Crispy, salty snacks that are keto friendly can be hard to find! These Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips are crunchy, smokey and CRISPY! This recipe will quickly become a favorite!
Crispy seems to be the most missed texture on keto! Those snacks we love to have with soda or beer in the afternoon, in the evening, during the game, mindlessly over the sink. Okay, yes, we all remember enjoying crispy salty snacks!
These Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips really deliver in the crispy and crunchy category. Sliced thinly and carefully and fried, these truly have the texture of traditional crispy chips.
Kabocha is rich in nutrients, like it’s fellow orange veggies, it’s just miraculously naturally lower in carbs. The slightly sweet flavor of this Japanese squash pares really well with salty and smokey flavors.
With just a few ingredients, getting these Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips right is all about getting the technique down!
KEY INGREDIENTS
Kabocha Squash
This is one of my favorite keto foods! It has a texture and flavor somewhere between sweet potato and pumpkin. It’s great when mashed, roasted or even in baked goods. It is OUTSTANDING as Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips!
Smoked Salt
What makes these Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips taste so amazing is smoked salt. I love this alder smoked salt and it is my most frequently used seasoning, by far! Believe it or not, I do buy the big bags to use at home. I don’t go through it that quickly but it is more economical than the small jars. I have a cute salt cellar that I just refill to keep out. This is my everyday salt when I’m cooking.
TECHNIQUE
Deep frying, baby! There are many ways to cook kabocha squash but if you want to make Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips, you gotta bust out the oil! I have a healthy fear of frying – there are many ways it can go wrong! Over crowd your fryer and it can spill over! Add in veggies that are wet and it can sputter! You can get burned by steam emitted from frying, sputtering oil or oil splashing when you add your veggies. I’m not trying to scare you but I want you to really think through the steps before starting. Veggies need to be DRY. Also, do NOT crowd the fryer. You need a paper lined dish ready to go before you start frying. Be smart about it and all will go well.
EQUIPMENT
Making chips is not a difficult process, but making outstanding, better than store bought chips, requires some patience and special equipment!
Mandolin
Getting extremely uniform, thin slices is what makes these Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips so light and crispy. It also helps make these a success. Uniform thickness allows them to fry at the same rate and end up beautifully crisp! I have this mandolin (there seem to be several with the same build under different names) and slice on the thinnest setting. I love using a knife but for frying I love having the thinness be exactly the same. I also use this to julienne veggies. It’s a worthwhile investment.
Deep Fryer
Before my mini fryer, I really did not enjoy frying. I could never get the temperature right and always ended up with burnt or greasy results. The fryer is good at holding the proper temperature. One key is NOT to overcrowd the fryer. Repeat – Do NOT overcrowd the fryer. I had a scary oil overflow when I decided to try a big batch. 300+ degree oil running over counters and down cabinets isn’t something I wish on my keto friends!
TROUBLESHOOTING
Let’s take a look at some of the things that can go wrong to see if we can’t prevent them or course correct.
Why are my chips too dark?
Sounds like the oil might be too hot if they are turning dark too quickly. Try turning down the oil and frying a couple to see how they turn out before frying another batch. TIP: It’s always a good idea to try a couple before frying an entire batch.
Why are my chips not crisp?
There are two main issues you might be having. The first is that they are under cooked. They’ll get a little bubbly and browned as they’re finishing up. If they’re cooked but not crispy, then it’s likely that they’re too thick. Try slicing the next batch on a thinner setting.
Why are my chips greasy?
There are two reasons why this can happy. The first would be not thoroughly draining them. Allow the oil to drip off as you remove them from the oil and then spread out in a thin layer on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. If this doesn’t solve the problem, the oil is likely at too low a temperature. Make sure the chips sizzle right away when you add them to the oil.
Why are the chips taking a long time to cook or coming out uneven?
Please ensure that you fry in several small batches. This is a race for the tortoise, not the hare. If you’re try to try in a large batch several things can go wrong – the oil temperature can drop significantly making the chips cook unevenly and come out greasy. In a worst case scenario, overcrowding the fryer can cause it to overflow which is dangerous and can be destructive.
🍽 SERVING
What should I serve with Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips?
- Dip! How about some blue cheese? Chimmichurri would be delicious! Tsatziki would be so good too!
- These would be great as the base of nacho style dish. Why not try some BBQ pulled pork served over them with some melted cheese?
- Some variations you could try would be switching up the spices on these chips. Smoked paprika is always fun and ranch seasoning would also be yummy!
What should I drink with Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips?
Bubbles would be great with these. I recommend sparkling water, sugar-free soda 🥤 or some lower carb beer.
STORAGE
Honestly, I’ve never had enough left to store! They should be good for a few days in an air tight container, just like regular chips.
❤️ MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Another savory treat Keto Asian Spicy Sticky Wings
- You’ll love these Keto Cheese Pepperoni Bites
- You’ll love these Keto Kabocha Latkes
Keto Crispy Kabocha Chips
Equipment
- mandolin
- deep fryer
Ingredients
- 8 oz kabocha squash
- oil for frying follow fryer instructions
- smoked salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and remove seeds from kabocha squash, there is no need to peel.
- Fill fryer with oil according to instructions and set heat to 375 degrees F.
- Using mandolin, slice to the thinnest setting – be careful!
- Following instructions, fry in small batches. Overcrowding can cause fryer to overflow.
- Drain on paper towel and salt immediately.
- Enjoy your amazing crispy kabocha chips!
Notes
Calories 80, Protein .6 g, Net Carbs 4 g, Fat 6.8 g
Info from Cronometer. Please input using ingredients you use for accurate macros.
I love squash but have never tried kabocha before– I’m going to check at the store next time I’m there to see if they have it to try this out! Thanks for sharing!
Kabocha is my favorite squash – I hope you can find it! Locally our Ralphs has it and Whole Foods usually has it. Trader Joe’s doesn’t have it around me, but it seems it changes so much depending on where you live! It’s Japanese so if there’s an Asian market near you that could be a good bet.
squash is healthy and I love snacks this will work for me. I haven‘t tried Kabocha might take a look at it next time.
It is my favorite – it can be great roasted, mashed, fried, etc. It’s really versatile. I hope you’ll like it!
This looks so good. I am a sucker for squash crisps. I might try it this weekend and use our air fryer instead of deep frying.
Thanks so much, Isabella! Let me know how it goes with the air fryer!
this looks awesome and delicious.
I particularly love the trouble shooting section.
thanks for sharing this beauty!
Thank you, Hari! I’m glad to hear you liked the troubleshooting! Frying can have a couple of issues so it’s good to think about them before you’re dunking food in hot oil! Thanks for stopping by and trying out this recipe!