How to Make Zucchini Chips in a Dehydrator

Let's dive into this recipe on how to make zucchini chips in a dehydrator! This covers everything from slicing zucchini to how to make these veggie chips salty and crispy, to what you need to know about dehydrators.

Why you will love this recipe:

• Flavorful: Zucchini chips are versatile (that's why they are one of my favourite vegetables). You can make these chips with salt for a classic taste or add spices to make your favourite flavour, either way, they are healthy yet so tasty!
• Easy: Zucchini is somewhat easy to grow; therefore, I often have extra zucchini in summer so I can make these chips, or these awesome bran zucchini muffins. The hardest part in making dehydrator zucchini chips is waiting a long time (aka 7-9 hours) for the dehydrator to do its part.
• Healthy: These veggie chips are low-carb; there is no dairy or gluten is needed to make this recipe. Zucchini is nutrient-dense and a wholesome alternative to your favourite potato chips.
• Raw recipe: Because this recipe use a dehydrator instead of an oven a lot of the nutrition stays in the zucchini chips because of the low heat. Some would call these 'raw zucchini chips'.

Ingredients for Homemade Zucchini Chips

These zucchini chips are a great, simple snack if you don't want to buy too many ingredients. All you really need is zucchini; then use whatever spices are in your pantry!

• Fresh zucchini: Look for a medium-sized zucchini for this recipe; you are going to make rounds with it. Zucchini can be replaced with other summer squash (crookneck, yellow straight neck, chayote, but not pattypan because it will be hard to get even slices) for a very similar chip. You can make these chips with yellow or green zucchini. A large zucchini will have more liquid or water content and take longer to dry out. I like to use the small and medium ones.
• Oil: I like to use olive oil; however, you could also use grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil in a pinch. You only need a little, or else the chips don't dry as well.
• Sea salt: I like to only cook with pure fine sea salt because it's not extra processed; it's just dried, and it's high in minerals. You can also use the same amount of regular salt if you don't have sea salt.
• Optional - Other spices: You get to choose what flavor of zucchini chips to make: fresh garlic, or garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes or sesame seeds.

Flavor variations

I like to make the first batch with sea salt and the second batch with a fun flavour. Here are some great options and examples of what you can do!

• Parmesan cheese: Toss the sliced zucchini with parmesan cheese before dehydrating!
• Salt and vinegar: Use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to coat the zucchini before dehydrating.
• Crunchy hippy: 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and 2 tablespoons of ground-up flaxseeds, mix together with the salt and then sprinkle on the sliced zucchini and the olive oil.
• Other seasonings: Chilli flakes, chilli powder, dried dill, lemon juice

Dehydrators

For this recipe, you need a dehydrator. If you don't have a dehydrator, see the FAQ section below to make zucchini chips in the oven.

I like to use an Excalibur dehydrator. It is square; it contains a big, powerful fan, which I believe is why it is faster and more efficient than other dehydrators.

When buying a dehydrator, look for one that goes from 105 degrees Fahrenheit on the lowest setting to 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the highest setting. This will be good for dehydrating anything from yogurt, fruit, or homemade fruit roll-ups, vegetables, and meat.

Round vs Square Dehydrators: I personally have used both and like the square dehydrator machines a bit more. They feel easier to manage in terms of placing and spreading food on, cutting the parchment paper to size (when needed), and washing afterwards.

How to Make Zucchini Chips in the Dehydrator

These photos show the simple method I use to make zucchini chips in my kitchen! Follow the photos to make your own zucchini chips. See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities.

Step 1: Start by washing the zucchini. Then slice the zucchini into thin rounds.

I found a mandoline slices the squash well; however, a food processor or bread slicer would work fine too.

Step 2: Keep slicing the fresh zucchini until everything is evenly cut into rounds.

Step 3: Place the zucchini rounds onto dehydrator trays as a single layer. Brush lightly with oil, or spray them with cooking oil. Sprinkle on sea salt and any other seasonings.

Step 4: Place trays of zucchini into the dehydrator. Leave for 7-9 hours at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, the thinner and smaller the slices are, the faster they will dry!

Make sure the zucchini is fully dry before removing the crispy chips from the trays. Store chips in a glass sealing jar for best results.

For no food waste: Place the scraps (either end of the squash) in a ziploc bag in the freezer along with any other veggie cuttings. Then add them to your next veggie broth! This is an excellent way to use all veggie scraps. When the bag is full of vegetable scraps, use this recipe to make broth!