every copy.
This recipe also appears on nutriscanner.app, where you can score your own cooking with the NutriScanner app.
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