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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: Aug 11, 2023 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 6 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!

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

    Not only do I love my air fryer, but 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...

    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
    • More Recipes for Your Dried Herbs

    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.

    🌿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 the 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 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

    Please leave a star rating and comment!

    How useful was this post?

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    Average rating 4.8 / 5. Vote count: 47

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    fresh herbs and jars of dried herbs, labelled with black round labels
    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    🌿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 minutes
    4 hours hours
    Total Time 4 hours hours 20 minutes 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!

    Please SUBSCRIBE  (get my FREE E-cookbook) and be sure to FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

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    Reader Interactions

    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
    2. Karo

      August 27, 2023 at 11:22 am

      I have a Ninja Air fryer and this technique on drying herbs nailed it. Yesterday I successfully air dryed basil and lime basil, using the Match cooking! After previous dismal attempts at dyhyrating my precious herbs, I was thrilled. Follow steps given and you will be asthrilled as I am. Note covering the herbs with the rack is critical.

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        August 27, 2023 at 12:13 pm

        Hi,
        I'm so glad it worked so well for you too!
        Terri

        Reply
    3. JerryV

      September 21, 2023 at 8:13 am

      My air fry capability is a component within my GE oven and the minimum temperature that can be used is 300 degrees F. Is this too hot to preserve the herbs? What will happen to them if I tried to dehydrate them at this temperature?

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        September 22, 2023 at 8:09 am

        Hi ,
        Yes, I think it will be too hot - you'll just end up baking them. But some people do that and they like the results.
        However, you could try air frying them at your lowest temperature for just under half the time I recommend, and hope for the best! Just keep a close eye on them.
        Alternatively, you could preserve them with them in ice cube trays, which I explain how to do in this post (#8): Kitchen Hacks and useful cooking tips
        Good luck!
        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 who 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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