This is the zucchini overload time of year. Here is one really fun way to preserve them: zucchini chips.
A friend shared a link on facebook for zucchini chips. I was intrigued. My 4 year old’s favorite vegetable is a zucchini, and she liked chips, so I thought it was worth a try.
The verdict?
They were surprisingly good. Like a chip? Not especially. But still good. In fact, I made all of my family try them and they went over quite well.
This recipe uses a dehydrator. I own an Excalibur (from Cultures for Heath). But I share below some tips for using your oven too. There are recipes for a more authentic zucchini “chip” that are fried or baked. For example, you could use home rendered lard and fry it using this recipe as a guide. Or you could just bake them with a coating of bread crumbs and herbs. But if you have a dehydrator, it’s a very simple way to make them. And if you like some of your food to be “live” (enzymes intact) this is a fun recipe.
I used the basic recipe linked to above, but I ended up having so many of my own tips, I am rewriting the recipe with my own thoughts included.
Zucchini Chips
- 2 zucchini (medium small)
1-2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
Unrefined Salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
Freshly Ground Pepper
Directions:
1) First you need to thinly slice your zucchini. A mandolin would be best for this job. But I don’t own one. I used my food processor and tried to press very lightly down on the zucchini for thin slices. It worked well, though not as even as I had hoped, and a bit thicker too. But that ended up being just fine. Though it would take longer, you could also use a knife and cutting board the old fashioned way.
2) Add the slices to a small bowl and add the oil, a nice sprinkle of salt, garlic powder and a turn of freshly ground pepper. Do note that your zucchini will shrink dramatically. This also means that all seasonings will become much stronger in your finished product, so go easy on the seasoning.
3) Spread out evenly on the dehydrator trays and dehydrate until crisp and dry on 125F (about 4 hours for me).
More Tips and Ideas
1. You can use the lowest setting on your oven. It will take a shorter amount of time, so check every 1/2 hour or so. At 175 degrees, you can expect them to be done in roughly two hours
2. Play around with the seasonings. Spice it up with chili powder. Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Sprinkle with lemon juice or vinegar for some tang.
3. These do become more chewy as they cool down. Make sure you store them in an airtight container.
4. For children you may want to leave out the pepper, as it can make it a bit spicy.
5. This makes about 1 cup of chips, so I recommend after you’ve tried it and if you like it, doing many batches at a time.
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thanks so much, kimi! zucchini is one of the few things i can have right now, so i can’t wait to try these!
Ooo! I have an Excalibur Dehydrator too! Need to use it more. What a great way to put it to good use.
How cool! Have you ever tried kale and bananas? They are really good. I haven’t even thought of Zucchini!
Chelsea @ Naturally Sweet Recipes
I made the same thing last week- but without the oil. My 4 year old son immediately ate a whole zucchini-worth of the chips and said they were ‘awesome’. They lose their delicious-ness after a day- getting a little soft and chewy, so eat them asap. I mixed yellow and green, so it looked really pretty, too. Second batch I mixed in some lemon thyme, even better!!!
Yum! I’m going to give these a try 🙂 I’ve been meaning to try zucchini chips fried in lard, but that just hasn’t happened yet… Thanks, Kimi 🙂
These look very good, Kimi! 🙂
Shirley
I’ve been coveting a dehydrator for some time. These look SO tempting.
Thanks for this recipe!! I love zucchini, but my family doesn’t. I keep trying different ways to get them to enjoy this delicious veggie. Maybe this way will be the big hit. 😀 Thanks for sharing!
Great idea! Thanks! I’ve been wanting to expand my mind as it relates to my dehydrator. 🙂 I’ve made kale chips in my excalibur, which are great – somewhat addictive to me and they stay crunchy. If you haven’t tried those, you should when kale is in season before too long! 🙂
hi Heather – do you do the same thing with the kale, adding a bit of oil, salt & pepper? It’s late winter where I am so there is lots of kale around! thanks 😉
I just came back today to make these and saw your comment, nickyb. Yes – I do the same thing, but I have also added some fresh lemon juice, which I highly recommend. I cannot give you a ratio but know that the kale for me anyway, does not really “absorb” the oil so there can be oil residue on your trays etc. I would start with very small amounts and experiment from there.
Kimi,
Have you ever heard of a Brisker? It is like a breadbox. Sort of. It maintains a constant 120 degree temp and keeps crisp things crispy. Great for chips, crackers, cereal, ice cream cones, etc. Will kill bread or anything you want to be soft. I bet zucchini chips kept in the Brisker would stay nice and crispy for longer than just in a container. We love our Brisker! I am no longer throwing away soggy food!
Great recipe–can’t wait to try it! Thank you.
Amy
Oh my goodness, the zucchini chips are sooo good! Thanks for the recipe!
Wow!!! Those look amazing!!! Can’t wait to try!!!
These sound really good. I’ve just started learning how to eat healthier. will try these.
thanks
annettee
You can make these raw and preserve their enzymes by dehydrating the chips under 118 degrees 🙂 you’ll just have to wait longer
Just put a batch into my Excaliber! .I can’t wait to try them. I’ve seen a recipe for the kale chips but haven’t tried that yet. I keep trying new things to tempt my “grown” kids (18, 19, 20), and I hope these tempt their taste buds! If not, more for me. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.
Does the zucchini coated in olive oil wind up crispy or more leathery? I’m just starting to use my dehydrator for veggies and can’t figure out when things are done.