Spinach is one of the easiest vegetables to dehydrate. It needs almost no prep work and dries very quickly. Learn how to dehydrate spinach (and make spinach powder) using these simple methods!
Spinach is known for its high nutrient content, making it a nutrient-dense food choice. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, iron, and magnesium. To add even more benefits, it’s easy to grow and preserve! So whether you have a large crop of spinach you need to save or you just don’t want your store-bought spinach to go to waste, learning how to dehydrate spinach at home is invaluable.
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Another bonus for dehydrated spinach- it makes it super easy to hide this nutritious vegetable in other dishes like soups, rice, sauces, dressings, smoothies and more!
There are 3 different ways you can dehydrate spinach at home, so let’s start with my favorite!
(Haven’t ever grown your own spinach? Here’s how: How to Grow Spinach from Seed. It’s super easy!)
How to Dehydrate Spinach in an Electric Dehydrator
An electric dehydrator is my preferred way of drying spinach, and here’s why:
- It keeps the spinach at a controlled temperature, that’s not too high and won’t cook the nutrients out of your spinach.
- It’s quick! You can dry spinach in less than 6 hours (that’s short for drying times!)
- There’s no chance of burning the spinach.
To dry spinach, start by washing and thoroughly drying your spinach leaves. I’ll admit that I usually skip this step since my spinach comes fresh from my organic garden, but you do you.
A salad spinner really helps get it really dry.
Lay the spinach leaves on your dehydrator trays in a single layer.
Set the temperature for 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit.
The spinach should take 4-7 hours to dry completely, depending on the humidity and conditions in your home.
Make sure the leaves and stems are 100% completely dry before storing to prevent molding and spoilage. Once the spinach is completely dry, turn off the dehydrator and allow the spinach to cool to room temperature before storing.
Don’t have a dehydrator? Check out the 11 Best Electric Dehydrators to help you choose one.
How to Dehydrate Spinach in Your Oven
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven to dehydrate spinach.
The key to dehydrating spinach in the oven is to use the lowest temperature possible (or 125 degrees Fahrenheit, if yours goes that low). My oven goes to 145 at the lowest if I use the warming function.
If your oven doesn’t go below 200 degrees, you might want to leave the door open a crack to prevent the spinach from getting too hot and burning.
Place the clean spinach leaves on parchment paper lined baking trays in a single layer. Cook in an oven, set on the lowest heat setting, until dry and crispy. You may need to turn the trays and flip the leaves a couple of times to get an even dry.
Allow to cool completely before storing.
How to Air Dry Spinach
You can also air dry or use a solar dehydrator to dry spinach. This way will take much longer, but it is also free and doesn’t require any special equipment.
This isn’t my favorite way of dehydrating since I live in a humid location and things tend to mold before they dry.
If you are using large spinach leaves, tie together handfuls of stems. Hang the stems in a place where there is good air flow and low humidity.
If you are dehydrating baby spinach leaves, lay them on screens or trays in a single layer. If you can place them on cooling racks so that they get more air flow, even better!
It might take 2-3 weeks (or more) for your spinach to dry completely, depending on the humidity in your home.
You can also get a hanging, mesh solar dehydrator, to prevent pests or dust from contaminating your spinach while it dries.
Again, be sure your spinach is 100% dry before storing.
How to Store Dry Spinach
Once your spinach is completely dry, place it in an air tight, glass container. I prefer mason jars with metal rings/lids since they are air tight and don’t let in any moisture.
I like to crush my leaves before storing, this helps me see that the leaves are completely dry, and it takes up less space in the jar.
You can also run the dry spinach through the blender or rub it between your hands to form spinach powder.
Store the jar in a cool, dry location that’s not in direct sunlight for maximum shelf life. It should last at least a year if prepared properly.
How to Use Dried Spinach
Now that you have lots of dried spinach, what should you do with it?? Well, the sky’s the limit! That’s the best part about dried spinach, you can add it to virtually anything and it’s almost undetectable. It’s the perfect way to get a little more veggies in your (or your kids!) diets.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use dried spinach or spinach powder:
- Add it to your smoothies- add it with frozen blueberries and you won’t even see the green color!
- Toss it in your soups or stews
- Add a tablespoon or 2 to your rice
- Hide it in your pasta sauce
- Make your own ranch dressing? Add in a little spinach for extra nutrition
- Add a bit to your scrambled eggs or omelet
- Don’t crush it and just eat the dried spinach like chips! (You might want to season it first!)
Dried spinach retains much of its original nutrients since it hasn’t been blanched or cooked before drying. You can feel good about saving money by preserving it at home and not letting it go to waste!
Don’t want to dehydrate your spinach? Check out all the other ways you can Preserve Spinach at Home.
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