Carrot powder is a versatile and nutritious ingredient that can be easily made at home.
By dehydrating and grinding carrots into a fine powder, you can create a handy pantry staple to use in many dishes.
How to Make Carrot Powder at Home
Homemade Carrot Powder - Recipe
Ingredients
- Carrots
- Knife & peeler
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Dehydrator or oven
- Blender, spice grinder, or food processor
Instructions
- Wash and peel carrots thoroughly. Trim off ends.
- Slice carrots very thinly, about 1/8 inch thick. You can use a mandoline for perfectly even slices.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange carrot slices in a single layer on sheets.
Dehydrate:
- If using a dehydrator: Dehydrate carrots at 125°F for 6-10 hours, checking occasionally, until completely dried and brittle.
- If using oven: Place baking sheets in oven and prop door open slightly. Dehydrate at lowest oven temperature setting (usually 150-170°F) for 6-12 hours.
- Allow dried carrots to cool completely before handling to avoid condensation.
- Working in small batches, grind cooled carrot chips into a fine powder using a high-powered blender, spice grinder, or food processor.
- Store carrot powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
And that's it! With just a few basic supplies and some easy dehydrating, you can make jars of carrot powder to have on hand whenever you need an extra nutritional boost.
Uses for Homemade Carrot Powder
Homemade carrot powder is handy to keep stocked in your pantry. It can add nutrition, texture, sweetness, and beautiful color to all kinds of foods and drinks.
Some ways to use carrot powder:
- Smoothies: Blend into fruit or vegetable smoothies.
- Juices and drinks: Mix into juices, lemonades, nutrition shakes, etc.
- Yogurt bowls: Stir into yogurt with fruits, nuts, seeds, and honey.
- Oatmeal and cereals: Mix into your morning oats or sprinkle on cereal.
- Baked goods: Add to breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes.
- Pancakes and waffles: Mix into batter for extra nutrition.
- Soups and stews: Whisk in when cooking for natural sweetness.
- Casseroles and pasta bakes: Mix with sauce or stir into dish.
- Meatballs and meatloaf: Knead into ground meat mixture.
- Hummus: Whisk into hummus recipe.
A little carrot powder goes a long way. Start with 1-2 tablespoons per recipe and adjust according to taste preference.
Key Takeaway: Thanks to its versatility and concentrated nutrition, homemade carrot powder has an abundance of uses in cooking and baking. A little goes a long way to boost the nutrition of recipes.
Carrot Powder Recipes
Looking to start cooking and baking with your homemade carrot powder? Try out some of these tasty carrot powder recipe ideas:
Carrot Powder Banana Muffins
Buttery banana muffins get extra nutrition and natural sweetness from carrot powder. They make a healthy on-the-go breakfast.
Ingredients:
- 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1⁄3 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp carrot powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease wells.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, sugar, oil, eggs, honey, carrot powder and vanilla.
- Pour wet banana mixture into dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Divide evenly among prepared muffin cups.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Carrot Powder Smoothie
Get an extra dose of veggies in this fresh and creamy smoothie recipe made with carrot powder. It's naturally sweetened by the fruit.
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp carrot powder
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into glasses to serve. Garnish with extra carrot powder or sliced almonds, if desired.
Carrot Powder & Chicken Soup
Carrot powder adds natural sweetness and color to this cozy homemade chicken soup. It also helps thicken it slightly.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp carrot powder
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onions soften.
- Add chicken broth, chicken, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return to soup.
- Stir in carrot powder. Let soup simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.
FAQs
How long does homemade carrot powder last?
Properly stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, homemade carrot powder will last 6-12 months at room temperature. It lasts even longer stored in the fridge or freezer.
Can you use a normal oven to make carrot powder?
Yes, you can use a standard kitchen oven to dehydrate carrots into powder. Simply line baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange carrot slices in a single layer. Prop the oven door open slightly, set temperature to lowest setting (usually 150-175°F) and dehydrate for 6-12 hours until completely dried out.
What's the difference between carrot powder and carrot flour?
Carrot powder is made by dehydrating whole carrots then grinding into powder. Carrot flour is usually made from just the peel and pulp leftover from juicing or processing carrots. So carrot powder contains more overall nutrition.
How much carrot powder should you eat per day?
There's no official recommendation, but 1-2 tablespoons per day is reasonable to obtain the benefits. Spread out that amount by adding small amounts to meals and snacks throughout your day. Too much at once may cause GI upset due to the fiber content.
Can you mix carrot powder into drinks hot?
It's best to add carrot powder only to cold liquids. The heat can destroy some of the vitamin content. For hot drinks, add carrot powder afterwards once cooled to warm or room temp.
What does carrot powder taste like?
Carrot powder has an earthy, mildly sweet flavor similar to carrots. The flavor is concentrated due to lack of moisture. It may taste grassy or vegetal if overused. Start with small amounts.
Conclusion
Homemade carrot powder is simple to DIY at home with just some basic supplies. It makes a handy pantry staple thanks to its long shelf life, concentrated nutrition, and versatility.
Add this vibrant orange powder to smoothies, baked goods, oatmeal, soups, and more to give recipes an easy nutritional upgrade. A little carrot powder goes a long way, so start with 1-2 tablespoons at a time.