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    Home » Recipes » Oil-Free

    Oil-Free Tortilla Chips

    Published: Aug 31, 2021 by Amber Asakura · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using an affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These oil-free tortilla chips have all the crunch of traditional tortilla chips, with a fraction of the fat. They only taste indulgent!

    Pile of oil-free tortilla chips on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    I love sweets, but there's no way I can deny the fact that tortilla chips have always been my kryptonite.

    Salty, crunchy, perfect for dipping into refried beans, or homemade salsa, or avocado lime ranch dressing (it's like a creamy guacamole!).

    Piled high and smothered with vegan nacho cheese.

    I really, really love tortilla chips. Like, so much, I think my next tattoo should probably be tortilla chips.

    Yes, really.

    Now that I'm doing my best to be more calorie-conscious, I have to stop bringing home a bag or two of greasy, fried, store-bought tortilla chips every time I leave the house.

    (Yes, it really got to that point. My name is Amber and I'm a tortilla chip addict.)

    Wait, are tortilla chips vegan?

    In general, yes. Most commercially-made tortilla chips are fried in vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower, canola, etc.). Unless they're fried in lard or another animal-derived fat 🤢, or contain flavoring that uses dairy, tortilla chips are usually vegan.

    But remember, just because something is vegan doesn't mean it's good for you. I mean, Oreos are technically vegan, and we probably all know those would never be considered a health food.

    Three servings (84g) of store-bought Tostitos tortilla chips has 420 calories and 21g fat. We're using three servings because no one actually eats one serving. At least not in my world. Three is, like, the bare minimum.

    The entire batch (84g) of these homemade oil-free tortilla chips contains 351 calories and 11g fat. And that's if you use all the tahini mixture, which you probably won't. (I also don't recommend eating the entire batch in one sitting, but it happens. Maybe more than once, when you're testing the recipe over, and over, and over. Oops.)

    By making these healthy baked oil-free chips, we're cutting the fat nearly in half and avoiding super processed, void-of-any-nutrition oil. (Which is still a win, even if you do accidentally eat the whole batch.)

    Hello crispy, crunchy, salty, satisfying, oil-free (guilt-free!) tortilla chips.

    Ingredients

    Corn tortillas, tahini, and salt on an enamelware plate.

    You will need:

    • Corn tortillas (try to find tortillas without added oil or preservatives)
    • Tahini to add a small amount of fat and help the tortilla chips get extra crispy
    • Water to thin the tahini and make it easy to brush onto the tortillas
    • Salt, if you love a salty chip like I do (optional)

    See the recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

    Instructions

    First, preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Combine the tahini and water, stirring until it's smooth and creamy.

    • Tahini and water in a small bowl before mixing.
    • Tahini and water in a small bowl, partially mixed and still separated.
    • Tahini and water mixed together in a small bowl until creamy.

    Brush the tahini mixture on one side of the first tortilla.

    One side of a tortilla being brushed with tahini mixture.

    Flip the tortilla over and brush the tahini mix on the other side.

    Tahini mixture being brushed on the other side of a tortilla with a stack of tortillas in the background.

    Cut the tortilla into six equal triangles.

    Tortilla cut into six equal wedges.

    Arrange the tortillas on the pan in a single layer. Repeat the brushing and cutting steps one tortilla at a time, before placing the cut pieces on the baking sheet with the rest of the soon-to-be chips.

    Pan of tortilla triangles before baking into oil-free tortilla chips.

    Sprinkle the triangles with salt. We're baking them low and slow to get a nice, even crispiness and avoid sad, undercooked, chewy chips. Bake them for 15 minutes, flip them, and bake them for another 15-20 minutes. They should be a beautiful golden color when they're done.

    Golden brown oil-free tortilla chips on a baking sheet after baking.

    Enjoy your crispy, salty, not-terrible-for-you tortilla chips!

    Helpful Tip: Don't try to rush the brushing and cutting process. I tested a couple versions of this recipe where I stacked the tortillas after brushing them and cut them all at the same time. When I tried to peel the layers of triangles apart to place them on the baking sheet, they stuck together and fell apart. Be patient and prepare your tortillas one at a time. It will be worth it in the end!

    Variations

    If you like your tortilla chips with a hint of lime, you can reduce the amount of water used for the tahini mixture by one teaspoon and add one teaspoon lime juice.

    For a spicy version, stir ¼ teaspoon of chili powder into the tahini mixture.

    Equipment

    An inexpensive pastry brush comes in very handy for brushing the tahini mixture onto the tortillas. If you don't have one, try dipping the back of a spoon into the tahini mixture and using that to spread it onto the tortilla.

    I used a light-colored half-sized sheet pan for these chips. If you use a darker baking sheet, your chips might cook faster than the times I've suggested. Check your chips frequently to make sure they don't get too dark.

    Storage

    These oil-free tortilla chips will stay good for a week or more if stored in an air tight container. If they start to get stale, just pop them in a preheated 325°F oven for 1-2 minutes to crisp them back up.

    Close up of a pile of vegan oil-free tortilla chips.
    Close up of a pile of baked oil-free vegan tortilla chips.

    Oil-Free Tortilla Chips

    Amber Asakura
    These oil-free tortilla chips have all the crunch of traditional tortilla chips, with a fraction of the fat.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American, Mexican-inspired
    Diet gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, vegan, wfpb
    Makes 3 servings

    Equipment

    • Pastry brush
    • Baking sheet

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 Tablespoon (15 g) tahini
    • 1 Tablespoon (15 g) water
    • 5 corn tortillas, look for tortillas without added oil or preservatives, or use sprouted corn tortillas
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 300°F and line a large light-colored baking sheet (13" x 18") with parchment paper. See notes if your baking sheet is smaller or darker-colored.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the water and tahini. It will look separated at first, but keep stirring until it’s smooth and creamy. If it’s too thin, add additional tahini half a teaspoon at a time until it thickens up just enough to not be watery.
    • Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread a thin layer of tahini mix on one tortilla.
    • Flip the tortilla over and spread tahini mix on the other side.
    • Cut the tortilla into six equal pieces and place the triangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a tiny bit of space between each one.
    • Repeat with the remaining four tortillas. (If you have tahini mix left over, you can start the brushing and cutting process over with a couple more tortillas after you take the first pan of chips out of the oven. Otherwise, discard the leftover mix.)
    • Once all tortilla triangles are on the baking sheet, sprinkle them with salt (if using) and place them in the oven.
    • Bake the chips for 15 minutes. Take them out of the oven, flip each chip over, and return them to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the chips are lightly golden brown.
    • Store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature.

    Notes

    If your baking sheet is smaller than 13" x 18", only prepare enough chips to fit on the sheet at one time. Once the first batch comes out of the oven, start the process on the second batch. If you brush the tahini mixture on the tortillas and let them sit for too long, they will get soggy and start to disintegrate.
    If you're using a darker-colored baking sheet, your chips might cook faster. Check them frequently during the last 10 minutes of baking to make sure they don't overcook.
    The regular corn tortillas I used in this recipe work perfectly fine, but these sprouted corn tortillas are my favorite, on the rare chance I can find them in stock near me.
    One serving is 10 chips.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 214mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg

    *Nutrition Disclaimer*

    Nutrition information is an estimate. If you are concerned about the accuracy of nutrition information, I encourage you to weigh your ingredients and use a tracking app like Cronometer for more accurate nutritional data.

    Keywords gluten free, oil free, tortilla chips, vegan, wfpb, whole food plant based
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating to let me know what you think!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Poppy says

      September 04, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Amber,
      I'm a crunchy, salty chip addict too. This recipe looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it. Thanks for coming up with a brilliant way for all of us to enjoy chips without the frying oil. Expect to be back soon with a 5-star rating! Aloha

      • Amber says

        September 08, 2021 at 9:54 pm

        Poppy! Thank you! I made another batch of these last night and I just love them so much. I hope you do, too. Hope things are beautiful on your magical island!

        • poppy hudson says

          October 07, 2021 at 5:11 pm

          5 stars
          5 stars! These chips are the bomb. It's such a clever way to get all the snacky goodness without oil. I appreciated how the amount of tahini mix was perfect for brushing all the tortillas. I want to make them again with the sprouted corn version and also try some super-thin tortillas. Cheers!

          • Amber Asakura says

            October 11, 2021 at 10:08 am

            Yay!! I'm glad you loved them. Thanks for reminding me I need to make the sprouted version again soon. I bought two packages of sprouted tortillas, stashed them in the freezer, and completely forgot they were buried in there! Thanks again for the sweet comment!

    2. Jean says

      September 13, 2021 at 3:10 am

      5 stars
      super like this oil-free tortilla as my snacks! I try to avoid salt so this is my way to go

    3. Lolly says

      September 13, 2021 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      Such a great recipe!!

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    Hi, I'm Amber!

    I'm here to show you that making delicious, nutrient-dense vegan recipes at home can be super easy, inexpensive, and pretty damn fun. Whether you're strictly whole food plant based or just looking to add a little nutrition to your life, I got you covered!

    Oh, and I hope you have a good sense of humor. If the name of this blog tells you anything, you might know I like to keep things interesting. :)

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