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Home » Meanderings » How to's

How to Dehydrate Herbs in the Air Fryer

Published: Sep 7, 2022 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Sep 8, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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pin with photo of herbs and jars and ninja foodi air fryer in background

I LOVE fresh herbs so I grow a lot of them in the summer. And I really hate to see them go to waste if I can't use them all (which is often the case!) So I finally bought an air fryer and specifically bought a model with a dehydration option so I could dry them that way … and WOW! Not only do I love my air fryer, having this function makes it even more of a handy device! This really is the best way to preserve your summer bounty. So, if you have an air fryer with a dehydrator and you're wondering how to dehydrate herbs in the air fryer, and why this is the best method, then read on...

fresh herbs and jars of dried herbs, labelled with black round labels

Drying your herbs by dehydrating them in your air fryer is ideal because it doesn't heat up the house (like the oven does) when it's hot, especially if you don't have air conditioning. It's also a convenient way to dry herbs, as it doesn't tie up your oven. The air fryer uses less space and energy than an oven does and takes a lot less time than air drying. Because dehydrating herbs removes all the moisture very quickly, it is not only an easy way, but also the best way to preserve the flavor, aroma, and potency of herbs. You can also continue to enjoy your herbs through the winter months.

Jump to:
  • 🌿Why dehydrate herbs?
  • 🆚Dehydrating Herbs vs. Drying Herbs
  • 🌿Uses for dehydrated herbs
  • ⏲️How long does it take to dehydrate herbs in an air fryer?
  • 🥘Ingredients
  • 🔪Instructions
  • 🍽Equipment
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 💭Top tip
  • ❔ Frequently Asked Questions
  • ⭐ Reviews
  • 🌿How to Dehydrate Herbs in Air Fryer Directions

🌿Why dehydrate herbs?

Dehydrating herbs is a different method of drying from air drying or oven drying them. Dehydrating herbs means they are quickly cooked at a low temperature, removing all the moisture, yielding better results.

This preserves their nutrients and they keep longer. And dehydrating them in the air fryer is easy, convenient and energy efficient. Dehydrated fresh herbs are also superior to dried herbs bought at the grocery store, as they are much more flavorful.

🆚Dehydrating Herbs vs. Drying Herbs

The drying process is much longer if you are air drying herbs (generally at least a week) and the process doesn't preserve the nutrients, flavor and aroma in the same way that dehydrating does. Mold is also a risk if there is a lot of humidity in the air especially for herbs like basil, chives and mint, that have a high moisture content.

Oven drying herbs does not remove the moisture in the the same way that dehydrating does and cooks at higher temperatures. Therefore, the herbs get cooked a little bit in the process, removing some of the potency and flavor. This means you'll likely need to use more of them in your cooking.

fresh herbs and jars of dried herbs and dried herbs in front of jar

🌿Uses for dehydrated herbs

You can use dehydrated herbs for anything you'd use typical store-bought dried herbs for. And you can also use them for anything you'd usually use fresh herbs for. However, you will generally need to use half the amount of dried that you'd use if they were fresh. They are great in soups, sauces, stews (Slow Cooker beef stew shown below) etc...

Dehydrated herbs are a great way to add flavor to dishes and dehydrating them preserves your herbs, so you make your summer harvest last longer!

slow cooker beef stew in a blue bowl with slow cooker in the background

⏲️How long does it take to dehydrate herbs in an air fryer?

Depending on the type of air fryer you own, drying time will take from 3-4 hours to fully dehydrate your herbs. I have a Ninja Foodi and it takes 4 hours on the lowest settings (this is 135 degrees fahrenheit /57 degrees celsius on the dehydrate setting on my Ninja Foodi) *See your air fryer manual for exact cooking time

🥘Ingredients

You can use any type of herbs you grow or buy at the farmer's market.

fresh herbs, dried herbs and jars

Whether you dehydrate fresh basil in the air fryer or other herbs, the dehydration process is the same.

fresh basil in a pot with other herbs

But you can dehydrate any type of herb you want in your air fryer, such as:

  • oregano
  • tarragon
  • thyme
  • chives
  • mint
  • cilantro
  • dill
  • rosemary
  • basil leaves
  • parsley
  • sage
  • bay leaves
  • lemongrass
7 type of dehydrated herbs in Ziplock bags

🔪Instructions

How to dehydrate herbs

Dehydrating herbs in the air fryer is a simple process:

Pick your herbs. Be sure to pick the fresh ones from the top, as this encourages further growth of the plant. Pinch the leaves off for herbs such as basil, mint and oregano (oregano shown in example below) and trim stalks for herbs like dill and thyme. You can read more about when and what is the best way to harvest your herbs HERE.

oregano leaves being removed from stems on grey cutting board

Remove individual leaves from stems. You can do this by hand or with an herb stripper (see Top Tip)

herbs being cleaned in strainer

Clean and rinse herbs.

*It's important to wash herbs your herbs before dehydrating them in an air fryer. Although they may not have pesticides or herbicides on them, washing removes any dirt, debris, or pests that may on the plant. It also helps you identify and pick out bad leaves.

washed oregano on paper towel

Dry herbs by placing them on paper towels.

herbs being patted dry with paper towel from top

Pat herbs dry with more paper towel.

oregano leaves in air fryer drawer

Place herbs in your air fryer drawer or air fryer basket.

herbs in drawer with rack on top of them

Place the rack over the herbs or use a mesh muslin bag (see Equipment) if doing more than one type of herb per drawer.

air fryer dehydrate mode set to 135 degrees F

Use the dehydrator function on your air fryer, set to 135 degrees F or 57 degrees C.

*If you have a Ninja Foodi dual and are using both drawers, use match cook.

dehydrate mode on air fryer set to 4 hours

Dehydrate for 3-4 hours, according to your air fryer's operating manual.

Let stand for about 15 minutes after the process is complete.

Store in sealed mason jars (see Storage)


🍽Equipment

You'll need an air fryer with a food dehydrator. I love my Ninja Foodi dual drawer (affiliate links) with this function, but many brands and models come with a dehydrate setting.

The first time I did this, I didn't cover the herbs with the rack and they blew around and up and into the element (it was a pain to pick them out). You can use fine mesh muslin bags (affiliate links) to avoid this issue as well. Or simply put the trays over top of the herbs.

However, if you want to do more than one type of herb at a time, in each drawer (or in the main basket), then you'll need to use the muslin bags.

resh herbs and jars of dried herbs, labelled with black round labels and a Ninja Foodi Air Fryer in the background

🌡️Storage

Store dehydrated herbs in an airtight container. The best way to store dried herbs is in glass containers (sealed glass jars are best. You can also store them in Ziplock bags. You can buy labels (affiliate links) for the jars through Amazon or Etsy.

But if you want them to last longer, don't break up the leaves until you are ready to use them. They will potentially last up to 2-3 years if you don't break the leaves and 1-2 years if you do.

💭Top tip

For herbs with woody stems, it's handy to use an herb stripper and trimmer set (affiliate link). This works well for herbs with woody stems and small leaves (like tarragon or thyme, as shown). I use the scissors to cut chives.

.

herb trimmer and stripper on beige counter surface with thyme stem and leaves separated

❔ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I dehydrate with my air fryer?

Yes, you can dehydrate with your air fryer if it has the dehydrate setting. You can dehydrate most herbs like basil, oregano etc, and food items like fruit, such as strawberries, apricots and apples, and vegetables, such as mushrooms and tomatoes, as well as meats like ham and beef.

Does dehydrator use a lot of electricity?

The dehydrator setting on the air fryer uses about 1 kilowatt per hour and the process takes about 4 hours. An oven uses about 2 kilowatts per hour.

Can you dehydrate basil in an air fryer?

Yes, you can dehydrate basil in the air fryer if your air fryer has a dehydrate function.

Drying herbs in the air fryer on the dehydrate setting is the best way to preserve the best flavor, aroma, nutritional value and potency of your fresh herbs so you can enjoy them for months and years to come!

⭐ Reviews

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fresh herbs and jars of dried herbs, labelled with black round labels
Print Pin

🌿How to Dehydrate Herbs in Air Fryer Directions

Learn how to dehydrate herbs in your air fryer to avoid waste and preserve the flavor, aroma, nutrients and potency of your herbs. Dehydrating herbs in your air fryer is ideal because it won't heat up the house when it's hot, nor does it tie up your oven. It also uses less space and energy.
Keyword air fryer, dehydrating, drying, herbs
Special Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

  • Air fryer with dehydrator function

Ingredients

  • fresh herbs * you any type of fresh herb (Oregano shown in this example)

Instructions

  • Remove leaves from stems (see Top Tip)
    oregano leaves being removed from stems on grey cutting board
  • Clean and rinse herbs.
    *It's important to wash herbs your herbs before dehydrating them in an air fryer. Although they may not have pesticides or herbicides on them, washing removes any dirt, debris, or pests that may on the plant. It also helps you identify and pick out bad leaves.
    herbs being cleaned in strainer
  • Dry herbs by placing them on paper towels.
    washed oregano on paper towel
  • Pat herbs dry with more paper towel.
    herbs being patted dry with paper towel from top
  • Place herbs in your air fryer drawer or basket.
    oregano leaves in air fryer drawer
  • Place the rack over the herbs or use a mesh muslin bag (see Equipment) if doing more than one type of herb per drawer.
    herbs in drawer with rack on top of them
  • Use the dehydrator function on your air fryer, set to 135 degrees F or 57 degrees C.
    *If you have a Ninja Foodi dual and are using both drawers, use match cook.
    air fryer dehydrate mode set to 135 degrees F
  • Dehydrate for 3-4 hours, according to your air fryer's operating manual.
    Let stand for about 15 minutes after the process is complete.
    Store in sealed mason jars (see Storage)
    dehydrate mode on air fryer set to 4 hours

Notes

*See post content for important information and tips!

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Comments

  1. Sharen Buchan

    September 08, 2022 at 10:24 am

    I have a convection oven/microwave will this work as a herb dryer like your airfryer does?

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      September 08, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      Hi Sharon,
      It’s not a dehydrator so the results won’t be exactly the same. I would put the temperature as low as you can and lay them on baking sheets in a single layer. And you will probably cook them for less time ( depending on how low the temp goes). They probably won’t be quite as potent, so you may need to use a little more.
      Terri

      Reply

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I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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