Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, beets are a well known superfood.
Many supplement providers even market beet powder for its potential to improve energy, increase heart and brain health, and strengthen the immune system – often with a price tag to match!
Luckily, with the magic of freeze drying, you can make your own beetroot powder easily, and affordably, at home.
Step-By-Step Guide to Making Freeze Dried Beet Powder
Equipment:
- Home Freeze Dryer (and trays)
- Breville Sous Chef (food processor) – optional
- Chest Freezer (for pre-freezing) – optional
- Blender – for making beet powder
- Mylar Bags or Mason Jars
- Oxygen Absorbers
- Impulse Sealer
- Labels and Marker – for labeling your storage containers
Don’t have a freeze-dryer yet and wondering if this appliance is right for you? Read my two-year, hands-on, no-holds-barred review of the Harvest Right freeze dryer here.
- Freeze dry up to 10,000 lbs of fresh food every year.
- Preserve your gardens harvest & prepare for emergencies.
- Make your own camping & hiking meals.
- Freeze dry your own pet food.
1. Select Your Beets
If you grow your own beets, they are best freeze-dried soon after picking to maximize their nutritional value. I was fortunate enough to be given some homegrown beets by family who had a surplus.
If buying beets, look for ones that are firm and rich in color. They should have smooth, unblemished skin when possible, and small to medium-sized beets will have a sweeter flavor than large beets. Since you are turning these into a ‘superfood’ powder, it is a good idea to buy organic beets that are free of harmful sprays.
For reference, I fit about 2.2 lbs (1kg) of beetroot onto a single medium Harvest Right freeze dryer tray.
2. Wash & Peel Your Beets
With your beets selected, it is time to give them a good scrub.
Peeling is optional, and if your beets are organic and blemish free, the skin contains additional fiber and nutrients so you may prefer to leave it on.
3. Shred Your Beets
Next, it is time to shred your beets. You can also just roughly chop them, but the larger the pieces, the longer your dry time will be.
Since I have the Breville Sous Chef, shredding the beets with the coarse shredder disc is the fastest way to process the beets – with minimal mess!
If you don’t have a food processor with a shred function, you can also manually shred the beets with a grater.
4. Arrange the Shredded Beets onto a Freeze Dryer Tray
With your beets shredded, it is time to arrange them onto a freeze dryer tray. Spread them evenly across the tray to aid drying, and don’t overload the tray.
I fit about 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of shredded beets comfortably on a medium Harvest Right freeze dryer tray.
5. Pre-Freeze the Shredded Beets
This step is optional, but recommended.
I let my beets chill out in the deep freeze for a couple of days to completely freeze before beginning the freeze drying process.
6. Load the Freeze-Dyer & Start the Cycle
With your beets prepared, it is time to fire up the freeze dryer.
Load your trays into the machine and follow the screen prompts to begin the cycle. You can just use the default settings on your machine.
If you don’t have a full load of shredded beetroot, you can dry it with other foods of similar moisture content. Other root vegetables such as carrot are ideal.
I ran my cycle with other beetroot items including roasted beet chips and sliced pickled beets.
7. Check the Beets are Completely Dry
Once the cycle is complete, check your shredded beets are completely dry.
They should be light, airy and slightly warm to touch.
If you feel any icy spots, or have any doubt at all, add additional extra dry time to be on the safe side.
My cycle ran for about 36 hours and 10 of those were in extra dry. I have my freeze dryer set to a default extra dry time of 24 hours so that I can package the food at a time that works for me.
8. Powder the Freeze Dried Beets
Once you have confirmed your beets are completely dry, you can powder them in a blender such as a Vitamix.
Process them for as long as it takes to achieve your desired consistency. We just roughly powder ours since the beet powder is going to be added to our morning smoothie.
9. Package the Freeze Dried Beet Powder for Storage
If you plan on using your beet powder in the short term, you can just store it in an airtight jar.
However, if you want to store the powder safely over a longer term, you will need to use a Mylar bag or Mason jars and add an oxygen absorber to each.
Keep these in a cool, dark place for optimal shelf life.
How to Use Freeze Dried Beet Powder
Now you have your beet powder freeze dried and packaged, here are some of the ways you can use it:
- Add to smoothies and juices for a nutrient and color boost.
- Use in baking to add color and sweetness to baked goods.
- Mix with coconut water for a quick pre-workout energy boost.
- Use in soups and sauces to add color and flavor.
- Add to homemade salad dressings.
- Sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal for a colorful, nutrient-packed twist.
- Make a beet latte using warm milk and some spices such as cinnamon or ginger.
- Use as a natural food coloring.
- Use in DIY beauty recipes such as face masks.
- Add to seasoning mixes for a touch of color.
Freeze Dried VS Dehydrated Beets for Beet Powder
You can also make beet powder by dehydrating your beets, rather than freeze drying.
The advantage of freeze drying is that this method retains the most amount of nutrients compared to other drying methods, including dehydrating.
Freeze drying also removes the liquid in the food more effectively resulting an a longer-lasting, shelf stable product.
Freeze Dried Superfood!
So there you have it! An easy way to create your own superfood powder using freeze dried beets.
What other superfoods have you been freeze drying?
Let us know in the comments!
Don’t have a freeze-dryer yet and wondering if this appliance is right for you? Read my two-year, hands-on, no-holds-barred review of the Harvest Right freeze dryer here.
- Freeze dry up to 10,000 lbs of fresh food every year.
- Preserve your gardens harvest & prepare for emergencies.
- Make your own camping & hiking meals.
- Freeze dry your own pet food.
Equipment
- 1 Freeze Dryer and trays
- 1 Breville Sous Chef for shredding (optional)
- 1 Blender (eg. Vitamix) for powdering
- 1 Mylar bags or Mason jars sufficient quantity for storage
- 1 Oxygen absorber for each bag or jar
- 1 Heat sealer
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs fresh beets approx. per medium freeze dryer tray
Instructions
Prepare the Beets
- Choose small to medium-sized, fresh firm (preferably organic) beets.
- Wash thoroughly and peel if desired.
- Shred the beets using a food processor such as a Breville Sous Chef or hand grater.
- Evenly spread the beets on freeze dryer trays and pre-freeze (optional).
Freeze Drying the Beets
- Load trays into the freeze dryer.
- Begin the cycle according to your machine's instructions.
- When the cycle is complete, ensure the beets are completely dry. If any cold spots remain, add extra dry time.
Powder & Package the Beets
- Transfer freeze-dried beets to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Package in Mylar bags or Mason jars adding an oxygen absorber to each.
- Seal and label with contents and date.
Notes
- Add to smoothies and juices.
- Use in baking for color and sweetness.
- Mix with coconut water for an energy boost.
- Incorporate into soups, sauces, and dressings.
- Sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal.
- Use as natural food coloring or in DIY beauty recipes.
