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

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

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

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

Cut the tortilla into six equal triangles.

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.

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.

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.

Poppy says
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
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
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
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!
Jean says
super like this oil-free tortilla as my snacks! I try to avoid salt so this is my way to go
Lolly says
Such a great recipe!!