Dehydrating123: How To Dehydrate Zucchini for Backpacking Meals

It’s zucchini time now. Why not preserve them for later use in upcoming hiking trips? Dehydrating zucchini and summer squash is very easy and do not require much preparation – just wash and lightly scrub them in  a cool, clean water.

There are 3 forms of dehydrated zucchini I usually use to create my backpacking meals: slices, shreds and powder.

Thinly sliced, seasoned and crispy zucchini chips make a delicious hiking snack. Dried zucchini rings also good in trail pizza or pasta recipes.

You can use dried zucchini shreds to thicken soups and stews, to enhance the flavour of your backcountry dishes and pump up the nutrition value.

Zucchini powder (flour) is a great base for gluten-free backpacking meals and baked goods such as muffins, bread or pancakes. Could also be sprinkled on pasta or omelettes.

How To Dehydrate Zucchini

You’ll need:
2 medium size zucchini
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp your favorite seasoning mix (Italian, Zaatar or Herbs de Provence)
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt, to taste

dried zucchini chips

Step 1
Wash the zucchini. Cut off both ends. Thinely slice zucchini about  (1/4” – 1/8″ thick) using mandoline, food processor or just knife. Place  sliced zucchini  in a large bowl.

making zucchini chips, step2

Step 2
In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, garlic, seasoning mix and sea salt.

making zucchini chips step3

Step 3
Toss  zucchini with  lemon juice mixture. Stir until thoroughly coated.

zucchini chips step 4

Step 4
Spread zucchini rounds in a single layer on dehydrator mesh tray.

dehydrating zucchini

Step 5
Dehydrate at 135F/57C  for 6-12 hours until crispy. Store chips  in an airtight container in a dark, cool place.

zucchini chips

How To Make Dried Zucchini Shreds

Step 1
Wash the zucchini. Cut off both ends and slice in half  lengthwise. Shred the zucchini using a food processor or cheese grater.

zucchini shreds

Step 2
Squeeze out excess water from zucchini. Spread on dehydrator tray lined with non-stick sheets or parchment paper.

dehydrating zucchini shreds

Step 3
Dehydrate at 135F/57C  for 6-12 hours until the shreds are totally dried out and crunchy.

zucchini shreds dried

How To Make Zucchini Powder (Flour)

To make a zucchini flour, grind slices or shreds in a coffee grinder/food processor  into a powder.

zucchini powder

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14 Comments

  1. Armida on October 1, 2021 at 12:11 am

    Wjy do they turn brown while drying?

    • Tanya Krezevska on November 21, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      Where do you dry them? In oven or in dehydrator? What marinade do you use?

  2. Jennifer on April 13, 2021 at 6:56 am

    Do you know if the zucchini will rehydrate well as a cold soak?

    • Tanya Krezevska on May 5, 2021 at 12:08 pm

      Almost all food are possible to rehydrate with cold soak, but it takes a bit longer.

  3. Marla on September 20, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    How long will dehydrated zucchini last?

    • Tanya Krezevska on September 21, 2020 at 10:28 am

      Hi Maria! If zucchini dehydrated and stored properly, they can last up to 1 year.

  4. Terrie on September 8, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    Thank you for this great, informative psost! Do you happen to have any recipes for baking muffins, etc with the zucchini powder? I am really excited at the concept, especially since I had plenty of zucchini from my garden this year. Just wondering how/what ratio zucchini flour to regular flour, how to adjust liquid ratios, etc. thank you!

  5. Lisa on October 11, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    I’d like to make zucchini chips that can be rehydrated before adding to home canned pasta sauce at the time the sauce is opened and warmed (with other rehydrated garden vegetables). Can this be done? If so, what is the water to chips ratio to rehydrate?

  6. Jennifer Jensen on May 13, 2019 at 8:47 am

    Hello Tanya,
    I’ve made Zucchini Chips twice now, and both times the lemon juice – seasoning mixture mixture pulls out so much liquid within in minutes of tossing together that it basically rinses most of the seasoning off the zucchini. I hand sprinkled seasoning and salt on my trays on my second batch because my first had very little flavor (seasoning). My second batch tastes much better, almost over seasoned. Do you find that the lemon juice and seasoning mixture pulls a lot of fluid into your bowl when you make this recipe, or do you think I could do something to improve coating the zucchini chips before placing them on the dehydrator sheets?
    Kind Regards,
    JJ

    • Tanya Krezevska on May 13, 2019 at 10:59 am

      Hi Jennifer! You are right. You can first sprinkle chips with salt (because it pulls out a lot of liquid from zucchini), then drain. Place zucchini rings on the tray, sprinkle with seasoning and drizzle with lemon juice. It should help to make them taste better.

  7. Lorie on March 27, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    How well does shredded zucchini rehydrate and at what ratio zucchini to water. For bread.

    • Tanya Krezevska on March 28, 2019 at 8:14 am

      Hi Lorie! The shredded zuccini rehydrate quite well. Just cover them with water and let to soak. When ready, drain the water and squize through cheesecloth.The amount of water needed for rehydration doesn’t metter in this case.

  8. Kaye Weinreich on August 19, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    Can you please post some recipes with the zucchini powder?

    • Tanya Krezevska on August 20, 2017 at 9:22 am

      Hi Kaye! You can find the curried zucchini soup recipe here: http://www.trail.recipes/recipes/curried-zucchini-soup/
      More recipes will come soon 🙂

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