How to Dehydrate Carrots
A Great Source of Beta Carotene!

How to Dehydrate Carrots
A Great Source of Beta Carotene!

Freshly picked carrots in a basket, and a bowl of carrot soup

If you're eager to learn how to dehydrate carrots, I'm here to help! Dehydrate whole baby carrots (takes longer), or slice them lengthwise, or in 'coins.'

By slicing as coins (or thin lengthwise cuts), you'll save on dehydrator time vs leaving them whole. That makes sense, right?

TOP Frequently Asked Questions:

Top Question: Can carrots be dehydrated?

And the top answer is: Yes! Read how further on down the page.

How long does it take to dehydrate carrots?

It can take between 6 to 12 hours. They will crinkle up and feel a bit leathery when fully dried.

Can you dehydrate carrots for dogs?

Yes, you can dehydrate carrots to make healthy treats for dogs! Dried carrots make a nutritious snack that most dogs love. Here are some tips:

  1. Wash and peel a few carrots, slice thinly or grate to make smaller pieces that will dry faster. Blot with a paper towel.
  2. Place carrot pieces in a single layer on dehydrator trays without overlapping. (Use a solid fruit leather sheet if you want). Dehydrate at around 135°F for 6-12 hours until hard and crisp.
  3. Once dried, let carrot pieces cool fully before giving to your dog. Break any large chips into bite-sized portions to prevent choking.
  4. Store leftover dehydrated carrots in an airtight container out of sunlight for up to 2 months. Rehydrate carrots before eating if desired.

In addition to their sweet, tasty appeal for dogs, dehydrated carrots offer great nutritional value like vitamins A & K, beta carotene and potassium.

In moderation, they make an crunchy, nourishing homemade treat dogs love!

Carrots Nutritional Info.

VITAMINS: Beta carotene (Vitamin A) and are a great source of Folate, and Vitamin K.

MINERALS: Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Magnesium. Trace minerals are Fluoride, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, and Copper.

Carrots contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids too...

...and they give you orange hands when handling, so use those latex gloves for protection - and to keep your germs off the carrots!

Eating carrots can help regulate blood sugar levels. This is especially important for people with diabetes.

As the saying goes, "Carrots are good fer yer eyes" ... yes, carrots can also help you improve your vision. This is because they contain beta carotene (vitamin A) that's good for your eyes.

Why You Should Use a Non-Plastic Bowl when Preparing Carrots

When you have finished slicing or grating, place the carrots in a glass bowl (or any non-plastic bowl as plastic stains easily and retains odors). Spray with lemon juice, tossing the carrots as you go to make sure they're sprayed evenly.

TIP: Use a pump top from a new unused spray bottle, pick one that fits your lemon juice bottle. Look for a bottle that has a long enough plastic tube that will reach the bottom of your lemon juice bottle.

No Lemon Juice? Do This Instead!

No Lemon Juice?
Do This Instead!

If you don't have any lemon juice, you can choose to blanch your sliced carrots instead in a small amount of boiling water for about 3 minutes.

Why Bother Spraying or Blanching?

Spraying the carrots with lemon juice helps the carrots keep their vibrant orangeness. Blanching has the same effect. Personally, I use lemon juice - it's faster and easier!

Sliced carrots on a Nesco dehydrator traySprayed carrots on dehydrator before drying
Dehydrated carrots on a Nesco dehydrator trayFully dehydrated carrots in a bowl

Here's the "How to" Dehydrate Carrots:

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How to Dehydrate Carrots—The Easy Way!

Whichever way you slice carrots, make sure that they are pretty much the same thickness; this again helps in the drying department—they'll dry more evenly!

  1. Arrange your sliced carrots on your food dehydrator trays. Leave enough space between the carrots so they're not touching each other so the warm air can do its job. If using grated carrots, spread them out as much as possible on solid fruit roll trays (or use plastic wrap AND cut out A HOLE in the center for the air to circulate if using a Nesco dehydrator!)
  2. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions).
  • Dehydrated carrots will be leathery when fully dried.
  • Drying time: between 6-12 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your dehydrator trays for even drying, and place any larger carrot pieces on the outside edges of the dehydrator tray.

Try Dehydrating Different Types of Carrots

There are many different types of carrots that you can grow. Some popular varieties include the Nantes carrot, the Chantenay carrot, and the Imperator carrot.

Experiment and see what type of carrot you like best! Whatever type of carrot you end up with, the process for dehydrating them is the same.

Shredded Carrots ~ Perfect for Carrot Cake!

Shredded raw carrot on Nesco dehydrator trayDehydrating these carrots for use later in Carrot Cake!

Shredded carrots are perfect for use in carrot cake, and coleslaw.

A Reminder About Using Fresh or Frozen Baby Carrots

baby carrots on a wooden table

When dehydrating carrots, I prefer to use fresh whole carrots and SLICED after peeling, but you can use whole frozen baby carrots with great results. (Let 'em thaw first).

Remember: Baby carrots WILL take longer to dehydrate because of their size and thickness.

Frozen carrots are a great stand-in and require absolutely NO preparation aside from thawing. Why? Because when stuff is frozen, the manufacturers have prepped them for us! 

Fresh carrots need peeling, then slicing—or grating, and I highly recommend a mandoline shown earlier on the page for the slicing. BE CAREFUL with a regular mandoline slicer where you hold the item... they're very sharp! That's why I love the SupMaKin mandoline! You have a pusher that keeps your fingers away from the blade and it's a ton of fun to use!  See it in action here.

Are Carrots Easy to Grow?

Carrots are fairly easy to grow, but they do require some special care. For example, they need to be planted in an area that receives full sun. They also need to be watered regularly.

If you live in an area with a temperate climate, you may be able to grow carrots outdoors all year round. However, if you live in a cooler climate, you'll need to bring the plants indoors during the winter months.

What is a Baby Carrot?

As the name implies, a baby carrot is a small, young carrot. They tend to taste sweeter and have a crisper, juicier texture than 'mature' carrots. The older a carrot gets the more fibrous and starchier it becomes.

I hope you enjoyed learning how to dehydrate carrots. Try these tasty recipes below:

Try These Easy Tasty Dehydrated Carrot Recipes!

Check out this fantastic carrot soup recipe, either make it from fresh or dehydrated carrots.

We have a delicious Carrot Cake to share with you too!

If you want to have dehydrated carrots put away for making the carrot cake at a later date, then we suggest using the fruit roll sheets to keep the finely grated carrots from falling through the food dehydrator trays.

Learn how to rehydrate your carrots here.

Carrot soup in a square bowl with a chopped parsley
Carrot cake on a white and green plate with a piece of a fork

Before you go, don't forget to pick up your free eBook called "How to Grow and Dehydrate Herbs" here!