Food dehydrators are incredible kitchen appliances. They have an extraordinary number of uses and as such are absolutely essential tools in any well-stocked kitchen! From the surprising cookies to jerky to the normal crackers and dried fruits, the range of possibilities is broad.
This appliance is particularly well-suited to individuals who like to eat healthy, but it actually has a use for many, many different circumstances. If you’re looking for a versatile, durable, and clever new ways to use your food dehydrator, check out this list for inspiration!
50+ Food Dehydrator Recipes
- Crunchy Sprouted Buckwheat Granola
Granola is pretty awesome. It’s a snack and dessert on its own, but it’s also a yogurt topping, pancake topping, and an essential component in any worthwhile trail mix. This sprouted buckwheat granola adds an extra punch of flavor and nutrition to your average granola!
- Raw Butternut Squash Cookies
Who knew that you could make cookies in a dehydrator? These raw butternut squash cookies incorporate all the nutrition of squash with the delicious flavor (and appearance) of an average cookie. This is a great healthy snack for you, your children, and your whole family!
- Dehydrated “Sun-Dried” Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are a fantastic addition to salads, pizzas, pasta, and more. And besides being great as a side or topping, they’re also a fun snack! Dehydrated “sun-dried” tomatoes are delicious and easy to make, and they’re definitely super affordable.
- Healthy Homemade Fruit Roll Ups
Fruit roll ups are a classic childhood snack that are as fun as they are flavorful. What’s better than a regular fruit roll up? A homemade, healthy, nutrient packed fruit roll up! Now you can savor the sweetness of a roll up while also knowing you’re getting plenty of nutrients.
- Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chips
Sweet potato chips, especially when made with a dehydrator, are definitely a fierce rival for the average potato chip. These chips have the perfect balance of salty and sweet, and as a bonus they pack in a bunch of extra nutrients, too!
- Dehydrated Raisins
Raisins, otherwise known as dried grapes, are one of the simplest recipes to make using a dehydrator. With so many diverse and delicious uses ranging from savory dishes to sweet treats, knowing how to dehydrate raisins is absolutely essential!
- Dehydrated Whole-Grain Crackers
Crackers are a fantastic food to be able to make in a dehydrator! Quick, simple, and tasty, these whole grain crackers are great for the whole family. Eat them plain as a snack or top them with peanut butter or cheese or eat them with your favorite chili soup recipe.
- Simple Homemade Dehydrated Beef Jerky
Of course, it’s no surprise that you can make beef jerky at home using a food dehydrator. Nothing tastes better than homemade beef jerky, and when it’s made in a dehydrator you can really preserve the delightful meaty flavors that everyone craves.
- Teriyaki Mushroom “Jerky”
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, chances are the idea of a jerky still appeals to you. Worry not! Check out this teriyaki mushroom “jerky” recipe to get a taste of meaty flavor without the meat. And, this mushroom recipe also is rich in vitamins and minerals!
- Dehydrated Apple Rings/Apple Chips
Dehydrated apple chips are pretty darn fun. They’re the perfect combination of crispy and chewy, and they’re surprisingly sweet! This is by far one of the simplest and most flavorful dehydrated fruit recipes that you can make with your dehydrator.
- Dehydrated Pumpkin Fruit Leather
If it’s fall or if you just really crave the flavors of fall (think pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove), then this dehydrated pumpkin fruit leather recipe is for you! It’s certainly one of the more unique recipes on this list, but it’s sure to become a favorite snack (or dessert!) in no time at all.
- Dehydrated Pickle Chips
This recipe is only for hardcore pickle lovers. While pickle chips might not be for everyone, for people who absolutely adore pickles these dehydrated pickle chips will hold a special place in their heart. Pickle chips are easy to make and fun to eat!
- Dehydrated Cauliflower “Popcorn”
Cauliflower is a surprisingly diverse vegetable, and this dehydrated cauliflower “popcorn” recipe goes to show just how creative you can get. Full of flavor as well as vitamins and minerals, if you’re looking for a healthy and fun movie night snack, look no further than this recipe here!
- Raw, Healthy Spicy Onion Rings
Onion rings are a delightful creation, but for the health nuts of the world, traditional deep fried onion rings simply aren’t an option. But now with this recipe for raw, healthy spicy onion rings, you can again enjoy the deliciousness of onion rings without worrying about the repercussions!
- Dehydrated Rosemary, Thyme, Lemon, and Garlic Herb Mix
Have you ever wanted to be able to make your very own spice mixes? This dehydrated spice mix recipe will give you a great working knowledge of how to dehydrate and mix spices to create delicious combos. And besides, this mix itself will definitely become one of your favorites!
- Italian Herb Rub
Making an Italian herb seasoning at home will fill your entire home with the decadent scent of a high-end Italian restaurant. Using a homemade Italian seasoning is one of the best contributions that you can make to any Italian dish. Fresh herbs are always a plus!
- Golden Flaxseed and Carrot Crackers
These crackers are super delicious and super healthy. Flaxseed is an incredible superfood, and when combined with carrots it also makes a great cracker! Golden flaxseed and carrot crackers are super easy to make and also a great snack or side for cheese dip, hummus, and more.
- Peanut Butter and Banana Graham Crackers
This recipe for peanut butter and banana graham crackers is sure to be a huge hit. A full snack in one easy to eat, crunchy package, these dehydrated crackers taste just as good as fresh bananas and peanut butter on top of a graham cracker!
- Green Juice Pulp Crackers
If you juice regularly, chances are good that you often have leftover pulp. Making this super healthy green juice pulp crackers is an excellent way to put that pulp to use and really make your fruits and veggies go the whole distance! These go great with all kinds of sauces and dips.
- Dehydrated Watermelon “Candy”
This dehydrated watermelon “candy” is as delicious as it is nutritious. For people who love a super healthy and tasty sweet treat, this is your go-to option! Best of all, it’s also incredibly easy and affordable because the recipe only calls for watermelon, nothing more!
- Raw Oatmeal Cashew Cookies
Yet another awesome dehydrated cookie recipe, raw cookies pack in a lot of nutrients without you even having to think about it. When you bite into one of these delicious cookies, all you’ll be thinking is “Yum”!
- Apricot Coconut Cookies
These delightful cookies include a protein boost that comes from nut butter while still maintaining a sweet, gooey texture that’s truly wonderful. Because these are dehydrated cookies, that means they’re also “raw”, and therefore amazingly healthy!
- Dehydrated Healthy Strawberry Twizzlers
While not everyone adores twizzlers, those who do swear by them. But what if you love twizzlers but you’re trying to eat healthy? Don’t worry! These dehydrated strawberry twizzlers are to the rescue. Pure fruit filled with nutrients, this is a snack you can feel good about.
- Traditional Pemmican Savory Protein Bar
Pemmican is a traditional Native American food that is designed to be high protein and to have high nutrient content. It’s sometimes called a survival food for this reason. This traditional protein bar is great for hiking, long days of heavy labor, or just for when you need a boost!
- No Bake Dehydrated Granola Bars
Granola bars are a tasty afternoon snack, but unfortunately for healthy eaters it’s gradually becoming more and more difficult to find a granola bar that’s honestly healthy. But now, you can make your own granola bars at home easily using this simple dehydrator recipe!
- Tasty Dehydrated Beet Chips
Making vegetable chips in a dehydrator is a pretty obvious choice. With so many different veggies to choose from, it can be difficult to make your first Chip Choice though! These dehydrated beet chips are a great place to start since dehydrated beets are easy to make.
- Healthy Potato Chips
Potato chips are a tasty and fun snack, but the traditional fried potato chips aren’t especially healthy. But when you make dehydrated potato chips, you can feel good about this snack! Top with some salt and toss with extra virgin olive oil to add the classic salty taste.
- Clever Cantaloupe “Chips”
Although cantaloupe might be a surprising fruit to make into a “chip”, these cantaloupe chips are super sweet and also delicious! Dehydrated melon is a great snack, almost like nature’s candy. Whether you’re trying to eat better or get your kids to eat more fruit, these chips are your friend.
- Dehydrated Cinnamon Apple Chips
Dehydrated cinnamon apple chips are a classic dehydrated snack. Chewy, sweet, and cinnamon-y, these “chips” are a great lunch time side, dessert, or afternoon snack! And, best of all, they are super easy and super affordable to make.
- Dehydrated Tomato Soup Mix
This dehydrated tomato soup mix is a great recipe for busy people who need a quick lunch or dinner time option that will be ready in minutes. While it takes a bit of time to actually dehydrate the ingredients, once they’re prepared the soup mix only needs hot water to be ready to eat!
- Dehydrated Pumpkin Powder/Pumpkin Flour
Dehydrated pumpkin powder/pumpkin flour is a recipe that’s great for storing great, healthy pumpkin flavor after the pumpkin season is over. If you ever crave pumpkin bread or pumpkin spice smoothies when it’s not fall, just add in some of this homemade pumpkin powder!
- Sprouted Grain Flour Superfood Mix
This is another food prep recipe that’s fantastic for health food nuts. Sprouted grains are well known for their spectacular nutrient content, so making this sprouted grain flour superfood mix in advance ensures that all your flour-based foods you make will be nutrient rich!
- Dehydrated Plums (Prunes)
Dehydrated plums, otherwise known as prunes, are extraordinarily easy to make and are both fun to eat and also quite healthy. They have a number of uses and are a great salad topper or afternoon snack. Making them fresh is even better than store bought!
- Homemade Sweet Stevia Powder
Stevia is a natural, plant-based sweetener that’s affordable and accessible. If you’re able to buy fresh stevia leaves or even grow a stevia plant at home, dehydrating the leaves means that you can make your very own homemade stevia powder!
- Super Healthy Blueberry Cookies
These dehydrated blueberry cookies only require three ingredients, all of which are fresh! The raisins in this recipe can even be dehydrated at home, too! Delicious and healthy, blueberry cookies are sure to become a staple in your diet, especially if you love blueberries.
- Dehydrated Ranch Carrot Chips
These ranch carrot chips require very little prep time and can keep fresh for quite some time. They make a great addition to salads, snacks, or a dinner time side. Crunchy, flavorful, and affordable, you’ll love these carrot sticks!
- Dehydrated Yogurt Leather
“Leather” is a popular snack to make using a dehydrator. This yogurt leather is as clever as it is yummy, and it also is a great way to stockpile yogurt over time. Chewy, soft, and indeed “leather-y”, dehydrated yogurt leather is a fun and creative dehydrator recipe!
- Super Simple Homemade Banana Chips
Banana chips are a classic dehydrator recipe and no list of food dehydrator recipes would be complete without at least one banana chips recipe! These chips are one of the easiest to make dehydrator “chips” and they’re fantastic as a snack or as a yogurt or dessert topping!
- Taco or Curry Spiced Plantain Chips
Plantain chips are very similar to banana chips in texture, but their flavor is more potato-like and savory. Thus, these taco or curry spiced plantain chips are a great, simple savory snack that’s easy to take on the go1
- DIY Chipotle Peppers
Chipotle peppers are traditionally dried jalapeño peppers that have been sun dried outdoors for days, creating a rich flavor. But if you’re craving some awesome chipotle flavor and want to make some of your own peppers, it’s just as easy and effective to use a dehydrator!
- Dehydrated Broccoli or Cauliflower Rice
This recipe for dehydrated broccoli or cauliflower rice is specifically designed to be a perfect way to store vegetables for later use. Making broccoli or cauliflower into dried “rice” is an ideal way to add in extra nutrients to a speedy and healthy late night meal after a day of working.
- Dehydrated Cheese Powder
Cheese powder has a wide variety of applications, not the least of which is in meals like mac n’cheese or cheesy Mexican dipping sauce! If you want to be able to save some delicious cheese for later, make this dehydrated cheese powder so you can always have some on hand.
- Dehydrated Celery Pieces
Celery makes a fantastic addition to any soup, from a classic chili to tomato soup and grilled cheese, celery can add in a great boost of fresh flavor! If you have dehydrated celery pieces available in your kitchen, it’s easy to add in that great flavor quickly and efficiently any time.
- Dehydrated Bread for Breadcrumbs
If you find yourself regularly needing breadcrumbs for various recipes, but you want to be able to make your own at home, then this is the dehydrator recipe for you! Homemade breadcrumbs are incredibly easy to make if you have access to a dehydrator first, so get started!
- Orange Creamsicle Fruit Leather
Orange creamsicle flavor is one that is liked primarily by a certain subset of people, but for those who love this flavor it’s a true delight! This orange creamsicle fruit leather makes it possible to enjoy the flavor in a healthy, simple, and travel-friendly way.
- Raw and Healthy Mexican Corn Chips
Mexican corn chips are essential for guacamole, cheese dips, and of course traditional salsas! They can also be used in taco salads and as a topping for chili soup. These raw and healthy Mexican corn chips are sure to become a staple in your healthy eating routine!
- Super Delicious Dehydrated Raspberries
Raspberries have the perfect balance of sweet and sour and are accented by that rich, wonderful red color that many have come to love. These simple dehydrated raspberries are great on their own, but they also make an awesome addition to yogurts or dessert toppings.
- Dehydrated Rhubarb “Candy”
Rhubarb may not be everyone’s favorite food, but it is certainly a sweet treat when made into these dehydrated “candies”! This is an amazingly simple recipe that’s both beautiful and flavorful, the perfect combination for a healthy fruit candy made using a dehydrator.
- Dehydrated Jalapeño Peppers
Dehydrated jalapeño peppers are different from chipotle peppers, but they pack a lot of flavor into one small package! If you enjoy being able to use your dehydrator to dry and store ingredients for later, this recipe is a great one to follow to make spice mixes, for example.
- Dehydrated Orange Slices AKA Crispy Orange Chips
While dehydrated oranges might be a somewhat surprising snack, these orange “chips” taste like little pieces of orange candy! Plus, this is a great way to stockpile some vitamin C for the winter to keep your immunity high and your body in good health.
- Parmesan Garlic Zucchini Chips
Zucchini chips by themselves may be a bit bland, but when combined with this spectacular mix of garlic and parmesan they become the ideal side dish addition to a meal of pasta or pizza! And, as an added bonus, they’re pretty to look at and have a pleasant crunchy texture.
- Year-Round Caramel Apple Chips
Caramel apples are a staple of autumn and the holiday season, and a lot of people spend the year looking forward to making these decadent treats. But what if you could make and preserve the caramel apple flavor for the rest of the year? This recipe does just that!
- Dried Lemon Peel
Dried lemon peel is an essential ingredient in many spice mixes, especially those used in French and Italian cuisine. This homemade dried lemon peel will help you make delicious spice mixes that are as affordable as they are flavorful.
- Tasty Dehydrated Yogurt Drops
Similar to the earlier mentioned dehydrated yogurt leather, these yogurt drops pack in a whole bunch of sweetness and flavor into each bite! Dehydrated yogurt drops go great with smoothies, salads, or just as a snack or lunch time side. Pick the right yogurt flavor and you have a dessert!
- Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Popcorn
Once again cauliflower masquerades as a fun and flavorful alternative to grains. For people on special diets that restrict grain consumption, cauliflower is sure to become a best friend. This recipe for spicy buffalo cauliflower popcorn is yummy, but it’s also healthy!
Conclusion
This list is only the start of a much longer (almost infinite) list of food dehydrator recipe possibilities. There are so many delicious recipes out there to begin with, but the options multiply when you have access to a food processor and, of course, a good imagination.
With some thought and consideration you can make so many flavorful, healthy, simple foods for your food dehydrator! For health nuts and decadent dessert lovers alike, there’s a recipe (or more than one) for everyone. If you don’t already have a dehydrator, now’s the time to get on!
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