Dehydrating Zucchini and Summer Squash

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I planted over 100 seeds of zucchini and squash in my summer garden. I think every one of those seeds grew! It was crazy! So it was time to get busy and get dehydrating and canning!

Here are a few ways to preserve your zucchini and squash.

I dehydrated hundreds of pounds of both zucchini and squash. I made zucchini relish (if you haven’t made that yet- be sure too). It is the best relish! I also made lots and I mean lots of canned zucchini bread. Of course, I canned over 100 pints of squash. It is great to have all those in your pantry, ready for the winter months!

Here I am going to share with you how to dehydrate your zucchini and summer squash for long term storage.

Before I start prepping, I always turn my dehydrator on. For zucchini and squash you need to turn your dehydrator onto 125 degrees.

You can dice, slice, shred and even cut them into fries (YUM). I cut some zucchini into long strips to use for lasagna noodles as well. I use my Vidalia Onion Chopper to chop my zucchini and squash. That little gadget is a must-have, it truly saves you time in the kitchen. To slice and make zucchini fries, and lasagna noodles, I use my mandoline with my no-cut gloves. When I shred my zucchini, I use these dehydrator sheets on my trays to keep the zucchini from falling through the trays.

Once you have all your zucchini and/or squash prepared, place it on your dehydrator trays and place them in your dehydrator.

I love dehydrating because it is so simple and easy. Depending on how you sliced your zucchini and/or squash, they will take anywhere from 8-12 hours to dry. Shredded zucchini will dry quickly, so be sure to keep check it after about 4 hours.

I don’t really go by drying times, because they vary so much. I go by how it feels. The zucchini and squash should be brittle and dry when you touch it. You may need to remove it and let it come to room temp to check it. That should take just a couple of minutes. If it isn’t brittle, just place it back into the dehydrator for longer.

Once it is dry, place it in a jar with a lid and condition your jars for a few days, to make sure all the moisture has been removed. If you don’t know what conditioning is, check out my short video here. I quickly explain how to properly condition your food.

Once it is conditioned you can place it on your shelves! Make sure it in an air tight container.

These will last for many years to come. Although I am pretty sure you will use them up by than!!

To use just re-hydrate place in a bowl and cover with boiling water for about 15 minutes. You can also rehydrate over night by placing water in your jar and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours.

Happy Dehydrating!!

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