Name: Japanese Seasoned Spinach Chips
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon/7 g white sesame seeds; 1 Tablespoon/7g black sesame seeds; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 4oz/114g spinach leaves; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

Light and airy Japanese seasoned spinach chips make an excellent afternoon snack.

My afternoon snack obsession these days are these Japanese seasoned spinach chips. Laced with sea salt and sesame, they satisfy that savory, crunchy craving.

Similar to kale chips but more delicate, these spinach chips are crisp and crackly, and just melt in your mouth. A batch of these doesn’t last long around here, try making them for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

The beauty of making chips from leafy greens like kale and spinach is that they’re a simple and fun way to get some extra greens in your (or your kids) diet. I bake these at a low-heat to retain as many nutrients as possible and season them with Gomashio.

If you’ve never heard of Gomashio, it’s a seasoned salt that’s a staple of macrobiotic diets. You can sprinkle it on everything (soups, salads, you name it) so the recipe calls for more than you’ll use, so you can have extra on hand.

I’ve used a combination of black and white sesame seeds in mine, along with crunchy fleur de sel sea salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. Everything is gently toasted to release the flavors and then briefly pulsed in the food processor to pulverize. What you end up with is a lower-sodium seasoning that packs a flavorful punch.

Once you have your seasoning ready, all you need to make these chips are spinach leaves and toasted sesame oil. The leaves are lightly coated in the oil to help the seasoned salt stick to the chips and add an additional layer of sesame. They come out of the oven impossibly light and crispy with a nice toasty and nutty flavor. It’s hard to stop eating these chips, but in this case, that’s a good thing!

Serves serves 2-4

Japanese Seasoned Spinach Chips

Sylvie Shirazi

10 minPrep Time

1 hrCook Time

1 hr, 10 Total Time

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Ingredients

1 Tablespoon/7 g white sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon/7g black sesame seeds
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4oz/114g spinach leaves
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

Instructions

Heat oven to 200 degrees.
In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring constantly until lightly toasted, (about 1-2 minutes). Add the salt and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds. Let cool completely and transfer to the bowl of a mini food processor or spice grinder.
Briefly pulse together the sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and sea salt. You should have some fine and some whole pieces. (Alternatively you can use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds and spices together.)
Drizzle spinach leaves with toasted sesame oil on a parchment lined baking sheet and use your hands to lightly coat the leaves. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of sesame salt. Toss gently until evenly coated.
Arrange leaves in a single layer and bake for 1 hour or until the leaves are crisp and completely dry. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Notes

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Vegan