Ready, set, chew: Here’s a step-by-step guide to dry-it-yourself fruits and vegetables.
And they’re not just for snacking!
Serve zucchini chips with grilled sausage for a crunchy veggie side dish even picky eaters will love.
Use dried peppers to turn up the heat on your winter soup.
Snip up dried tomatoes into bite-size pieces to top off your homemade pizza.
Learning how to dehydrate fruits and vegetables couldn’t be simpler (we’re talking single ingredients).
And it’s especially helpful if you have a CSA box or backyard garden that’s bumping right now.
How to Prep Fruits and Vegetables for Drying
Step 1: Pick peak-season produce.
But in fact, drying concentrates flavor, so start with prime produce you’re excited to bite into.
Step 2: Rinse, scrub and peel.
Buy organic, if your budget allows, and give fruits and veggies a quick rinse or scrub.
Step 3: Thinly slice with a sharp knife or mandoline.
Slices will shrink as they dry, so go a touch thicker than you want for the end result.
Step 4: Dip fruit in citrus water.
This step is optional, and only for fruit that can brown, like bananas and apples.
Remove the fruit from the water and pat dry on paper towels.
Step 5: Blanch veggies in boiling water.
Also optional, this step is only necessary for starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes or sugar snap peas.
The best models circulate hot air evenly throughout, so you don’t have to worry about dehydrator trays.
All of the following recipes were tested using an Excalibur 9-Tray 48-Hour Timer Digital Dehydrator.
Excalibur generally recommends dehydrating fruit at 135F, and vegetables at 125F.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions, Google the weather and give it your best estimate.
Preheat the oven to the lowest setting, usually 200F.
Line your baking sheets with nonstick mats or parchment paper.
Drying times will be significantly shorter, and you might want to rotate the pans.
Cool completely and transfer to airtight containers, such as plastic snap-tops, mason jars or freezer bags.
Store in a cool, dark place.
After a few days, shake one of the containers.
If you notice any moisture, transfer the contents back to the dehydrator for another stint.
Dried and stored properly, fruits and vegetables can last for several months.
10 Best Fruits and Vegetables to Dehydrate
1.
Bananas
Make cute dried banana coins for a healthy snack kids love.
Apples
Dried apples are an old-school treat and dehydrating apples couldn’t be easier.
Strawberries
Sweet dried strawberries go great with granola.
Mangoes
Mango strips taste like sunshine.
Peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the flat core, and slice 14 inch thick.
Pineapple
Dried pineapple wins the pretty prize.
Tomatoes
Don’t call it a comebackdried tomatoes are still sexy for pasta night.
Sweet Potatoes
They’ll never be as crispy as deep-fried chips, but dried sweet potatoes are still crave-worthy.
Zucchini
Dehydrating can save a bumper crop of summer squash.
Trim the tops and bottoms, and slice 18 or 14 inch thick.
Bell Peppers
In a confetti of colors, dried peppers are fun for soup mixes.
Remove the ribs and seeds, and slice 14 inch thick or chop.
Sugar Snap Peas
Better for you than french fries, dried peas make a sweet snack.
