Vegetable chips (also referred to as veggie chips) [1] [2] are chips (crisps) that are prepared using vegetables other than potatoes. Vegetable chips may be fried, deep-fried, dehydrated, dried, or baked. Many different root vegetables or leaf vegetables may be used. Vegetable chips may be eaten as a snack food and may accompany other foods such as dips, or be used as a topping on dishes. In the United States, vegetable chips are often mass-produced, with many brands marketed to consumers.
While potato chips are technically considered "vegetable chips", since they are the most common form of chips, any other kind of vegetable-based chip is grouped in a separate category.
Vegetable chips may be prepared with sliced vegetables that are fried, deep-fried, baked, [3] [4] dehydrated, [5] or simply dried. [6] Vegetable chips may be produced from a variety of root vegetables and leaf vegetables, [7] such as carrot, turnip, swede, parsnip, parsley root, chervil root, celery root (celeriac), beetroot, radish, Jerusalem artichoke, taro, malanga, eddoe, sweet potato, butternut squash, onion, garlic, [1] [3] [4] [7] courgette, [8] yam, cassava, [9] kale, spinach, fennel, [2] [3] [4] and jicama, [10] among others. Some baked versions utilize vegetables that are sliced, lightly tossed in oil, and then oven-baked until crisp. [2] Vegetable chips prepared using this method have been described as more healthful compared to deep-fried chips, particularly when prepared using "heart-healthy" olive oil. [2]
Simple versions are prepared by slicing vegetables and drying them, [6] without any cooking involved. Sometimes a mandoline is used to slice vegetables for vegetable chips, which can accommodate thin slicing and enhance size consistency. [11] Vegetable chips may be flavored with spices such as salt, sea salt, pepper, cajun spice, curry, allspice, chipotle powder, sweet or smoked paprika, adobo seasoning, dried chives, and many others. [2] Mass-produced varieties may contain food preservatives or monosodium glutamate. [12] Vegetable chips can be homemade [12] using various recipes and preparation processes.
Carrot chips are carrots that have been fried [5] or dehydrated. Some U.S. companies mass-produce and purvey carrot chips to consumers, such as Connecticut Country Fair Snacks, Ltd. and Caroff Foods Corporation, among others. [a] [14]
Cassava chips are a common food in much of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, [15] Ghana [16] and Malawi. [17] In Ghana, cassava chips are called konkonte. [b] Dried cassava chips are also used to supplement the carbohydrate content of livestock feed in Ghana. [18] In Malawi, cassava chips are prepared by soaking cassava, slicing it, and then letting it dry. [17] This is the primary means by which cassava is transported to markets from production areas. [17]
In addition to preparing cassava chips from thinly sliced raw cassava root that is then immediately fried or deep-fried, [19] chips may be prepared in a multi-stage process, starting with a dough made from cassava flour. [9] The dough is steamed, thinly sliced, dried, and then fried in oil. [9] This style of cassava flour chips is a popular food in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. [16] [9]
Kale chips became popular with the food trend that emphasized kale for its nutritional value. A leaf rather than a root or a tuber, kale chips usually contain oil and salt, and sometimes seasonings or flavorings.
Bittergourd chips are made from a plant common in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The chips are made from the fruit of the plant, which are sliced and sun-dried, or coated with batter and fried. [20]
Vegetable chips may be consumed as a snack food, [21] and may be accompanied by various dips such as salsa, guacamole, and bean dips. [4] They are also used as a topping for soups, salads, and other dishes. [21]
In the United States, varieties of vegetable chips are mass-produced and purveyed in supermarkets. [2]
Brands of vegetable chips (other than potato chips) include Calbee, Beanitos, Terra, Food Should Taste Good, [22] Garden Veggie Snacks, JicaChips, [10] Sensible Portions, [23] Tyrrells, [24] and Uprooted, among others. [25] As of February 2016, Kettle Foods produces the Uprooted brand of vegetable chips made from sweet potatoes, including varieties with and without the addition of beets and parsnips. [25] The product is "lightly seasoned with oil and sea salt". [25] Marketing of the product to consumers began circa February 2016. [25]