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.
Main article: Carrot chips |
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] 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]