Did someone leave a large zucchini on your front porch? Have you made all kinds of zucchini bread and still have some left over? I've got you! We're taking fresh zucchini, adding my favorite spices and sauces, and making the best-dehydrated zucchini chips.
I was really impressed with how quickly I was able to get these going, and it has changed the game for me when it comes to this summer squash. The best part is that you got crispy chips, which are healthy too!
Are you ready to make some easy veggie snacks? Grab your favorite spice blend, and let's do this!
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS!
This is a great recipe because it is flexible, you're only limited by what's in your pantry! It gives us an opportunity to reduce food waste and is an excellent recipe for short-term food preservation. Lastly, it is an easy way to use up all that extra zucchini in your garden.
EQUIPMENT
- baking sheet: if you don't have a dehydrator and end up using your oven, a cookie sheet will be the best bet to make these chips.
- a mandolin slicer: the key is to get thin slices and some crispy homemade chips! This tool will do that! Just make sure you have a mandolin glove to prevent any accidents.
- airtight jar: I know these chips aren't gonna last very long in your house they certainly didn't with mine but it's important to store your leftovers in a glass jar or a storage baggie to make sure they stay good and crispy
- Parchment paper: this may be an optional piece of equipment but if you are flavoring these slices with any sort of liquid having these on parchment will make a clean-up a breeze.
- Sharp knife: if you don't have access to a mandolin slicer, having a really sharp knife and a keen eye is going to ensure that you have good thin slices.
- Food processor: depending on if you are using a seasoning from your spice cabinet or making a spice blend on the fly you might even want to get your food processor out in the mix.
Ingredients
- A medium-sized zucchini: n late summer and early fall, zucchini are most prolific, even garnering a national holiday for those who decide to leave their extra vegetables with their neighbors and friends. Outside of this. Zucchini are generally found year-round and most conventional grocery stores but check your farmers market when they're in season as if they're grown locally and will be pretty fresh.
- Seasonings: the options for flavoring these chips depend on what flavors you enjoy. If you'd like spicy you can top them with a little bit of chili powder or if you would like a savory you could add some garlic or onion powder.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
I've included a couple of different ways to dry these veggie chips as not everyone has a separate food dehydrator. The dehydrating process can vary and depends on the climate, humidity, and how thick you cut your zucchini rounds.
Prep your zucchini
The first step is to wash zucchini and trim off any brown beds or dark spots.
With a sharp knife or mandolin slice zucchini into thin rounds, taking care to stay consistent.
Seasoning
if you are seasoning your zucchini, sprinkle on your spice blends one slice at a time for use wide bowl or storage bag to fully incorporate the flavors onto the vegetables. For liquids and sauces, pour some into a small wide dish and dip them one at a time.
Pro Tip: When pre-seasoning dehydrated food, add your flavors sparingly especially if there was anything with salt. Since we are removing the water content, the end result is going to be a lot saltier or more intense in flavor. I recommend to season lightly for your first batch so that you have a baseline and can adjust from there based on your preferences.
Food Dehydrator
Take your zucchini slices. on dehydrator trays in a single layer, ensuring plenty of space between them.
It's a good idea to add a mesh sheet under the tray, so they don't fall into the bottom of the dehydrator as they start to shrink.
set your dehydrator to 135°F and Letty dehydrator run between six and eight hours. After eight hours check
Oven Drying
Take your sliced zucchini and place them on the sheet tray lined with parchment paper and take care to not overcrowd the tray so there's plenty of room for them to try out. Turn your oven on to the lowest setting and place your tray in there and check on it every couple of hours until they look and feel dry. One tip when drying in the oven is to prop the oven door and keep the oven door slightly ajar as it will help keep the temperature help the temperature stay low.
Conditioning dehydrated zucchini
The cook time on oven-dried zucchini really depends on the weather and humidity. Once your zucchini come down to room temperature, store them in glass jars (a mason jar will do) or an airtight container for a few days. Shake the jar a couple of times daily to ensure no residual moisture or mold. You might face longer drying times and hotter weather depending on your home. Then store in an airtight container for a week.
Serving Suggestions
These crispy veggie snacks are great on their own but if you're looking to pair them I can see this going really well with a creamy onion dip or salsa. Ultimately I'd say they are a great snacking chip, especially where you can load up on seasonings.
Spices and spice blend suggestions
- Chili powder
- Apple cider vinegar and honey: these fire cider vinegar zucchini chips
- Pumpkin Spice or Cinnamon Sugar
- Ranch Dressing: parmesan cheese garlic powder
- Sour Cream & Onion
Storage
This recipe may allow your raw zucchini to stay at room temperature. However, it's not one for storing for a long time. For best results keeping your chips in a sealed container is essential. Keep these in a dark place and out of direct light.
📖 Recipe
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