How to Dry Parsley With a Dehydrator

The common practice of drying parsley by hanging the plant to air dry can take weeks. Using a dehydrator can cut that time to a matter of hours. The initial preparation of the parsley is minimal, so the plant can go from garden to dehydrator in very little time. Once dried, the herb can be stored in airtight containers and kept up to one year, or until the next season's harvest.

Things You'll Need

• Parsley plants
• Paper towels
• Dehydrator
• Airtight containers

Instructions

1. Wash the parsley under cool running water to remove any dirt, debris or small insects from the plant. Place the parsley on paper towels to drain.

2. Separate the parsley sprigs into small individual sections. If desired, you can separate the leaves from the stems and dry only the leaves.

3. Place the separated parsley in as even layers as possible on dehydrator trays.

4. Dry the parsley in the dehydrator for 1 hour. Turn the sprigs over and dry for an additional hour.

5. Test the parsley for complete dryness at the end of the second hour. The parsley should crumble easily between your fingers if fully dried. If not completely dry, continue the drying process, checking the parsley at 30 minute intervals until done.

Tips & Warnings

• Store the dried parsley, either whole or crumbled, in airtight containers such as glass jars with lids or old herb jars.

• Dried parsley will be 3 to 4 times stronger in taste than fresh parsley. If using in recipes, start with 1/4 the amount of fresh parsley called for in the recipe.

• If a dehydrator isn't available, dry the parsley by placing it on cookie sheets in an oven set on the lowest heat setting. Check the parsley after an hour, turning if necessary.

References

• National Center for Home Food Preservation.edu: Drying - Herbs
• Virginia Tech University.edu: Using Dehydration to Preserve Fruits, Vegetables, and Meats