How to Dehydrate Broccoli
So Even Your Kids and Spouse Will Eat It!

How to
Dehydrate Broccoli
So Even Your Kids and
Spouse Will Eat It!

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Susan Gast | Author and blogger at Bored Boomers, Beesville Books, A New Sober You and Easy Food Dehydrating

When fresh florets are out of season, learning how to dehydrate broccoli when it's in season means you'll never run out!

Ditch the Floret Fear:
How to Dehydrate Fresh or Frozen Broccoli

Dehydrated broccoli in a round bowl

Drying broccoli, whether fresh or from frozen, is a fantastic way to preserve its vitamins, flavor, and versatility. I'll walk you through the simple steps to dry broccoli so you have broccoli on hand year round, or a shelf-stable snack whenever you want it.

Frozen broccoli is a great stand-in for fresh when it's out of season for soups etc., but we all love fresh broccoli when it's tossed raw in salads or used as a dipper during summer!

Please don't use the solid blocks of frozen broccoli, buy the bags of loose florets instead.


Frequently Asked Questions:

Top question: Can you dehydrate broccoli?

Yes. Just keep reading this page. We teach you how to dehydrate fresh - or frozen - broccoli!

How do you use dehydrated broccoli in a recipe?

Dried broccoli can be cooked or eaten raw. Here are a few dehydrated broccoli recipe ideas...

  • Add to Soups/Stews: Add chopped broccoli to any broth, soup, or stew and simmer until very tender and reconstituted before serving. The broth helps rehydrate it well.
  • Toss into Rice/Pasta Dishes: Stir chopped dried broccoli into creamy pasta or risotto dishes, or add to a stir-fry for extra nutrition. The broccoli rehydrates and becomes tender during cooking.
  • Include in Casserole Mixes: Combine dried broccoli (chopped small), with casserole ingredients like chicken and rice. The broccoli will reconstitute while cooking and baking.
  • Sprinkle on Pizza: Rehydrate dried broccoli in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain well and sprinkle broccoli pieces over your favorite pizza crust before adding sauce and cheese, and then baking.
  • Roast in the Oven: Spread rehydrated broccoli pieces on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil and seasonings and bake until slightly crispy and browned.

The key is to first chop well and fully rehydrate before cooking through in your favorite dishes and recipes. The result tastes just like fresh broccoli!

Over 2k Years Old!

Did you know that broccoli has been around for over 2,000 years and counting? I don't know if people have been dehydrating broccoli for that long, though!

Broccoli Nutrition Info.

VITAMINS: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Folate, and Choline and has trace amounts of Niacin, Vitamin E, and Thiamine.

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

Broccoli also contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids too.

How to Dehydrate Broccoli ~ The Easy Way!

If using frozen broccoli, ignore steps 1 and 2 coming up in "From Fresh" below.

NOTE: if your frozen broccoli has clumped together in the bag, prior to opening the bag drop it gently on your countertop a few times ā€“ this helps to loosen it up!

De-clump Frozen Broccoli by Doing This...

If you still have a few small clumps on your dehydrator trays, simply run the clumps under clean cool water for a few seconds, and that will do the trick!

Or leave broccoli unopened in the bag in the kitchen sink for an hour. You will be able to slice the big florets easily when partially thawed.

From Fresh:

  1. Thoroughly wash your fresh broccoli. Cut into small florets. The broccoli looks like miniature bushes now!
  2. Blanch in a small amount of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Look how nice and bright the color is! OK, if they're too big, slice them in half so they fit easily on your trays.
  3. Arrange the broccoli florets on your dehydrator trays, making sure they don't touch each otherā€”give them some breathing room.
  4. Turn on your food dehydrator and set the temperature between 125Ā°F and 135Ā°F (or per your food dehydrator's instructions) and that's all there is to it!

šŸ’” Tip: Use our Fahrenheit to Celsius converter here on our site!

  • When your dehydrated broccoli is fully dried, it will feel very brittle.
  • Drying time for broccoli: between 6-14 hours.
  • Please remember to rotate your dehydrator trays for evenly dehydrated broccoli florets.

Dehydrated Broccoli is Very Versatile

Get going dehydrating broccoli now! Add dried broccoli to your arsenal of dehydrated vegetablesā€”so you won't run out!

If your kids see you eating broccoli and actually enjoying it, you stand a better chance of your kids eating it too! :-)

broccoli, carrot, and cheese soup suggestion

When dried broccoli is rehydrated, it is superb as broccoli soup, as well as in a soufflĆ©, and works well as a sauce! 

How about broccoli with cheese? Yummy!

Add some carrots to the mix too, and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Now you know how to dehydrate broccoli for soup etc., let's not forget to add broccoli to quiches while we're at it! Dried isn't as good as fresh, but it's a close second ... and that's why dehydrated broccoli works well in soups and sauces.

Nutritional Powerhouse

You can even start growing your own broccoli and eat the sprouts!
They are fantastic added to low-carb soft tortillas...
This prompted Julius to write in, and we put his findings into his own page:
Powdered Broccoliā€”Healthful Benefits

Nutritional Powerhouse

You can even start growing your own broccoli and eat the sprouts! They are fantastic added to low-carb soft tortillas...

This prompted Julius to write in, and we put his findings into his own page: Powdered Broccoliā€”Healthful Benefits

Best Areas for Growing Broccoli

If you're looking to grow broccoli in your garden, you'll want to make sure you have the right conditions for growing this veggie. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, broccoli prefers full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

Harvesting broccoli, person holding a cut bunch of broccoli

When it comes to planting, you'll want to start your broccoli seeds indoors about six weeks before the last spring frost. Once it's time to transplant the seedlings outdoors, make sure to space them 18 to 24 inches apart in rows that are 2Ā½ to 3 feet apart.

Water your broccoli regularly, especially during dry periods. The Almanac also recommends adding a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain moisture.

Harvest your broccoli when the heads are firm and tight. You can cut the entire head off at once, or harvest individual florets as needed. Be sure to check your plants regularly, as broccoli that is left to mature will produce flowers and eventually go to seed.

Growing broccoli can be a challenge, but if you have the right conditions and take care of your plants, you'll be rewarded with a delicious crop of this nutritious vegetable.

Thanks for stopping by to learn how to dehydrate broccoli.

Don't forget to grab your free Six Simple Steps eBook! Itā€™s packed with tips for dehydrating everything from fruits and veggies to dog treats. Get it here.

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