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Dehydrating Beets:
Make Crispy Homemade Chips

Welcome to dehydrating beets: make crispy homemade chips!

Dehydrating beets is an easy way to preserve these nutritious root vegetables for long-term storage, too. Plus dried beets make a delicious and healthy snack (see my recipe for "Tasty Dehydrated Beet Chips").

Whole red beets in a dish
Photo by Annemarie Schaepman on Unsplash

You can dry beets using a food dehydrator, a regular oven, or the new kid on the block: an air fryer. Any of these machine-drying methods retain most of the beets' nutrients and leave you with crispy beet chips... or grind up the dried slices into a powder! More on that later.

Beet Nutrition Info.

VITAMINS: Folate (Vitamin B9), Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6.

MINERALS: An excellent source of Manganese, Potassium, and Iron, along with Magnesium and Copper.

Beets also contain nitrates, which may help lower blood pressure, and betalains, which are considered to contain powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. Beets also contain fiber. We need more fiber, folks!

Incorporating Beet Powder into Your Diet

I’ve found that beet powder is a super way to add extra nutrition to my meals. I've even sprinkled a dash of it into my morning smoothies for a color- and nutritional boost.

Beet powder works great in:

  • Smoothies
  • Soups and stews
  • Baked goods
  • Homemade energy bars

Linda M via Facebook says:

"I’ve even experimented with using beet powder as a natural food coloring in frostings and as a base for homemade makeup like blush and lip gloss. It’s a fun and healthy way to add some color to my life!"


Different Types of Beets

I always thought there was only one kind of beet, color-wise. I'm so used to buying canned pickled beets which I use in salads. But I discovered six varieties:

  1. Red Beets (Deep Red): The most common variety is a deep red or purple color with a sweet, earthy flavor AND are the ones most often pickled.
  2. Golden Beets: They are a bright yellow-orange color and have a milder, less earthy flavor than red beets. They're a little sweeter and less "beety" tasting.
  3. Chioggia Beets (Candy Cane Beets): They have a pink exterior with white and pink rings inside! They have a mild flavor and are slightly sweeter than red beets. Look how gorgeous they are sliced!
  4. White Beets: White or off-white in color. They are sweeter and less earthy than red beets. Use these in salads or for pickling.
  5. Cylindra Beets: Elongated shape (rather like a carrot). They are deep red in color and are good for slicing and canning.
  6. Baby Beets: Any variety harvested young - typically sweeter and more tender.

Each of these varieties can be used for dehydrating. Obviously, you'll get a color and subtle flavor difference with each. Golden beets are milder-tasting, while Chioggia beets make visually striking chips with their ring pattern - see the image below, courtesy of rareseeds.com.

Chioggia Beets - courtesy of rareseeds.comSource: rareseeds.com

Blanching Beets

Blanching beets before dehydrating helps preserve their color and reduces dehydrator-drying time. Slicing beets thinly and evenly gives good, consistent results.

When stored properly, dehydrated beets can last for months, making them a great pantry addition in an effort to keep your food pantry full.


A person with dehydrator, fresh food

Key Takeaways

  • Dehydrating beets preserves nutrients and extends their shelf life.
  • Various methods can be used to dry beets, including dehydrators, ovens - and even air fryers.
  • Proper preparation and storage are key when dehydrating beets.

Basics of Dehydrating Beets

Dehydrating beets is a simple process that preserves their nutrients and flavor. I’ll guide you through selecting the best beets and preparing them for dehydration.

Choosing the Right Beets

When picking beets for dehydration, choose firm, smooth-skinned roots without blemishes. Fresh beets are colorful and have crispy green tops. I prefer medium-sized beets as they’re easier to slice evenly!

Large beets often have woody centers, so I avoid those. If possible, I choose organic beets to minimize pesticide exposure. At the store, I gently squeeze each beet – it should feel solid with no soft spots.

To prepare beets for my food dehydrator, I start off by washing them thoroughly and scrubbing off any dirt with a vegetable brush, or a finger-nail cleaning brush.

How to Dehydrate Beets

SPECIAL NOTE for Steaming or Pre-Cooking ONLY

Trim off the tops and roots, leaving about an inch of stem to prevent color bleeding. What's that, you ask? It's when beets are raw, their colorful pigments can leak out so leaving a bit of the stem in place kind of keeps it sealed.

Also, keep a tad of the taproot in place. This ONLY applies if you're going to steam, or pre-cook the beets before drying. If you're drying your beets raw, then slice away as you would a potato. There is no need to keep a part of the stem or part of the taproot at the bottom.


Preparation Before Dehydration

Next, peel the beets using a vegetable peeler. For even drying, I slice them into 1/8-inch thick rounds using a mandoline or a sharp knife. (Amazon Affiliate link, thanks). Consistency in thickness is key for uniform dehydration so all the slices dry at the same rate.

Before loading my dehydrator trays, I blanch the beet slices in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. This helps preserve color and texture. After blanching, I immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Badia Complete seasoning bottle

IF you wish to season your chips with salt or your favorite seasoning - do it now.

I love Badia Complete which I put in just about every savory dish I make. It's readily available at your local supermarket. And probably Amazon has it. They have everything... sigh.

Drying Beets in a Dehydrator

  1. Prep as described above.
  2. Season as desired.
  3. Arrange them on your dehydrator trays, trying not to overlap the pieces.
  4. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions).
  • Fully dehydrated beets will be crisp and brittle when fully dried.
  • Drying time: between 16-20 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your dehydrator trays, for even drying.

Drying Beets in a Regular Oven

  • Preheat oven to 275°F.
  • Brush slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, as desired.
  • Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper without overlapping the slices) for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Note: Flip 'em over at the one-hour mark.

Beets are "done" when they're dry and crispy, with no moisture left.

Drying Beets in an Air Fryer

  • Slice the beets thinly, same as the other methods: 1/8" thick.
  • Toss slices with olive oil, and salt - if desired.
  • Preheat air fryer to 320°F
  • Arrange the slices in a SINGLE layer. Don't overcrowd. 
  • COOK the chips for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket every five minutes.

NOTE: This method is more for cooking than for dehydrating, IMHO. And keep an eye on them as you near the 20-minute mark as they can burn quickly in an air fryer.

Allow them to completely cool down so they'll crisp up even more!

Recipe Alert! Screenshot and Print this out:

Tasty Dehydrated BEET CHIPS Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 medium-sized beets
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Optional seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, or your favorite herb blend

Instructions:

  1. Wash and scrub the beets thoroughly.
  2. Peel the beets if desired (peeling is optional but can result in a more uniform texture).
  3. Slice the beets very thinly (about 1/8 inch thick) using a mandoline or sharp knife.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the beet slices with olive oil (if using), salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings.
  5. Arrange the beet slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays, making sure they don't overlap.
  6. Dehydrate at 125°F (52°C) for 8-12 hours, or until the chips are crispy and dry.
  7. Check the chips periodically and rotate trays if your dehydrator doesn't have a fan.
  8. Once fully dried and crispy, remove from the dehydrator and let cool completely.
  9. Store in an airtight container.

Dried beet chips in a rustic bowl on a kitchen countertop

Storage and Rehydration of Beets

Think about storing your dried beets in food vacuum sealer bags. Here's how. Or store them in Mason jars. Please add an oxygen absorber into the bag or jar before you draw the air out.

When you're ready to rehydrate your beets, it's easy. Just add them to cool clean drinking water until they are as plump as you want 'em - usually takes fifteen minutes to half an hour.

Some people like to use hot water... it's up to you. The thing is, I don't like to have stuff hanging around in hot/warm water because that's a breeding ground for germs. Just sayin'.

When they are rehydrated they are pretty much like the original inasmuch as they have retained most of their flavor and nutrients.

If you're adding beets to a soup or beef stew recipe, for instance, you can add the dried beets in directly, and they'll plump up in the recipe. You may need to add a little more stock (or water) to the recipe. Easy peasy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I dehydrate beets to make powder?

Follow the instructions as given earlier, allow to cool, and then grind into a fine powder using a blender, or a food processor.

What can I do with dehydrated beets?

Use dried beets in lots of ways! Add to recipes, and to smoothies for color. And "Linda M" on Facebook uses her powdered beets by adding a little to her homemade lip gloss, and blush, and to add a tad of color to her cake frostings.

Are dehydrated beet chips a healthy snack option?

Dehydrated beet chips are a nutritious snack and when dried, they do keep most of their nutrients and fiber, plus they are low in calories. However, I'm mindful of any added salt or oil when preparing them to keep them as healthy as possible.

Thanks for stopping by to learn how to dry beets. And now you know how to make crispy, homemade beet chips!

Don't forget to get your free "Six Simple Steps" eBook where I share how to dehydrate food safely!

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