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

Step 2. Preparing the Dehydrator for Dehydrating Macaroni

We will use the removable mesh screen inserts with our Nesco food dehydrator. They have over 2700 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5, which is evidence of a great product. Check out other Nesco food dehydrator products here.

Nesco Clean-A-Screens are removable and flexible mesh screen inserts that have both a distinct top and a bottom side. If you had a high-powered microscope, you would see the individual strands in mesh screens have a triangle shape. The bottom side of the screen feels smooth.  The top point of the triangle feels rough as you rub your fingers across the mesh.

The elbow macaroni from a 6-ounce box of mac and cheese will fill 2 or 3 of my Nesco 13.5-inch round dehydrator trays.  I prefer to spread out the macaroni for faster dehydration.  In other words, 2 trays will be somewhat crowded, and 3 trays will not.

Step 3. Dehydrating the Macaroni

For elbow macaroni, set the dehydrator temperature to 135 °F / 57 °C. I find that 8 to 12 hours is about the right amount of time for dehydrating macaroni.

After several hours on the dehydrator, you’ll be able to break apart the macaroni clump into individual elbows for faster drying.

The cooked macaroni has a lot of water content.  Of course, it’s all dependent on 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 Macaroni Done

After 8 to 12 hours, the macaroni pasta should be fully dehydrated. If not, let it go another hour or so and check it 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 macaroni still in the food dehydrator will feel somewhat tacky, and you may believe they need more drying time. Simply unplug the dehydrator and let everything cool down. Then check again to be sure.

The dehydrated macaroni pieces should appear translucent and easily break apart into individual pieces when done. There should be no wet or mushy pieces.

Step 5. Equalizing and Conditioning of the Dehydrated Macaroni

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 macaroni 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 macaroni 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 macaroni 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 Macaroni

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

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.