Dehydrating Cucumbers & Make Cucumber Powder
Today it is all about how to dehydrate cucumbers. I’m updating this post today because I want people to know how to dehydrate cucumbers and make powder. I taught several dehydrating classes right here in St. George, Utah at a local kitchen store years ago. It was so fun to hear the people talk about what they have been dehydrating.
I love the fact that I can dehydrate most fruits and veggies when my garden is overloaded. Sometimes I purchase more veggies at the grocery store than is feasible to eat in the short term and they just sit in the refrigerator. Dehydrating fruits and vegetables are awesome to use in the winter long after they were harvested. This is why dehydrating them is a perfect way to fill our pantry.
I have decided I need to start dehydrating them when that happens so they don’t go to waste. Here’s another way to enjoy those cucumbers, Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Dehydrate Cucumbers
I snack on these and throw them into salads, with no chemicals or preservatives. Just slice and dehydrate. They are ready for a snack, camping, or a salad.
Step One
You can slice the fresh cucumbers with a knife evenly or use a Salad Shooter like this one: Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer/Shredder
Step Two
Now, you spread the freshly ssliced cucumbers evenly over your dehydrating racks. My whole house smells like cucumbers, it smells wonderful.
Step Three
Place the racks into your dehydrator, my Excalibur states we need to set the temperature at 125 degrees. Today these took about 4-5 hours. The drying time will always depend on the humidity in the room where you are drying your food.
Step Four
Check the product from time to time and remove it when ready.
How To Condition Your Fruit or Vegetables
If you live where it is HUMID: “To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for 7 to 10 days. The excess moisture in some pieces will be absorbed by the drier pieces. Shake the jars daily to separate the pieces and check the moisture condensation.” https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html
I live in the DRY DESERT: I set my fruit and vegetables on my countertop for 5-7 days. Ten days is even better to make sure everything is dry before using your FoodSaver unit.
How Do I Use Dehydrated Cucumbers?
1. They make a healthy snack
2. Puree the dried cucumbers into a salad dressing
3. Throw some into any fresh garden salad-they add some yummy crunchiness
4. Perfect for your morning smoothies
5. They make a great soup add-on
Amazing Health Benefits Of Cucumbers:
- High in antioxidants
- They have anti-inflammatory properties-they help cool inflammation in our bodies
- Can manage stress because they are high in multiple B vitamins like B1, B5, and B7
- Fiber-rich and make you feel full longer
- Cucumbers are made up of about 95% water so fresh cucumbers are a great food to help us stay hydrated
- Place a slice in your mouth-they may help get rid of odor-causing mouth bacteria
Which Dehydrator Should I buy?
Decide what size dehydrator will work for your family. I bought the 9-tray with a timer because I knew it would last me for years. I like having a timer because I can set the timer and go to bed and it turns off automatically.
Some people only need a four-tray. Once you start dehydrating, trust me you will never waste food again. This is the one I have: Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator, Black
Here are a few other choices that work great: Excalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator, Black
(has a timer). This one is great but does not have a timer but is still a great machine: Excalibur 2400 4-Tray Economy Dehydrator, Black
I know several people who love their Nesco, they are cheaper and work great for them.
How To Make Cucumber Powder
You just need some dehydrated cucumbers to make cucumber powder. This is another way to preserve those fresh cucumbers. Dehydrate them and then make powder.
I use my blender or my Magic Bullet to grind the dehydrated cucumbers into powder. I store the powder in jars such as shown or small mason jars with my favorite Ball White Lids.
It’s so simple and takes up very little space in your pantry. Please remember, do not use your FoodSaver because the powder may be sucked up into the accessory hose and damage your unit.
Dehydrated Cucumbers
- 1-6 washed, sliced cucumbers
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This recipe is for any amount of cucumbers that you want to dehydrate. It is very simple and easy to dehydrate cucumbers. Wash, dry, and slice your cucumbers and place them on your dehydrator racks. No chemicals, no blanching, nothing to do but slice them. This is an easy way to use up excess cucumbers in your garden or your refrigerator. They are yummy to munch on or add to a fresh garden salad. I set my Excalibur Dehydrator set at 125 degrees. **with the humidity today it took about 4 hours to dehydrate them. The dehydrating time will always depend on the humidity in the room where you are drying them. Dry them until they are leathery.
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When you need some cucumber powder you use your blender to pulverize the dehydrated cucumbers.
Here are the other Dehydrating Posts I have done:
- Dehydrating Apples
- Dehydrating Bananas
- Dehydrating Blackberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Blueberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Cilantro
- Dehydrating Cucumbers and Powder
- Dehydrating Ginger and Powder
- Dehydrating Green Onions and Powder
- Dehydrating Kale and Kale Powder
- Dehydrating Kiwi
- Dehydrating Lemons and Powder
- Dehydrating Marshmallows
- Dehydrating Peppermint Marshmallows and Powder
- Dehydrating Mushrooms and Mushroom Powder
- Dehydrating Onions and Powder
- Dehydrating Pears
- Dehydrating Pineapple
- Dehydrating Raspberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Spinach and Powder
- Dehydrating Strawberries
- Dehydrating Tomatoes and Powder
- Dehydrating Watermelon
Final Word
Please let me know if you dehydrate cucumbers, I love to hear from you. This is one more way to preserve food from our garden or from a Farmer’s Market or even the grocery store. Please stay well, stay safe, and keep prepping. May God bless this world, Linda
I’ve always been interested in dehydrating food. Is there a particular model of the Excalibur Dehydrator you recommend? And where can I buy one? Thanks!
Hi Kay, I recommend an Excalibur with a timer. You can buy them on Amazon and most kitchen stores. Look for the size that works for you. You can buy small ones with 4 trays up to 9 trays. I will go put some at the bottom of post. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs! Linda
This is a totally new-to-me vegetable to dehydrate – but you can be sure I will, in my 1980’s model, rebuilt Excalibur. I love this machine! A question about the texture when hydrated – how well does the skin hydrate? I have dried zucchini and the skin has been really tough while the flesh was mushy. I guess the best way to learn is to try it, huh! Thank you for your awesome blog. I discovered it recently, and have looked forward to learning something PRACTICAL every day!
Hi Elaine, I love hearing your Excalibur was rebuilt! They rock those machines! I make sure when I am dehydrating the veggies that they are fresh because sometimes as we all know they can become quite bitter. I dry them until they are leatherly (somewhat pliable). Not brittle but not mushy either. I love to make powder with them to sneak in more veggies wherever I can. Blessings, Linda
What an unusual idea, never considered dehydrating cucumbers,,, And you make it look easy… I have had a dehydrator for some time now,,, I just have not been motivated to use it… Will have to try this…
Hi Karen, you would love it because you can make a powder with them and sneak in more veggies wherever we think of to add them! Linda
I love dehydrating fruits and vegetables, but I never tried cucumbers! They are coming into their own here right now, so I’ll be trying this out! I love to dehydrate onions – slice with my V-slicer, separate the rings (otherwise it takes forever for them to dehydrate) and 24 hours later, they are ready! I crumble them up when I put them in the Ziploc bag so I get more in there, but you could keep the rings intact. I need to be bold and try Christy Jordan’s (southernplate.com) dehydrated ground beef!!!
Hi Susan, I love dehydrating everything I can get my hands on too! I love doing onions! I will have to check out the dehydrated hamburger…not sure I could do that one! LOL! Linda
I bought mine through Kohls with a 30% discount
Hi Jan, thanks for the tip on the 30% discount a Kohl’s. I am going to post that, thank you! Linda
My Excalibur is like yours, but white. I’ve dehydrated thinly sliced radishes before. I put the slices in water that had a little lemon juice and salt though until I was ready to drain them and lay the out on the nine trays. I dehydrated them until they could be made into powder. My husband likes sprinkling the radish powder on salads or in some of his sandwiches. I don’t care for radishes myself. I need to try doing the dehydrating to cucumbers though.
Lauralee, oh my gosh, I have got to try radishes! I love this idea! I love radishes if they are not too hot! Thanks for this great tip! Linda
I have cucumbers in dehydrator right now. Thank you for good ideas for uses. I have recipe for refrigerator pickles made from dehydrated cucumbers that I want to try too. Always a challenge as to how to use all the cucumbers when the garden comes in. Have had my Excalibur for years but mostly used it for dying herbs. This year thinking of other uses. I usually freeze from garden as I don’t pressure can. But dehydration seems to be a good alternative.
Hi Kathy, I totally agree with you on all the cucumbers from the garden! LOL! Let me know how your refrigerator pickles turn out, I would love to hear! The Excalibur dehydrators just keep on running, great investment! Hugs, Linda
Once my cucumber chips are dehydrated what is the best way to store them for winter? I’m still picking fresh ones so I would like to store the chips for a few months.
I store mine in quart jars and remove the air with my FoodSaver. They will last about a 6-9 months because they are not commercially preserved. I love them!
Hi, Linda…
I’ve been reading a few recipes for dehydrated cucumbers and came across yours. I love this idea!! Some of the recipes say that they’ll be leathery when done. Do you go further and go to crispy? I’m looking for crunchy, salty alternatives to potato chips… Must. Lose. Weight! LOL… I’m just thinking that leathery wouldn’t work, because I want the crunch.
Hi Christine, mine are crunchy. I need crunchy too! I hear you! Linda
I only Have a 4 tray Nesco , I’ve had for Years used it pretty Steady for the “Normal” things …
But This Year I’ve Been Putting It Thru Its Paces.
One Of My Favorite things to Dehydrate is a Half A Jar Of Ragu (Use to Mold In Fridge)
An Empty Nest is No Reason to Let food Go To waste You NEVER Know When You May Need It!
I Love this Idea…Can,t take Cumbers in salad, but love them in my Water so they will Flavor my H2O all winter long
Winter Is A Great time to Run your Dehydrator ..
Hi Mark, I love that tip on the leftover Ragu! I freeze mine, but I like the idea of dehydrating it! Thank you! Linda
How long will dehydrated cucumbers last if left in an unsealed mason jar?
Hi Vicki, I would say six months at best. I only use them to add crunch to a salad or grind them to make a cucumber olive oil salad dressing. When we dehydrate food ourselves it has a very short shelf life. I dehydrate them when I have a surplus and eat them as snacks too! Have fun, they are a great snack! Linda
I’m thinking dehydrated cucumbers would be great for ‘chip’ and dip(?). Are they crunchy enough?
Hi, Julie, you would probably have to slice them fairly thick or they would crumble. They are great for salads or making salad dressing but they are so thin they would crumble when scooping up the dip. You could try slicing them thicker, it’s the crumbling I would be worried about. Linda
I have an Excalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator, Black. I live in the very humid south. Most days are 90% humidity. How much extra time should I allow for food to be crispy? I have tried cucumbers, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. They never seem to reach that hard crispy state. I do not get moisture when I put them in zip lock bags so they are dehydrated , just not like I would like them to be
Hi, Gail, that’s a hard one for me because I have never lived in a humid location. It’s hard one even for me here living in the desert. Some cucumbers are moister than others and some are not so much. It’s all trial and error based on the room we have dehydrated them in. I just turn the thing back on until they food I’m drying is to my liking. Don’t you just love that Excalibur? It’s the best one on the market. Linda
I just recently received a dehydrator for a gift. I have done kale, and apples…I thought I would try zucchini today…so all set, sliced, slightly salted, in the machine looking all yummy and healthy…I took a picture, texted it to my friend who replied….”Isn’t that cucumbers?” Checked my receipt…Yes! I bought cucumbers…so it is nice to see that it will be all right! and edible!
Hi D, oh my gosh, I love it! The cucumbers make great snacks when dehydrated!! Have fun dehydrating, it’s so fun! Linda
New to hydrating how do you make your cucumber and oil dressing
Hi Ray, I make a simple salad dressing with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or Balsamic vinegar) and add salt and pepper. If you want a different flavor you can add a few finely crushed dehydrated cucumbers. I hope you like it, my family loves it. Linda
Thanks Linda will try this
After doing many searches for a dehydrator, I finally settled on a commercial model with 10 trays which I found at WebstaurantStore.com. Here is the link: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/avantco-cfd10-ten-rack-stainless-steel-food-dehydrator-with-removable-door-1000w/177CFD10.html I have made a lot of beef jerky in this machine and it works very well & it’s less expensive than the Excalibur. I haven’t had it but for maybe 4 months, so I still look up how to dehydrate certain things cause I’m new at this, but love that I have found you for advice and uses for my dried goods. What do you suggest as the best storage for them? So far, I’ve been putting things in Mason jars and using my food saver to pull the air out.
Hi Janet, oh my gosh!!!! I LOVE this dehydrator! I would have bought that one for sure!! It’s stainless steel, it has ten trays and a timer. The price is fantastic and the reviews are awesome! This is for sure a REALLY good purchase! I use mason jars and my FoodSaver to remove the air. I do not use oxygen absorbers because I try to eat the fruit and vegetables within a year. After taking my Master Preserver and Canning Certificate class I learned what I had assumed. The food we process ourselves is good for about a year. This works for me because I can dehydrate the vegetables I need from my garden and use them within a year. I also buy vegetables that I can use in soups that are frozen and are on sale to dehydrate rather than storing them in my freezer. Oh, I love that you bought this one!! It’s amazing, have fun dehydrating!!! Linda
While the freezer is still a great place to keep foods, I like the fact that dehydrated food in jars means using shelves as storage which can potentially be much more than your freezer can hold plus if the power goes out, you’re good and set with a supply of edibles.
Second thing is that I notice everybody keeps coming back to using dried and powdered food in soups, breads, muffins, to make dips, energy bars or as seasoning.
I really need to get one for our kitchen. That and a Food Saver and jars. I think canning is great, but too much for us here to handle…. at least initially.
Hi Frank, I totally agree with you. This is why I have a few dozen dehydrated posts coming up. I really believe we need to dehydrate our food and put less in the freezer. We can do this, Frank, Linda
That would be great Linda. Here is a webpage or website that has a few reviews of the various FoodSaver models and one by Ziploc.
https://sealthatfood.com/foodsaver-v2244-advanced-design-vacuum-sealer-review/
I don’t know where the line is between occasional or light use and heavy use occurs, but even an inexpensive one would be useful and allow us to get started. I kind of lean towards the portable, battery powered units marketed towards hunters. Of course batteries and a charger (solar or a solar panel) would have to be part of the purchase plan. Kohls is pricey and they only had one model tonight, but my local Academy Sports sells a few models and they have reasonable prices and lots of sales. I’m still reviewing different models.
What I really need help with is picking out an appliance that can grind foods and even turn them to powder. I’d like to process wheat into flour and make dehydrated, powdered foods, herbs and seasonings. Maybe you can address a simple and effective setup. And I’m considering a butter churn or the ability to make butter at home.
Hi Frank, that $49.00 FoodSaver has an accessory port and you need that to seal mason jars. That’s an awesome price. I use my Magic Bullet to grind dehydrated food into powder or my blender. They would not be good for wheat grinding. Linda
Hi! I’m SO glad I found your site! I’ve never dehydrated food, but I’ve been thinking about ways to keep produce on hand since I can’t shop like I used to. So, at the risk of wearing out my welcome: Are nutrients lost in the dehydration process? Do rehydrated onions & bell peppers get mushy? Any idea abt dimensions of small dehydrator? Why do you use plastic mason jar lids? Thank you.
I hope you can find a dehydrator, they are in short supply. I only dehydrate what I can use in one year. The onions and bell peppers are used in cooking, soups, stews, omelets, they are not good for salads. I use the white Ball lids because they are easy to use. If I want to store them for up to a year, I use my FoodSaver to seal the lids. Linda
Ohhh! I love this! I have never considered dehydrating cucumbers. I’m going to try this! Cucumbers are my favorite! Thank you sooo much for sharing!❤️
Hi Camille, they work great as chips or use them in salads. The powder can be used in meals to make them healthier. Linda
I love this! I just moved and I plan on learning how to dehydrate cucumbers. Thanks for the tutorial.
Hi Jess, you are so welcome. They make a great snack for the family! Plus they taste great in salads! Linda
Yes thank you good information. But quick question I saw but don’t remember where or even mentioned that you could re hydrate cucumber slices and they would be crisp close to fresh sliced. I have racked my brain how to do this. Possibly use pickle crisp. Maybe even salting them and letting them sit and rinse and dehydrate. Have you ever heard of this. I so would love to have some forever winter to re hydrate and use in a salad. Thank you so much!!
Hi Patricia, it was not me, I wish it was true we could rehydrate cucumbers to their original crisp state! We would be millionaires if it were true. I used to use something to make my homemade canned pickles stay crisp but only when making pickles. Good luck, Linda
How long will the dehydrated cucumber powder last in a vacuum seal jar. I do a lot of dehydrating and today I am trying cucumbers.
Hi Ida, because it’s not commercially processed it will be good for one year if sealed properly. The plan for home canning and dehydrating is to grow for one year, preserve it, eat it, and start the process again each year. Linda
Hi Linda! Thank you for your post! I was given a big bag of “regular” cucumbers (not the long English ones and not canning pickles). I plan to slice them thinly and try out the Nesco dehydrator I’ve had for probably 20 years and hardly ever use. I live in the south and it is currently 94 percent humidity at 8:00 in the morning. I realize that this will probably be an all-day affair. Once they’re done and cooled, I plan to put them in half pint Mason jars to use as snacks (Empty Nesters) recognizing that once the jar is opened moisture will be available and they won’t last long after that. I plan to shake them daily for about a week to verify they are totally dry. After all that, here’s my question: I have the Food Saver attachment to remove air from jars. I have also bought some oxygen absorbers. Do I remove the air from the jar immediately upon sealing or after they’ve sat for a week as an extra precaution? Any need for the absorbers? Also, please let me know if you seen any other problems with my plan. Thanks so much! Blessings, Teresa
Hi Teresa, this is in the post, it may help you: If you live where it is HUMID: “To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for 7 to 10 days. The excess moisture in some pieces will be absorbed by the drier pieces. Shake the jars daily to separate the pieces and check the moisture condensation.” https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html
I live in Utah and do not use any oxygen absorbers or silica gel packets. It’s a personal preference for me. BUT, because you live in the south, I would contact your local state extension service. They will be the experts for your climate area. Linda