Baked Salt and Vinegar Chips

These baked salt and vinegar chips are perfect if you're looking for a healthier version of your favorite snack!

Growing up, salt & vinegar was always my favorite kind of potato chips. The way the salty and sour flavors came together with the crunchy texture always felt heavenly.

Now that I'm older and more health-conscious, I don't buy the typical packaged potato chips you see in the grocery store. Other than not knowing how much oil, salt, and chemicals are being used to make those chips, it turns out they can also contain milk ingredients which is a no-go if you're following the vegan lifestyle.

But I figured there must be a way to prepare it at home in a healthier and vegan way. And that's what we'll be showcasing in this recipe!

Ingredient Profile

One of the highlights of this recipe is that it's so easy to prepare. You only need to use 4 ingredients!

• Red Potatoes: You can really use any type of potato here (except for sweet potatoes since we're not going for that taste). I choose red since more colorful skin has been reported to indicate more antioxidants. But really, russet potatoes or white potatoes are also a great choice. Also, as I mentioned before, we will be keeping the skin on. So no peeling! Other than getting the nutrients contained in the skin, this also helps us reduce food waste.
• White Vinegar: This give this recipe its signature sour taste. White vinegar also has a myriad of health benefits, as long as it's used in moderation. We're using ½ cup which may seem like a lot, but you're not consuming all of that. You'll soak the potatoes in the vinegar for a while and drain the rest.
• Canola Oil: This will help the potato slices come out crisp after baking. By baking the chips instead of deep-frying, we keep our oil intake lower.
• Salt: This is another key ingredient giving us the signature salty taste. Feel free to use either sea salt or table salt.

How to Make Baked Salt and Vinegar Chips

First, cut 2 red potatoes into thin slices. I use a chef's knife to do this and just do my best to cut it as thin as possible (doesn't have to be perfect).

I've seen others recommend using a mandolin, and I'm sure you can get better consistency that way. Feel free to to use it if you have one and you know how to use it safely. I've personally heard too many horror stories about injuries so I don't own one. I'm just a home cook after all, I'm not trying to be a master chef over here :-)

Next, pour 2 cups (500ml) of white vinegar into a medium bowl and soak the potato slices in it for 20 minutes. Make sure they're fully submerged.

After soaking, drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

Start preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush each side of the potato slices with canola oil, and place in a single layer on the silicone baking sheets (or aluminum foil if you don't have them). Then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes and take out to cool for about 5 minutes.

Place the cooled potato chips into a container and mix with ½ tablespoon of salt. I'd recommend using a container with a lid, that way you can just shake it to mix them all together. There's also something therapeutic about doing it this way.

And that's it! Enjoy your chips!