How to Dehydrate Cilantro – Dehydrating Cilantro, A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1. Process the Cilantro for Dehydrating

We start by trimming the stem ends.  Maybe about half an inch, just enough to trim off any discoloring.

Then, pick through the bunch to remove any stems that might be past their prime or critters that may be along for the ride.

Give everything a good and thorough cold water rinse.  The cilantro we buy usually has some dirt and grit residue.  So we just rinse it all away with cold water.  Give it all a couple of good shakes to remove excess water.  Don’t worry about getting it all completely dry.

Next, give the cilantro a rough chop.  Yes, including the stems.  There are a lot of cilantro flavors there.

That’s it.  Easy enough.

Step 2. Preparing the Dehydrator for Dehydrating Cilantro

Spread out and layer the chopped cilantro onto the fruit roll sheets.  Try to get a thin layer for faster drying times.

For planning purposes, for every bunch of roughly chopped cilantro, we probably average two of the Nesco 13.5-inch round dehydrator trays.  Of course, some cilantro bunches are bigger; some are smaller.

Step 3. Dehydrating the Cilantro

For dehydrating cilantro, set the dehydrator temperature to 135 °F / 57 °C. I find that 18 to 24 hours is about the right amount of time.  Letting it go overnight works best for our work schedules.

I can chop up a batch in the late morning or early afternoon, and it will likely have finished drying by the next morning.

Of course, drying times are dependent on your food dehydrator,  the ambient temperature and humidity, and how crowded you fill your trays. Remember to use drying times as a guide.

Step 4. When is the Dehydrated Cilantro Done

After 18 to 24 hours, the cilantro should be fully dehydrated. If not, let it go another 2 or 4 hours and check again.

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.

Warm cilantro still in the food dehydrator will feel somewhat bendy, and you may believe it needs more drying time. Unplug the dehydrator and let everything cool down. Then check again to be sure. When done, the cilantro pieces are brittle and should easily crush into smaller pieces.

Step 5. Equalizing and Conditioning of the Dehydrated Cilantro

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 cilantro into a clean, dry, insect-proof, and air-tight storage container. We use the larger quart-size canning jars for conditioning. Since the canning jars are clear, it’s easy to see what’s inside.

A wide-mouth canning jar funnel is handy for the task of getting dehydrated food from the trays into the canning jars with minimal spillage. It’s not a necessity, but having one does make the job easier and faster. If you need one, check them out on Amazon.

When the dehydrated cilantro pieces 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 cilantro equalize and condition in the storage container for 7 to 10 days.

Every day, check the jar for moisture. Roll the jar contents around and note any clumping or sticking. If seen, put the contents back on the dehydrator for several more hours. Since canning jars are clear, it’s easy to see what’s inside.

If 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 Cilantro

Use an appropriately sized canning jar for storage. The dehydrated cilantro might keep up to 12 months. Exactly how long depends on how well you dehydrate the cilantro 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 cilantro.

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, I’ll attach or include a short note describing the jar contents and the date the product was dehydrated. The note also lets me know where to go in my dehydrator logbook if I want to make another note or two.