This is our step-by-step guide on how to dehydrate carrots. Actually, we’re dehydrating canned carrots today. Dehydrating canned carrots is real easy to do and great to have on hand for any number of recipes found here.
Dehydrating canned carrots is a simple process that can help make your homemade dehydrated camping meals even more enjoyable by adding even more variety and options.
By dehydrating canned carrots, they become lighter, and take up less space. More importantly, dehydrated, canned carrots make them rehydrate and cook much faster in our dehydrated camping meal recipes.
Today, we’re not dehydrating canned carrots to make them last longer in the pantry. We are purposely drying carrots for our homemade dehydrated camping meals. Every one of the cans we purchased for this project had a “Best By” date of November 2025. Which is just over 2 years in the future when we’re writing this post.
Even if you’ve never dehydrated anything before, don’t worry; dehydrating canned carrots is a simple process that anyone can do with just a few basic tools that we will discuss here.
So let’s get started dehydrating carrots.
Table of Contents
- How to Dehydrate Carrots
- Supplies Needed for Dehydrating Carrots
- Step 1. Process the Canned Carrots for Dehydration
- Step 2. Preparing the Dehydrator for Dehydrating Carrots
- Step 3. Dehydrating the Canned Carrots
- Step 4. When are the Dehydrated Carrots Done
- Step 5. Equalizing and Conditioning of the Dehydrated Carrots
- Step 6. Storing Dehydrated Carrots
- Hydration
- Weights, Measures, and Serving Sizes
- Dehydrated Carrots Nutrition Information
- Insider Tips
How to Dehydrate Carrots
First, we should talk about dehydrating canned carrots versus dehydrating frozen carrots. What makes one better than the other, and why?
Our primary consideration is the rehydration time; how long does it take for the dehydrated carrots to absorb enough water to become soft enough to eat?
Reconstituting Dehydrated Canned Carrots
Canned carrots have been cooked. The advantage of using canned carrots in our Dehydrator Chef homemade dehydrated camping meal recipes is that they will quickly reconstitute at the same rate as other ingredients, typically around 15 minutes.
When vegetables are subjected to heat during the cooking process, the pectin in their cell walls starts to break down. This breakdown of pectin causes the bonds between the cells to weaken, resulting in the softening of vegetables. As the pectin molecules break apart, water is released, further contributing to the soft texture.
The breakdown of the pectin enables cooked and dehydrated vegetables, like carrots, to reconstitute much faster than their uncooked counterparts.
Reconstituting Dehydrated Frozen Carrots
Frozen carrots may have been blanched prior to freezing. They have not been cooked. Sure, we can successfully dehydrate frozen carrots. However, reconstituting dehydrated, frozen carrots into an edible state can take 30 to 45 minutes or even longer.
For efficiency when we’re in the field or on the trail, we stick with dehydrating canned carrots.
Supplies Needed for Dehydrating Carrots
All you need to dehydrate canned carrots is a good-quality food dehydrator. We use the Nesco food dehydrators. You can check out our food dehydrator guide to learn why we think Nesco offers the best bang for the buck. We believe this is the best food dehydrator for our long-term food storage needs.
- Several cans of sliced carrots
- Food dehydrator
- Removable fruit roll sheets, one for each dehydrator tray
- Standard kitchen tools, including cutting boards, spatula, colander, can opener, etc.
- Canning jars with tight-fitting lids
- Wide-mouth canning jar funnel
- Desiccant packets (optional)
For planning purposes, one 14.5-ounce can of drained sliced carrots will fill one Nesco 13.5-inch round dehydrator tray with a removable fruit roll sheet insert. And the four 14.5-ounce cans of dehydrated sliced carrots we are processing today will mostly fill up a single one-pint (16-ounce) canning jar.
Step 1. Process the Canned Carrots for Dehydration
Open the can of sliced carrots and empty the contents into a colander. We’ll need to rinse away the salty canning liquid. We all get too much salt in our diet. The USDA publication titled Effect of draining and rinsing on the sodium and water soluble vitamin content of canned vegetables, by D.B. Haytowitz, shows that sodium can be reduced between 9 and 23 percent by rinsing with warm tap water and then allowed to drain.
We’re also inspecting the carrots for anything that shouldn’t be there. The carrots are machine-sliced, so we’re on the lookout to remove the woody stem top parts.
Larger carrot slices will need to be processed further into smaller pieces for faster dehydration and, more importantly, faster reconstitution. Aim for no larger than a finger width.
Step 2. Preparing the Dehydrator for Dehydrating Carrots
We will use these removable Nesco fruit roll sheet inserts on our food dehydrator for today’s project. They have over 3000 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5, which is evidence of a great product. Check out other Nesco food dehydrator products here.
Spread and layer the carrots evenly over the fruit roll sheet inserts, ideally one layer deep. Spread them out for better airflow and faster dehydration. If it’s too crowded, prepare another tray.
One 14.5-ounce can of sliced carrots will fill one Nesco 13.5-inch round dehydrator tray with the removable fruit roll sheet insert.
Step 3. Dehydrating the Canned Carrots
For canned carrots, set the dehydrator temperature to 135 °F (57 °C). I find that 18 to 24 hours is about the right amount of time.
Use drying times only as a guide. Of course, drying times are variable and dependent on the ambient temperature and humidity, how many, and how crowded you fill your dehydrator trays.
Step 4. When are the Dehydrated Carrots Done
The dehydrating carrots will tend to shrink up, shrivel, and wrinkle. If not, just let it all go for another couple of hours and check again. They should be hard and wrinkled when done.
Drying times will vary depending on your dehydrator. Refer to your dehydrator owner’s manual for recommended temperatures and times for dehydrating specific foods. Remember to use drying times as a guide.
With experience, you’ll develop an eye for this, but until it develops, just check all of the trays for dryness.
Step 5. Equalizing and Conditioning of the Dehydrated Carrots
We always recommend letting food items cool completely after they have finished dehydrating and before packing them into an airtight storage container for equalizing and conditioning. Warm food may cause sweating which could provide enough moisture for mold to grow.
It does not take long for dehydrated food items to start hydrating from ambient household humidity. Do not leave dehydrated food items exposed to the elements any longer than necessary because of the increased risk of mold growth.
After a short cooling period, loosely pack the dehydrated carrots into a clean, dry, insect-proof, and air-tight storage container. We mostly use pint-size canning jars for conditioning. Since the canning jars are clear, it’s easy to see what’s inside. The four cans of sliced carrots mostly fill a single one-pint canning jar.
A quality stainless steel or plastic canning funnel makes the messy job of getting dehydrated foods off the dehydrator tray removable inserts and into the canning jars an easy task. Take a minute or two and check them out here on Amazon.
When the dehydrated carrots are removed from the dehydrator, the remaining moisture may not be distributed equally among the pieces because of their location and position in the dehydrator. Equalizing and conditioning is a process for freshly dehydrated foods that ensures any residual moisture remaining in any piece is spread or equalized among all the other pieces in the batch. Let the dried carrots equalize and condition in the storage container for 7 to 10 days.
Every day check the jar for moisture and roll the contents of the jar around and note any clumping or sticking. If seen, put the contents back on the dehydrator for several more hours.
In the unlikely event you notice any mold at all, even the smallest bit, throw it all out. What you see are the mold spores finally blooming enough to make them visible. But there are more, even tinier mold spores in the rest of your jar that make your dehydrated food inedible. Toss it out and start another batch.
Step 6. Storing Dehydrated Carrots
Use an appropriately sized canning jar for storage. The dehydrated carrots might keep up to 12 months or longer. Exactly how long depends on how well you dehydrate the canned carrots and your pantry storage conditions.
We’ll use a food-safe desiccant packet for moisture control because we live in a fairly humid area. For our pint-size or quart-size mason jars, we’ll use a single food-safe 5-gram desiccant packet. The desiccant packets will absorb any moisture and extend the shelf life of the dehydrated carrots.
We use these inexpensive food-safe desiccant packets, which are available from Amazon. These 5-gram packets have over 5000 of mostly 4- and 5-star customer reviews, with an average of 4.7 stars out of 5. Our bag of 60 desiccant packets will last quite a while because they can be recharged and reused multiple times. Other food-safe sizes are available.
Lastly, attach or include a short note describing the jar contents and the date the product was dehydrated. The label identifies the canning jar contents, and the date helps with the rotation schedule. A first-in, first-out rotation helps us to use items that have been on the shelf the longest, so we’re using the oldest food first. This method helps us maintain the integrity of dehydrated products. The note also lets me know where to go in my dehydrator logbook if I want to make an update.
Hydration
Hydrate the dried carrots using roughly a 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 ratio of dehydrated carrots to boiled water. Plan on at least 15 to 20 minutes to fully hydrate.
Weights, Measures, and Serving Sizes
Summarizing notes from our dehydrator logbook, a 14.5-ounce can (425 grams) of sliced carrots, about 3.5 servings, rinsed and drained, will dehydrate to approximately 25 grams.
To make it easier for us, we’ll round the 3.5 servings down to 3 servings. So, one serving of the dehydrated sliced carrots is about 8 grams.
Dehydrated Carrots Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 8 grams | Calories: 20 kcal | Total Fat: 0.5 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 250 mg | Carbohydrate: 4 g | Dietary Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 4 g| Protein: 0 g
NOTE: The product’s ingredient list includes added salt. It is assumed that some, but not all, of the sodium would be drained away with the canning liquid.
Insider Tips
Besides the homemade dehydrated recipes found here on this website, add dehydrated carrots to any of your favorite freeze-dried food pouches for a bit more bulk, nutrients, fiber, and calories. I don’t know about you, but with some of those store-bought freeze-dried meals, I am still hungry. I need a bit more to fill me up.
Just be sure to compensate by adding additional boiled water in roughly a 4-to-1 ratio of dehydrated carrots to boiling water to the freeze-dried meal and allow enough time for adequate hydration.
Practice at home making dehydrated camping meals using the very same gear used in the field. We practice reinforcing the skills we have learned. Practice makes perfect.
Practicing your skills at home, even just one time, will help you dial in the process before getting on the trial or in the field where it matters most.
How to Dehydrate Carrots
Equipment
- Removable fruit roll sheet insert (one for each dehydrator tray)
- Common kitchen tools (including cutting boards, chef's knife, colander, can opener, etc.)
- Canning jars with tight-fitting lids
- Desiccant packets for moisture control (optional)
Ingredients
- several cans carrots (no-salt or low-sodium products preferred)
Instructions
Process the Carrots
- Drain the canning liquid from canned carrots.
- Break down any larger carrot rounds into smaller halves or quarters.
Prepare the Dehydrator
- Layer the carrot pieces onto the removable fruit roll sheet inserts; one 15-ounce can will fill one Nesco 13.5-inch round dehydrator tray.
Dehydrate the Carrots
- Set the dehydrator thermostat temperature to 135 °F (57 °C). Dry for 18 to 24 hours until done.
When is the Carrots Done
- When done, the dehydrated carrots should be hard, wrinkled, little nuggets. There should be no wet or mushy pieces.
Equalizing and Conditioning Dehydrated Carrots
- After a short cooling period, loosely pack the dehydrated carrots into a clean, dry canning jar with a tight-fitting lid, leaving some headspace.
- Every day, for 7 to 10 days, check the jar for moisture. Roll the jar contents around and note any clumping or sticking. If seen, put it all back on the dehydrator for several more hours.
- If you notice any mold at all, even the slightest bit, throw it all out.
Storing the Dehydrated Carrots
- Use appropriate-sized canning jars for storage. Depending on how well you dehydrate them and your pantry storage conditions, the dehydrated carrots should keep for at least 12 months.
- An optional food-safe desiccant packet will aid with moisture control.
- Attach or include a label describing the jar contents and the date the product was dehydrated. The label identifies the canning jar contents, and the date helps with the rotation schedule. A first-in, first-out rotation helps us to use items that have been on the shelf the longest, so we're using the oldest food first.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is only an estimate and may differ depending on the ingredients you use.
One reply on “How to Dehydrate Carrots – Dehydrating Carrots, A Step-by-Step Guide”
I never thought about how to dehydrate canned carrots before. Going to give this one a try.