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
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.
Step 2
In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, garlic, seasoning mix and sea salt.
Step 3
Toss zucchini with lemon juice mixture. Stir until thoroughly coated.
Step 4
Spread zucchini rounds in a single layer on dehydrator mesh tray.
Step 5
Dehydrate at 135F/57C for 6-12 hours until crispy. Store chips in an airtight container in a dark, cool place.
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.
Step 2
Squeeze out excess water from zucchini. Spread on dehydrator tray lined with non-stick sheets or parchment paper.
Step 3
Dehydrate at 135F/57C for 6-12 hours until the shreds are totally dried out and crunchy.
How To Make Zucchini Powder (Flour)
To make a zucchini flour, grind slices or shreds in a coffee grinder/food processor into a powder.
Wjy do they turn brown while drying?
Where do you dry them? In oven or in dehydrator? What marinade do you use?
Do you know if the zucchini will rehydrate well as a cold soak?
Almost all food are possible to rehydrate with cold soak, but it takes a bit longer.
How long will dehydrated zucchini last?
Hi Maria! If zucchini dehydrated and stored properly, they can last up to 1 year.
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!
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?
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
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.
How well does shredded zucchini rehydrate and at what ratio zucchini to water. For bread.
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.
Can you please post some recipes with the zucchini powder?
Hi Kaye! You can find the curried zucchini soup recipe here: http://www.trail.recipes/recipes/curried-zucchini-soup/
More recipes will come soon 🙂