How to Dehydrate Potatoes

It's time to learn how to dehydrate potatoes and they are one of the most versatile veggies out there!

Loose white potatoes - and a bowl of potato soup

Here's a quick potato selector guide from Sue Sanderson that takes you from choosing a cropping type to variety, planting tubers, and how to harvest and enjoy your spuds!

Potato Nutrition Info.

VITAMINS: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Choline, followed by Niacin, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, and Betaine. There are trace amounts of Vitamin K and Folate.

MINERALS: Potassium, followed by Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Calcium. There are also trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, and Selenium.

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

Cooked (and chilled) potatoes being sliced

The #1 Trick to Slice Potatoes Without the Mush

If you want a great way to slice potatoes—cool them off! Put them (whole) in the refrigerator overnight.

Then, when slicing them, they'll be much firmer—and you won't have to deal with hard-to-cut warm mushy potatoes! Works wonders!


Cutluxe 8
Cutluxe 8" Chef Knife, Full Tang

Begin by Using a Good Sharp Knife by Cutluxe!

Check out this great chef's knife with a full tang that means the handle and blade "are one" so they can't come apart when we're slicin' and a dicin'.

I know these Cutluxe Chef knives may be a little expensive, but they do last pretty much a lifetime when you maintain their cutting edges.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. The price you pay does not increase.  Read disclosure here.

Step-by-Step: How to Dehydrate Potatoes (Fresh or Frozen)

If using frozen hash brown potatoes, ignore steps 1, 2, and 3.

  1. Gently scrub and wash potatoes in the sink.
  2. Put them in a pan of water, NO SALT, and bring to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Place potatoes in a bowl, and when cooled off, put them in the refrigerator overnight. This helps tremendously when you slice them tomorrow into 3/8" slices! I leave the skins on, as there are loads of nutrients in the skins too.
  4. Arrange the potatoes on your food dehydrator trays, making sure the potatoes don't overlap.
  5. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125°F and 135°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions).

💡 Tip: Outside the U.S.? Most dehydrating temps here are listed in Fahrenheit — use our quick converter to see the Celsius equivalent for your machine.

  • Potatoes will be leathery and/or brittle when fully dried.
  • Drying time for potatoes: between 6-14 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your trays for even drying.

Easy Fix: How to Break Up Frozen Hash Browns for Drying

When using frozen hash brown potatoes and clumps persist, run the clump under cool running water for a few seconds—that should do the trick! Pat dry the potatoes with paper towel if necessary after de-clumping.

Dehydrated sliced potatoes
Dehydrated sliced potatoes, vacuum sealed with an oxygen absorber

Joan's Dehydrated Potato Journey

Joan, fondly known as the "Case Hardened Lady" wrote in to tell us how she gets ready for dehydrating potatoes. Here it is, straight from Joan:

"Started batch number four of potatoes this morning. Things are running quickly and smoothly now that I have the routine down. Still forgot to start heating the blanching water first, though. It takes about 20 minutes on my stove. I'm making sliced raw potatoes.

Anyway, in my mind it takes longer to peel and slice potatoes than to get the water boiling. In reality, it's only a few minutes of prep, and then the potatoes are ready and the water isn't.

Oh, what a journey these 99-cent bags of potatoes have taken me on!"

~ ~ ~

Joan, thanks for writing in! :-)

Reader Recipe: Potato and Bacon Hash You’ll Love

Potato and Bacon Hash with cheese, tasty recipe!

This recipe hails from John in the UK. Try it. It's awesome! Make this Potato and Bacon Hash recipe.

Planning Ahead? Best Conditions for Growing Potatoes

Potatoes growing in a field

When planting potatoes in your garden, you'll want to make sure you have the right conditions for growing this versatile veggie.

According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, potatoes need full sun and well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 4.8 and 5.5.

When it comes to planting, you'll want to start your potato seeds indoors about two weeks before the last spring frost. Once it's time to transplant the seedlings outdoors, make sure to space them 12 inches apart in rows that are 3 feet apart.

Don’t Forget! Watering Tips for Healthy Potato Plants

Remember to water regularly during dry periods. The Almanac also recommends adding a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain moisture.

Harvest your potatoes when the tops of the plants start to die back. You can dig up the entire plant at once, or harvest individual potatoes as needed. Be sure to check your plants regularly, as potatoes that are left to mature will produce flowers and eventually go to seed.

I hope you enjoyed learning all about how to dehydrate potatoes!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you dehydrate sweet potatoes?

Here is an easy way to dehydrate sweet potatoes:

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes, washed thoroughly.

Instructions:

  1. Peel the sweet potatoes (if desired), then slice into 1/4 inch thick slices or cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potato slices or cubes and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain.
  3. Optional step - toss blanched sweet potatoes with 1/2 tbsp oil and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or chili powder.
  4. Arrange the slices/cubes in a single layer without overlapping on your dehydrator trays lined with a nonstick mesh insert, or parchment paper.
  5. Dehydrate at 135°F for 8 to 14 hours until sweet potato pieces are completely dried and leathery, with no moisture pockets showing up when squeezed. Adjust drying time based on thickness and the texture you want.

Allow to cool to room temperature. Put the dried sweet potatoes in an airtight glass Mason jar or a plastic freezer bag for storage for up to 1 year. Learn how to vacuum seal them here.

Enjoy dried sweet potato as a healthy snack and rehydrate it in soups, stews, or gravies too.

Dehydrate potatoes for mashed potatoes?

This question is ambiguous. How so? Yes, you can dehydrate ready-made mashed potatoes, sure.

But if the question is "How do you dehydrate spuds to MAKE mashed potatoes later on?" then here's a combined answer to both.

#4 and #5 in the instructions directly below show you how to prepare it for reconstituted mash!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, chopped
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a pot, boil potatoes until very fork tender, then drain and return to pot. Mash your potatoes while you gently heat the milk, butter, salt and pepper in another small pan. Add that to the spuds and mix well.
  2. Line dehydrator trays with non-stick sheets. Spread a thin, even layer of mashed potatoes, less than 1/4 inch thick. .
  3. Dehydrate at 125°F for 6-10 hours, scraping and flipping as needed, until completely dry and brittle.
  4. Break the dried potato into pieces then grind into a fine powder in a blender or a food processor.
  5. To reconstitute, mix the potato powder with hot milk until your desired consistency is reached. Add extra butter and salt and pepper IF you want to.

Make a big flavorful batch, dehydrate the leftovers, and have instant mashed potatoes anytime! Adjust milk and butter to rehydrate as mentioned in step #5.

In steps #4 and #5, it's important to note that your dehydrated ground potato powder contains butter and milk when you originally made the mash.

It's important to vacuum-seal ASAP with an oxygen absorber and a desiccant package tucked in the bag before drawing out the air. You see, fat goes rancid, so that's why I say to dehydrate your potato flakes/powder as soon as possible.

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