Crispy beet chips need just a little oil and a patient eye. Air fry thin beet slices at 300°F (149°C) for about 12–15 minutes per batch, preheating the empty air fryer first and flipping the slices halfway through. Plan on two batches, or roughly 24–30 minutes of cooking, for a small bowl of earthy, lightly salted chips.
Ingredients
- 4 small beets (about ½ pound total)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
A mandoline makes the even, paper-thin slices that help the chips cook at the same pace. Use its hand guard, or cut carefully with a sharp knife.
How To Make It
- Peel the beets and slice them into rounds about 1/16 inch thick. Lay the slices between paper towels, press gently, and leave them for 10 minutes to absorb surface moisture. Pat dry again if needed.
- Preheat the empty air fryer to 300°F (149°C). Toss the dried beet slices with the olive oil until lightly coated.
- Arrange half the slices in a single layer in the bare, perforated air-fryer basket. Leave a little space between them; cook in more batches if your basket is small. There’s no need for a pan or liner, which can obstruct airflow. Never put loose parchment in the basket while preheating.
- Air fry for 12–15 minutes, carefully turning the slices with tongs about halfway through. Check early and remove individual chips as their edges dry and they become crisp; thin pieces may finish first. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Let the chips cool for a few minutes on a wire rack, then sprinkle with the sea salt. Taste and add a little more if you like. Serve soon for the best crunch.
Tips
Keep the heat low. This method calls for an air fryer that can hold 300°F (149°C). If your model’s minimum temperature is higher, the same timing may burn these thin slices; use a recipe developed for your appliance instead.
Watch the color and texture, not just the timer. Beet color makes browning harder to judge. Look for dry edges and check whether a cooled chip snaps; give flexible slices another minute or two, checking frequently. Avoid piling slices on top of one another, since trapped moisture works against crispness.
A pinch of sea salt turns this simple batch into a crunchy snack worth making again.
