The Microwave Hack For Homemade Veggie Chips In A Flash

Veggie chips are an excellent way to enjoy a tasty, crunchy snack that is potentially free of all of the trans fats and other less-than-optimal ingredients that regular potato chips can contain. (Yes, even if the package says zero grams of trans fats, they may still have plenty of the heart-clogging oil, per a study by the CDC!) Unfortunately, the colorful and oftentimes healthier alternative also costs an arm and a leg. But what if you could make them at home for a fraction of the price?

The good news is you can, and there are actually a number of ways to do so, from the stovetop to the oven to the air fryer. But there's another way that might come as a surprise: You can actually make veggie chips with ease right in the microwave, and it will only take a few minutes after the initial slicing.

So gather up those veggies, your mandolin or vegetable peeler, and whatever seasoning you would like to add, and get ready for some tasty chips that won't contain any unhealthy trans fats. Even better, since you're making them from real veggies, you can also rest assured that they've got a lot of good stuff like vitamins and minerals left in.

You can use just about any vegetable that you like to make delicious homemade veggie chips, including beets, parsnips, kale, carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, squash, plantain, eggplant, radishes, and more. Some veggies — such as kale — won't even need any prep other than washing, drying, and briefly tearing into smaller pieces before you toss them in the microwave. But those bigger veggies will need to be sliced paper thin, which is where the mandolin or vegetable peeler comes in. Either tool will work, so it's up to you which you use.

As for seasoning your veggie chips, don't be afraid to use other vegetables to do so. Garlic and onion powder will work nicely, as will celery salt. Consider adding herbs, such as dill and rosemary, or a little heat via cayenne pepper. And don't forget the color! A dusting of turmeric or smoked paprika will add color and flavor. Of course, you're free to stick with classics like plain salt. And while you can also toss them in a little bit of oil if you want, this definitely isn't necessary if you want to avoid the added fat.

Cooking your veggie chips in the microwave is super easy and takes only a few minutes. Technically, you can salt and season them before you put them in if you're using a little bit of oil, but otherwise, wait until they are done to do so. Of course, you may want to wait anyway to avoid the possibility of burning any of the seasonings.

All you need to do to take advantage of this hack is arrange the prepped veggies on a paper towel that has been placed on top of a microwave-safe plate, then nuke them in short increments. You can layer them if you want, with paper towels in between, or you can cook them in single-layer batches to ensure they get done evenly. It's a good idea to start out with just a minute or two, then flip them over and microwave for another 30 seconds to a minute. Continue cooking in these short intervals until they are crispy, being careful not to burn them — you may want to cut the times down to even shorter increments as the chips get closer to being done.

This might be one of the best money-saving hacks there is for just how little time it takes to complete. The reward is absolutely delicious veggie chips where you have complete control — choose your favorite veggies, seasonings, and even oil, leaving out whatever you don't like. Why not ditch the chips and try these instead?