Vegetable powder is made by dehydrating fresh vegetables, then grinding the dried veggies into a fine powder.
This powdered form allows you to preserve vegetables for long periods while retaining nutrients, take up less storage space, and easily add nutritional boosts to foods.
How to Make Vegetable Powder at Home
Making DIY vegetable powder requires only a few steps:
1. Select and Prep the Vegetables
Almost any vegetable can be turned into powder, like carrots, tomatoes, spinach, kale, zucchini, peppers, and more. Prep the vegetables by washing and slicing or chopping into small, thin pieces. For leafy greens, no prep is needed beyond washing.
For vegetables like carrots, steaming or blanching first helps intensify color and makes them easier to grind later. Soft vegetables can be pureed first too.
Key Takeaway: Chop vegetables small and thin for faster, more even drying. Pureeing works well for soft veggies.
2. Dehydrate the Vegetables
Spread veggies evenly over dehydrator trays in a single layer. Dehydrate at 125-140°F until completely dried and brittle. Test for dryness by letting pieces drop onto a hard surface to listen for a sharp "click" sound.
For leafy greens like spinach, kale, etc. no additional prep is needed. Just wash and arrange leaves on trays.
With an electric food dehydrator, vegetables take 6-12 hours to fully dehydrate. Ovens can work too but use more energy and take longer.
3. Grind into Powder
Once veggies are crispy dry, you can grind them into powder. Use a coffee grinder, food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle to pulverize the dried vegetables into a fine powder.
Sift powder through a mesh strainer to separate any chunks that didn't get finely ground. Re-grind as needed to achieve a consistent, smooth powder.
4. Store in Airtight Containers
The final step is safely storing your homemade vegetable powders. Pack tightly in airtight glass jars or vacuum sealed bags. Add oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf life.
Store powder in a cool, dry place away from light and moisture. Properly stored, powders last 6-12 months.
Key Takeaway: Grind dried vegetables into fine powder and store in airtight containers away from light, heat, and moisture.
With a quality dehydrator like Excalibur, you can easily make DIY vegetable powders year-round using seasonal produce. Now let's look at specific ways to use them.
Using Vegetable Powders in Recipes
The uses for vegetable powder are endless. They add extra nutrition while boosting flavor in meals, snacks, beverages, and more. Here are some of the most popular ways to use them:
Add to Soups, Stews and Casseroles
One of the best uses for veggie powders is adding to soups, stews, chilis, and casseroles. They infuse dishes with nutrients and act as a natural thickener.
- For thickening, whisk in vegetable powders a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Carrot, tomato, and spinach work great.
- 1-2 Tbsp powders like onion, garlic, mushroom, or peppers enhance flavor.
- Start with small amounts, taste, and add more if needed. A little goes a long way!
Boost Smoothies and Shakes
Smoothies are an easy way to add extra servings of vegetables. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp powders like spinach, kale, carrots, beets, or tomatoes for a nutritional punch.
The mild flavors integrate well into sweet and creamy smoothies. Make "green" smoothies with spinach or kale powder for color.
Mix into Baked Goods
You can hides veggies in muffins, breads, cookies, pancakes, and more with vegetable powders. They add moisture and nutrients while only mildly affecting flavor.
Try adding 2-3 Tbsp powder per recipe. Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and greens work well.
For coloring, beet powder makes baked goods pink and carrot powder turns them orange. Have fun with natural food dyes.
Use as a Salad Topping
Make your salads more nutritious by sprinkling on vegetable powders. Try powders made from tomato, onion, garlic, carrots, beets, and herbs.
Use instead of croutons or mix with oil and vinegar to make your own powdered salad dressing mix. Get creative with combinations!
Add to Meats, Sauces and Dips
Mix DIY powders into meats, sauces, and dips for an antioxidant and phytonutrient boost.
- Stir carrot, celery, or mushroom powder into meatloaf or burgers
- Whisk spinach, tomato, or peppers into pasta sauce
- Fold kale, broccoli, or garlic powder into sour cream for veggie dip
Start with 1-2 Tbsp per pound of ground meat or 2 cups of sauce. Adjust to taste.
Make Nutritious Instant Drinks
Whip up nutritious “instant” drinks by the glass or pitcher using veggie powders. Simply mix powders into water, milk, juice, or smoothies.
Try formulas like:
- 1 Tbsp green powder (spinach/kale) + 1 cup juice
- 1 tsp carrot powder + 1 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp tomato powder + 1 cup water
Get creative with YOUR powdered vegetable drink combos!
By dehydrating abundant fresh produce into powder, you can capture flavors and nutrition all year long. Add powders to any meal or snack for an antioxidant and phytonutrient boost!
FAQs
What vegetables make good powders?
Almost any vegetable can be dried and powdered! Some top choices are tomatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms and herbs.
Can you use vegetable powder daily?
Yes, vegetable powders are very safe to consume daily. They provide an easy way to increase your daily vegetable intake and get a wider variety of nutrients. Start with 1-2 Tbsp daily and work up from there.
How long does homemade vegetable powder last?
Properly stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place, most homemade vegetable powders will last 6-12 months before losing potency and flavor. After that, it's best to make a fresh batch.
Can vegetable powders replace fresh vegetables?
No, powders cannot completely replace fresh veggies. However, they are an excellent way to add supplementary nutrients from vegetables into your diet. Enjoy them combined with fresh fruits and veggies for optimal nutrition.
What’s the best way to use veggie powders?
There are endless ways to incorporate powders into foods and drinks! Try adding to soups, smoothies, baked goods, salad dressings, meat mixes, instant drinks and more. Get creative and have fun!
Conclusion
Making vegetable powder at home lets you preserve seasonal produce at peak nutrition. Dehydrating then grinding veggies like tomatoes, carrots, leafy greens, and peppers makes powders that can be stored long-term.
These powders add antioxidant power and natural flavor to meals, snacks, drinks and more without overpowering tastes. Mix into casseroles, breads, smoothies, salad dressings, and anywhere you want a nutritional boost from veggies!
With a quality dehydrator and Mason jars for storage, you can easily turn abundant garden veggies or farmers market finds into nutritious powders. Make large batches to have on hand for adding to family favorites all year long.