Nothing tastes better than a flavorful, hot meal after a long day on the trail. Dehydrated Bell Peppers are the perfect additive ingredient for any backpacking meal. Bell Peppers are nutritious, flavorful, and feeling. In this post, you will learn how to dehydrate fresh peppers to create backpacking meals. 

This post specifically uses a food dehydrator to create dried peppers. 

Here’s a comprehensive guide on dehydrating bell peppers for your backpacking meals. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, having dehydrated bell peppers in your pantry can add a burst of color and flavor to your outdoor culinary adventures. Let’s dive in!

Just a heads up! This post contains affiliate links which means I could earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Comprehensive Guide for Dehydrating Bell Peppers

Dehydrating bell peppers are a really great entry-level food for getting into dehydration. They’re easy to cut up and it is really evident when they are fully dehydrated. Additionally, they can be added to almost every backpacking meal for added flavor and nutrition. 

Dried peppers are a great way to add flavor to dehydrated food on the trail.

Why Dehydrate Bell Peppers?

Chili Mac Backpacking Meal in a Pot

Dehydrated bell peppers are extremely versatile and convenient. For backpacking meals, they are lightweight, shelf-stable, and quick to rehydrate. If I haven’t convinced you to dehydrate them yet, here are some other reasons: 

  1. Colorful: Regardless of the type you choose, red, orange, or green, bell peppers add some color to your backpacking meal. 
  2. Easy Rehydration: Bell Peppers rehydrate quickly making them a great addition to a flavorful meal. When you’re hungry waiting for a meal to rehydrate is the worst!
  3. Flavor Boost: Make your meals more flavorful with little effort. 

Types of Bell Peppers to Dehydrate

While the process for dehydrating the different types of Bell Peppers is the same, the flavors are a little bit different. 

  • Red, Orange, and Yellow Peppers are slightly sweeter because of their higher sugar content. 
  • Green Peppers are less sweet and are great in savory backpacking meals.

 

Depending on the flavor profile you’re looking for in your meals will determine if you want to use sweet peppers like red peppers or not.

Other Peppers to Dehydrate

Different types of peppers

While we are on the topic of dehydrating bell peppers, let’s talk about some other peppers you can dehydrate for a more flavorful meal. There are so many different types of peppers, use them in your favorite recipes!  

  1. Jalapeno Peppers: Moderately spicy and should be dehydrated the same way as bell peppers. 
  2. Cayenne Peppers: Very hot and should be dehydrated whole or sliced. 
  3. Chili Peppers: Spicy and dehydrating them intensifies their flavor. Use sparingly. 
  4. Banana Peppers: Great for a mild heat. Dehydrate in slices.

 

When dehydrating hot peppers, remember to wear gloves and avoid touching your face. The heat level of peppers varies drastically and can change with dehydration. However, the subtle warmth or extreme spice can add a LOT of flavor to your meal. You can also use dehydrated hot peppers is a fantastic way to create hot sauces.

Rinsing hot peppers in cold water can help with the heat too! So if you’re trying to keep the heat in your peppers, DO NOT blanch them. 

Dehydrating hot peppers will make for excellent chili powders. Use a food processor to grind the dry peppers into a powder and store them in a spice jar.

Materials Needed

Here is a basic list of materials needed for dehydrating bell peppers:

Prepping & Pretreating Bell Peppers

Cutting up the bell peppers
  1. Clean the Bell Peppers thoroughly and dry them with a towel. Consider purchasing organic peppers at the grocery store to minimize pesticide residues.
  2. Remove the stems, seeds, and white membrane(ribs). 
  3. Slice the peppers. Using a knife cut the peppers into uniform pieces 0.25’’ to 0.5’’ squares or strips. Try to be as uniform as possible for even drying during dehydration. 
  4. Optional Blanching: While not entirely necessary, blanking does help with the rehydration process. To blanch, place the sliced peppers in hot water for four minutes and then cool in an ice bath. Let the blanched bell peppers dry completely.

Related Read: Dehydrated Chicken Noodle Soup

Dehydrating Bell Peppers

Cubed red bell peppers
Cubed Red Bell Peppers
Sliced Bell Pepper
Sliced Bell Pepper
  1. Arrange the peppers on dehydrator trays or drying screens by laying the bell pepper pieces in a flat, single layer. For an additional step, arrange them skin side down.
  2. Set the temperature to 125℉ (52℃) for approximately six to eight hours on your food dehydrator. Adjust the time and temperature based on your dehydrator model. 
  3. Check for dryness by folding the dehydrated pepper in half. The pepper should snap not bend. Add more time in one-hour increments until all excess moisture is gone.
  4. Cool the peppers completely before storing them in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags.
Dehydrated Bell Peppers

Note: Drying times will vary depending on how you cut the peppers and the food dehydrator that you’re using. Thicker peppers will take longer. Adjust the drying time accordingly.

Food Storage of Dehydrate Bell Peppers

When you’re dehydrating bell peppers for backpacking meals, there are a couple of routes you can take depending on how long you want the bell peppers to last. Consider if you are dehydrating the peppers for a backpacking meal this weekend, this summer, or for long-term storage.

Whichever method you choose, always label the container with the name of the food and the date it was dehydrated and store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. 

TIP: Use a coffee grinder to create a powder of your dry peppers. This can be sprinkled in your meals!

Immediate use

Dehydrated Bell Peppers in Canning Jars

If you’re dehydrating bell peppers for a backpacking meal that will be used in the next two weeks, you can create your meal in the storage container you’ll be bringing on your trip or in mason jars that you can then dump into a stasher bag, compostable bag, or even a mylar bag.

I use mylar bags for many of my backpacking meals because I can rehydrate the meals directly in the bag by pouring boiling water into it. 

For meals that I need to heat on the stove, I opt for a stasher bag or compostable bag. Stasher bags are great but can get heavy on the trail!

Soon-ish use (next Year)

If you’re not going to be using the dehydrated pepper for a couple of months, you can store them in the following ways: 

  • Mylar Bag with Oxygen Absorber: These are great for long-term storage and can be heat-sealed for additional protection. 
  • Airtight Container like a Mason Jar: These are fantastic for maintaining an airtight seal. If you go this route, store the container in a dark, dry area. 

 

While you can use a vacuum sealer I find that it is sometimes a waste of materials unless I am using ALL of that particular ingredient when I open the bag.  

Long-Term Storage

For long-term storage of dehydrated bell peppers, there are two options that really do the trick. 

  • Vacuum Sealing: This will ensure there is no air in the container that could influence the food. 
  • Freezer Storage: For exceptionally long storage, you can store your vacuum-sealed dehydrated bell peppers in a freezer. This method will keep your food fresh for years. 

 

Store your dehydrated food in a cool dark place.

Recipe Suggestions

Dehydrated Chicken Burrito Backpacking Meal

Now that you have your dehydrated bell peppers, here are a couple of recipe suggestions in which you can use them! 

  1. Backcountry Burritos: Add dehydrated peppers to your dehydrated rice, beans, salsa, and meat of choice! Rehydrate the meal and add it to some tortillas! 
  2. Protein Quinoa Bowls: Dehydrate quinoa, chickpeas, zucchini, olives, tomatoes, and bell peppers! 
  3. Pad Thai: Dehydrate rice noodles with a peanut Thai sauce and chicken. Add some bell peppers for added flavor. 

 

Bell peppers are a great option for creating backpacking meals so be as creative as you’d like! 

Related Read: Dehydrating Pasta for Backpacking Meals

Alternative Uses

We all grabbed a bell pepper from the back of the fridge thinking it was a little too wrinkly to be used in our meal. This is why dehydrating bell peppers or dehydrating peppers in general is a great way to improve the shelf life of the pepper. 

How alternative uses for dehydrated bell peppers include: 

Dry Rubs – Use a spice grinder to pulverize a dehydrated pepper to your spice liking. Mix it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder for a fiery dry rub. 

Spice Blends – Create a fine powder out of your favorite mix of dried peppers for the perfect spice blend. Add it to eggs, chicken, or your favorite vegetable.

Hot Sauce – Use dehydrated chile peppers to create the base for your hot sauce. The type of pepper will determine how hot the sauce will be on the Scoville scale. Mix the dried peppers with water, vinegar, and seasoning to taste! 

Soup & Stew Additive – Just like red pepper flakes can add heat to soups or stews, add a sprinkle of your dehydrated pepper pieces to your stews for additional heat. The water content of the soup will rehydrate your peppers! 

Whatever the final product is of your dried peppers, they will soon become part of your favorite dishes.

Pack It Up

Whether you’re new to dehydrating food or a pro, dehydrated bell peppers are one of the best foods to add to your dehydrated backpacking meal. They are easy to dehydrate, flavorful, and rehydrate well. So next time you’re at the store and see a sale, grab some fresh bell peppers and give it a whirl!

When dehydrating peppers make sure you cut them in a consistent size and consider adding the extra step of blanching for better rehydration. 

Don’t forget to mix things up by trying out hot peppers next time too! 

Happy dehydrating!

Dehydrating Bell Peppers for Backpacking meals Pinterest Pin
Save for Later!
How to Dehydrate Bell Peppers Pinterest Pin
Save for Later!