Beet Chips Raw Recipe
Ask anyone who knows me what my biggest downfall is when it comes to food, and they will tell you potato chips. When stress mounts, I can just hear the chips little voices. “Susan, we will make you feel better. Susan, we are crunchy and salty. Susan, we taste so good.” What they forget to say is, “Susan, we will bloat you like there is no tomorrow. We will load your bloodstream with fat. The oil we have been fried in will clog your arteries and you will feel like crap shortly after you eat us.” I know all of this but for some reason, when I am in that moment, the only thing I seem to hear is the chips siren song.
I have tried to find some alternatives that I really like. Potatoes just don’t get a good texture in the dehydrator. Plus, I am looking for color (phytonutrients) in my food. I had picked up some beets at the market, thinking that I would pickle them. But when I pulled them out, I changed my mind. Grabbing the mandoline, I started slicing. A little cider vinegar was added along with a final touch of Himalayan salt and a sprinkle of pepper. Into the dehydrator and 24 hours later I had a delicious snack that is giving those potato chips a run.
Dehydration Tip
Don’t worry about the higher start temp. In the beginning, the food stays cool because it is throwing off water. The food will never get above the 118 degrees to stay raw.
Beet Chips
- 5 beets, I used golden and red
- 1/4 cup raw cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Mix together cider vinegar, oil and water. Set aside.
- Slice the beets very thin. I used a mandoline for this.
- Soak the sliced beets in the water mixture for about 10 minutes. You may have to toss to coat.
- Spread on screens, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dehydrate at 145 for 45 minutes, reduce heat to 115 and continue dehydrating for about 24 hours or until chips are crunchy.
*Note: Don’t worry about beginning dehydration temp. The food never goes above 115 and it’s raw integrity is not compromised. You can read more here: Dehydration
Taylor wrote on March 12, 2013
Do you skin your beets?
Susan wrote on March 12, 2013
I do but you don’t have to. Cheers!
bulaklak wrote on March 2, 2013
I’ve tried these a lot of different ways, and am not having much luck. I think part of the problem is the slicing. When I try to slice them on the thinnest setting on the mandoline, it’s a pain and they don’t make full slices, only half. But if I use the next setting up, they are just a bit too thick to get really crunchy. Any tips?
Dawn wrote on February 14, 2013
I do not have a dehydrater, is there any other way I could make these, until I buy one?
Jillian wrote on February 12, 2013
Hi Susan, Beautiful recipe. Would you say these had a shelf life? Roughly how long?
Susan wrote on February 12, 2013
It depends on your dehydration. If you dehydrate very dry, they will last quite a while. Mine never last long, though…we eat them. Cheers!
Bill wrote on January 30, 2013
I have made beet chips in the oven (375F for 20-ish minutes). The problem besides loss of some nutrition is that getting them just crisp and not burnt is a very tricky bit. I moved to doing them 15 minutes in the oven and finishing in the dehydrator. Tonight I will be trying the dehydrator only method. I am hoping for a slightly sweet flavor and a definite crunch. Nutrition and health are great but only if I’ll eat them. Here’s to hoping!
jo wrote on January 22, 2013
can this recipe work as well in the oven? if so, what temp. and for how long?
Susan wrote on January 22, 2013
SInce this is a raw food site, these recipes have been specifically formulated to be made in a dehydrator to preserve their raw status. I do not have instructions for using an oven. Please feel free to experiment on your own. Cheers!
Sylvain wrote on December 9, 2012
Thanks for this great, yet simple recipe.
I found your site after searching what to do with two drawers full of beets going mouldy. I blanched them to kill the mould and for easier cleaning. Then I followed your recipe with about a half-dozen beets. The mandolin was a perfect tool as it thinly slices the beets quickly. I just stopped slicing when I felt too close to the blade for comfort (the remainder was cut in chunks for soup).
Your simple vinaigrette enhanced the flavour of the beets. This being said, I found adding the salt after soaking the beets gave uneven results (some were too salty, some were not). Next time, I will try dissolving the salt in vinaigrette first (and go easy on the salt as the beets’ sweetness is what makes this recipe special).
My family loved the chips. The easiest way of making my teenagers eating beets!
We will try to do the same with other vegetables. This was such a success!
Thank you again for posting this recipe and simple preparation method. You made one more family very pleased.
Kristen @ Enjoy This Organic Life wrote on October 27, 2012
Yum, these sound like a fantastic way to enjoy the copious amount of beets flowing from my farm 🙂 cannot wait to make a batch tomorrow!
Teresa wrote on September 3, 2012
Does anyone know if these get crispy in the dehydrator? I have tried sweet potato and zucchini chips in the dehydrator, but could not eat them because of the rubbery texture even though they were sliced very thin on my mandoline. Thank you!
Susan wrote on September 3, 2012
They get crunchy in the dehydrator. Not like fried chips, but definitely not soggy. Cheers!