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Crispy Baked Vegetable Chips

April 9, 2015 by Laura 52 Comments

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Crispy baked vegetable chips are my new obsession.

This week our CSA delivery included 2 of the biggest honking carrots I have ever seen. First I laughed, next I opined that they probably wouldn’t taste very sweet, and then I looked on in wonderment as my husband peeled and chopped one of them into at least 20 rather large carrot sticks. They were delicious.

I used this incredibly big carrot for baked vegetable chips - genius:)! Mother Would Know

But that only used up one carrot; I still had the other one and my imagination. Taking a cue from my sweet potato chips adventure, I scavenged several beets from the back 40 of my refrigerator and set to work figuring out the best way to make them into crispy baked vegetable chips.

If you wonder why bother with homemade vegetable chips, you haven’t tasted how intensely flavored they are, or how addictive they can be with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Think homemade pita chips, but healthier and more colorful.

Crispy baked vegetable chips are a fantastic and easy snack. | Mother Would Know

But first – a digression. Ours is not your average get-the-stuff-that-sells-at-farmers-markets kind of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture.) Hungry Harvest recovers surplus produce and when they deliver us a bag of fruits and vegetables, they make a matching donation on our behalf through nonprofit “donation partners” that include a food bank, a church and a gleaning network.

We joined because it seemed like a good idea and a way to help with 2 problems at once – food waste in the US and hunger in our community among those who don’t have easy access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Although we’ve only been with Hungry Harvest for a couple of weeks, I’ve been impressed. Sure an occasional item has looked a bit weird or had a bad spot (easy enough to cut off), and in one case a bag of spinach was not up to “snuff.” But mostly the deliveries have been a varied selection of tasty, healthy, and wonderful produce. And now, back to our originally scheduled afternoon of merriment baking crispy vegetable chips.

Aren't these crispy baked vegetable chips pretty? | Mother Would Know

  • I used a mandoline that my kids gave me for Chanukah for slicing. It was faster and resulted in more uniform slices than using a knife, but either way works. 
  • Although I used parchment-lined sheets, afterwards I decided that I should have tried the wire-rack-on-cookie-sheet method recommended by Food & Wine. My chips were mostly crisp, but a few of the centers were slightly moist and the wire rack probably helps on that score.
  • Reprising my sweet potato adventure, I tried several temperature settings. But this time I tried four settings: 300 degrees F (for about 50-60 minutes), 350 degrees (for about 30-35 minutes), 375 degrees (for about 20-25 minutes)  and 400 degrees (for about 15-20 minutes.) The first three all worked, but at 400 degrees too many of the chips burned and it was too difficult to grab them up before they did. Yes, I know a bunch of bloggers and online recipes recommend baking at 400 degrees F or even 425. I have no idea how they got a full batch of decent chips that way. This time 375 degrees worked best (for carrot and beet chips), even though 300 degrees seemed better for the sweet potato chips.
  • One recipe suggested salting the beet slices and letting them rest to draw out water before drying them off. I tried that but didn’t think that it made an appreciable difference.

Note: Beets stain like crazy. The red juice will come off your hands with scrubbing, but don’t use any towels you care about to dry your hands or the beets. Also, if the base of your mandoline is white plastic (as mine is), don’t hope for it to return to its formerly pristine color anytime soon.

Crispy Baked Vegetable Chips

Servings – 4 snack-size bowls  Cost – $2

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces of carrots, peeled
  • 3-4 medium beets, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons oil (I used extra virgin olive)
  • Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Optional: a bit of herb such as rosemary or thyme, or a spice such as cumin

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Slice the carrots and beets as thinly as possible and pat the slices dry with paper towels.

  • Place them in a bowl (1 for each), add 1 tablespoon oil to each bowl, lightly sprinkle the slices with salt and pepper (and any optional herbs/spices), and toss them until they are all coated with oil.
  • Lay the slices on the parchment or wire rack, close together but not overlapping. They will shrink. (The carrot slices curl up considerably – not sure why and it occurred no matter what I did to try to prevent it.) Bake for about 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan in the middle of the cooking time. It’s best to do one baking sheet at a time. If you do two at once, rotate them midway through, so they each get a chance to be on the upper tier. Check the slices periodically and remove any that are finished early, which can happen, especially if some are thinner or smaller than others. A few may take longer than 25 minutes.

The chips are crunchiest within a few hours of being baked.

 

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Archives, Potatoes, Vegetables Tagged With: beets, carrot, chips, snack, vegetables, vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Kim Kelly - Liv Life says

    April 9, 2015 at 2:47 am

    Holy giant carrots!!! I’m so glad these beauties were sweet still at that size, and what a treat they must be! I have a recipe for baked chips like this and just haven’t gotten around to putting it together. You have me inspired!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Kim, Massive carrots take over the world – or at least my kitchen!! I’m kind of sad they’re gone now, they were such fun. I’d definitely recommend trying this recipe, as I mentioned – perhaps with a rack instead of the parchment.

      Reply
    • Kate says

      May 28, 2017 at 5:32 pm

      How long does it take for chips to get crisp? Thank you

      Reply
      • Laura says

        June 7, 2017 at 5:32 pm

        At 375 degrees, my batches took 20-25 minutes each, baking one batch at a time.

        Reply
  2. Kristina says

    April 9, 2015 at 2:52 am

    that carrot IS massive, ha! I love veggie chips because, like you said, SO flavorful! I like them nice and thin, so they are crispy. these sound fantastic!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:31 pm

      Kristina, I thought it was so funny how the carrot was massive and the chips shrank to rather cute little curls. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  3. Josie says

    April 9, 2015 at 6:46 am

    These colorful veggie chips look amazing! Wish I had a mandolin so that I can cut them nice and thin like yours in the picture! Love this!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      Josie, Thanks. I’ll bet you can cut them pretty thin with a knife, though I’ll admit the mandoline is handy.

      Reply
  4. Wendi Spraker says

    April 9, 2015 at 11:26 am

    These really look wonderful!!! I am going to have to try these this week!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      Wendi, Thanks for stopping by. I hope you try them.

      Reply
  5. cristina says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:53 am

    I need to find a good local CSA – I want carrots like that! 😉 Luv the colors of your veggie chips and how pretty they turn out with the curly edges. Tasty and healthy!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      Cristina, I’ve been a member of 2 CSAs and have never seen carrots like these before:) They were a blast to eat and cook with. thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  6. Josie Godel says

    April 10, 2015 at 5:36 am

    Ooohhh my goodness. These chips look absolutely delectable. Thanks so much for sharing- I can’t wait to make them. Any recommendations for a good dip to accompany the chips?

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Josie, Thanks for stopping by. I’d recommend a light dip – these chips aren’t deep-fried so you can still taste the vegetable flavor. It would make sense to use vinaigrette, and mayo or thinned-out sour cream, maybe with a bit of mustard – or something similar. Of course, if you want to use them simply as a "platter" to hold guacamole or hummus, that works too:)

      Reply
  7. nibblesbynic says

    April 10, 2015 at 9:46 am

    I’m so obsessed with veggie chips! This recipe up my alley! Thanks for the nibbles 🙂

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:20 pm

      Nicole, Thanks for stopping by – do try these, they are amazing.

      Reply
  8. LIsa says

    April 10, 2015 at 10:07 am

    Thanks for sharing your tips on baking vegetable chips. I have tried a few times and failed. I’ll try a different temperature and use the rack method next time.

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:19 pm

      Lisa, I’m still working on how to keep them crunchy for more than a day. I think they must do something to the commercially fried chips to keep them crunchy – or maybe that’s a difference between deep-frying and baking. Hope you try them again.

      Reply
  9. Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says

    April 10, 2015 at 11:23 am

    That is the biggest carrot I’ve ever seen! These chips look amazing.

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Christin – I still laugh whenever I think about those carrots. But they were good!

      Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:34 pm

      Christin, The carrot will live in the history of the veggies that have passed through this house! Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  10. Pam Greer says

    April 10, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    I am definitely going to try these with all my CSA vegetables!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Pam, A woman after my own heart. When I look at my CSA veggies, I have to get creative or they’ll sit in the refrigerator and make me feel guilty.

      Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Pam, It’s the carrot that ate up my afternoon! but at least it was fun.

      Reply
  11. Catherine says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    I have to make this soon…it is such a healthy alternative and I bet it is so good! xo, Catherine

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Catherine. Yes, do try them – or use other veggies. Such fun and so much healthier than deep-fried.

      Reply
  12. Rachel says

    April 16, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    I can’t believe I’m just seeing these now! (Oh, right – I was in Spain.) Eli refuses to eat anything he can’t feed himself, and Sarah would probably love the idea of veggie "chips". I’ll have to try these ASAP.

    Reply
  13. Susan | LunaCafe says

    April 18, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    EXCELLENT POST! Laura, I really appreciate all the research and testing you did to present us with more than just a recipe. You told us why and how (and compared other’s recommendations and results) and that’s essential to me. BRAVO! I will definitely try these now. I’ve never made oven chips. I did finally make oil-fried potato chips just last week and they were mind blowing. What a great way to use vegetables that have lingered too long in the fridge and pantry. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Terri Steffes says

    April 20, 2015 at 3:16 am

    These look amazing. Can’t wait to try them with my summer produce. Appreciate the information as well. Thank you!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:43 pm

      Terri, Thanks for your compliment. they worked wonders with my CSA bag this week and I’m sure I’ll be trying them again later in the summer.

      Reply
  15. Michelle Blackwood says

    April 20, 2015 at 5:12 am

    Thanks for sharing, my children will love these!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      Michelle – Yes, they are a kid-pleaser. Also great for those of us who never outgrew our love of potato chips.

      Reply
  16. Sara says

    April 20, 2015 at 5:30 am

    I have purchased veggie chips at the store but never made my own before! Can’t wait to try

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      Sara – Definitely try these and you may give up the store-bought versions. You can even go "fancy schmantzy" and add a few spices – take that Terra Chips!

      Reply
  17. Florian @ContentednessCooking says

    April 20, 2015 at 7:17 am

    I love these vegetable chips! Perfect for spring!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      Florian – And they would go so well with so many of your beautiful dips.

      Reply
  18. Rachel Cooks says

    April 20, 2015 at 11:44 am

    I love, love, love vegetable chips. These look perfect!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      Rachel – thanks for stopping by. Try these – or at least try carrot and beets if you haven’t "chipped" them already. They are awesome.

      Reply
  19. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says

    April 20, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I’ve been really into Terra Chips lately – I bet these are so much better! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:29 pm

      Kathryn, Thanks for stopping by. Yes, they give Terra Chips a run for their money.

      Reply
  20. Sam @ PW says

    April 20, 2015 at 5:18 pm

    I burn mine everytime I try this. Made parsnip chips last night and only half burned, I’ll call that a success!!

    Reply
    • motherwouldknow says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:29 pm

      Sam, Try putting a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet and check the progress of the chips frequently as they bake. Those steps should help:)

      Reply
  21. Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat says

    October 6, 2015 at 11:25 pm

    I love the idea of making these chips homemade – and they look so delicious, I wish I had some right now!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      October 13, 2015 at 11:48 am

      Sherri, They’re easy to make – as long as you are careful not to cut your fingers:) Hope you’ll try them.

      Reply
  22. Catherine says

    November 12, 2015 at 6:55 am

    Dear Laura, I love this healthy snack option. I must give this a try…always good to have on hand! xo, Catherine

    Reply
  23. Rajeena Shakya says

    September 28, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    I am going to try this for the little one; I will let you know if she picks it, examines it and eats it or not. Usually, we get to step 2 (picks it and examines it) and after that she feeds mommy since it’s not the right texture or feel!!!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      October 5, 2016 at 9:15 pm

      Rajeena, Hope she loves it as much as I love her:)

      Reply
  24. elle says

    July 29, 2017 at 2:20 am

    Superb blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of
    any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about here?

    I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other experienced individuals
    that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions,
    please let me know. Cheers!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 30, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Elle, I don’t know of any discussion boards, but there are certainly facebook groups where you can get good hints and ask questions. Just search in facebook for the keywords that you think would be useful and then ask to join the appropriate groups. Good luck.

      Reply

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