Eggplant chips are the perfect homemade snack. They are flavorful, crunchy, and savory.
These tasty chips are ready in about 30 minutes. They are very easy to make, and they're great on their own or with various dips.
Almost anyone on the low-carb diet will tell you that they miss crunchy snacks. You know - the processed snacks that got us into trouble in the first place! But the good news: there's no need to feel deprived.
Crispy, savory, and delicious, these homemade chips make an excellent snack that satisfies that "crunchy/salty" craving. I make them quite often because my entire family really enjoys them.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these tasty eggplant chips. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Olive oil spray: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
Eggplants: It's best to use small elongated Japanese eggplants in this recipe. I leave them unpeeled.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the chips could end up too salty.
Garlic powder: Another tasty option is onion powder.
Instructions
Making these eggplant chips is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Your first step is to slice the eggplants thinly. You can leave the peel on. Use a sharp knife to slice them - their peel tends to resist cutting.
- Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. Spray them with olive oil, then sprinkle with the seasonings.
- Bake them until browned and crispy, 10-15 minutes per side at 450°F.
Expert tip
The main challenge when making this recipe is ensuring the chips are crispy. One trick is to use Japanese eggplants. Their elongated shape allows for more uniform chips.
Another trick is to cut the chips VERY thinly and spray them liberally with olive oil. Then bake them in a hot oven.
They might crisp better if you line the baking sheets with foil instead of parchment. I made them both ways and the difference isn't huge, but there's a slight difference. If you use parchment paper, make sure to use paper marked as safe for high heat.
Not all of them will crisp up at the same time, so you might want to check periodically (every 5 minutes) and remove the ones that are ready onto a plate, then keep baking the rest.
Keep in mind that even after all these efforts, homemade vegetable chips that you bake in your oven will not be as crispy as commercial ones.
Frequently asked questions
That's actually not recommended. Japanese eggplants work best in this recipe not just because they produce smaller, chip-like rounds, but also because of their firmer texture and lower water content.
No, there's no need to peel them. Once cooked, Japanese eggplant skin is tender and edible.
There's no need to go through the extra step of salting the eggplant. It only makes a difference when frying this vegetable, not when baking it.
Variations
As mentioned above, you can use onion powder instead of (or in addition to) garlic powder. You can certainly experiment with other spices too - adding a pinch of each of them. Paprika and cumin will be very tasty in this recipe.
Serving suggestions
These chips are wonderful on their own, but they are also excellent with any of the following dips:
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Greek yogurt dip
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
- Tahini sauce
- Tzatziki sauce
- Cream cheese dip
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep OK for 2-3 days in the fridge, in an airtight container, although they do lose their crispiness.
I sometimes add them, cold, to a salad as a salad topping. Or you can reheat them in a 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes, to crisp them up a bit. But this recipe is best enjoyed fresh.
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Recipe card
Eggplant Chips
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray
- 2 Japanese eggplants 1 lb. total weight, unpeeled
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick foil and spray them with olive oil spray.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the eggplants very thinly, into ⅛-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Spray them with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Bake the chips in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, turn to the other side, spray with more oil, and bake until browned and crispy, 10-15 more minutes.*
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NOTES
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NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 