How to Dry Chives at Home (Oven or Dehydrator)
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Chives are one of the best herbs to dry because they add a deliciously light onion flavor to any recipe and are ready in just a few hours! Learn everything you need to know to dehydrate chives and get started right away.
I love chives! They’re the perfect herb to add to this sour cream chive dip, and the chive flowers make this chive blossom butter so flavorful (and pretty)! If you’re lucky enough to have “too many chives,” dry them to add that fresh chive flavor to anything you’d like!
Can you dehydrate chives?
Yes! Just like other herbs, you can dry fresh chives to store in your spice cupboard to add to sauces, dressings, dips, and so much more. They’re one of the fastest and easiest herbs to dry, too!
There are several different methods to dry fresh chives for long-term storage, but I’m partial to using the oven or dehydrator. If you’re new to dehydrating, the oven is the easiest way to dry them quickly and a great method for beginners!
Why you’ll love this dehydrated chives recipe
- Ready from start to finish in just a few hours
- Preserve the harvest from your herb garden
- Adds great flavor to homemade dressings, sauces, dips, etc.
- Lasts for years in the spice cupboard
- Dry as much as you have on hand
Equipment
There are several ways to dry chives. I recommend the oven or dehydrator for the most consistent results. You’ll need:
Oven Method:
- Clean towel
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen scissors or herb scissors
- Wooden spoon (to prop the oven open)
Dehydrator Method:
- Clean kitchen towel
- Food dehydrator with dehydrator trays
- Kitchen scissors
You’ll also need a mason jar or other airtight jar for storage.
Ingredients
- Fresh chives – It’s really important to use the freshest, cleanest chives. If they’re showing signs of rot or going bad at all, they won’t dry properly and will ruin the whole batch.
How to Dehydrate Chives in the Oven
- Rinse the chives under cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Turn on the oven to its lowest temperature setting (usually around 170 F) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Use the kitchen scissors to trim the chives into very small pieces.
- Spread the chives in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Place in the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to reduce the temperature even further.
- Allow the chives to dry completely (usually 1-2 hours). When totally dry, they will crumble or shatter in your fingers and sound papery.
- Once dried, let the chives cool to room temperature, and then transfer them to a clean jar for storage.
How to Dry Chives in the Dehydrator
- Rinse and pat dry the chives.
- Use kitchen scissors to slice the chives into small pieces. Spread them evenly on the dehydrator tray. NOTE: Depending on your dehydrator, the pieces of chive may fall through the holes in the screen. Feel free to use a piece of parchment if this is a problem.
- Close the dehydrator and set it to 125 F.
- Allow the chives to dry for 3-4 hours or until fully dried.
- Turn off the dehydrator, let the chives cool, then transfer to a glass jar for storage.
Storing
I always recommend storing dehydrated herbs in an airtight container, like a mason jar. Store chives in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight (like your spice cupboard). They will stay fresh for at least 1 year.
Make sure the chives are fully dried or they may hold in storage. If you see any mold, you’ll need to dispose of the whole batch.
Tips & Variations
- Use a rubber band. Chives look so neat and tidy when you hold them in your hand, but they can easily get tangled up and hard to handle! Make a loose bundle of the fresh herbs with your hand, tie them with a rubber band, then rinse and dry to keep them all lined up in the same direction. If you have a large amount, make small bundles.
- Avoid silicone. Dried herbs stick to silicone baking mats really badly, so I no longer use them for drying. If you need some sort of liner, it’s best to use regular parchment paper.
- Make it worth it. You can dry any amount of chives that you have on hand, but it’s easier to dry a lot of chives at once. They shrink after they dry, so you’ll end up with less dried chives than you expect.
- Cut evenly. Try to trim the pieces as evenly as possible to make them all consistent.
FAQs
Grab a handful of chives to hold them in place, then snip them with sharp scissors or slice them with a clean knife. That’s it! Just make sure you leave at least an inch of the chive plant so it can regrow.
Oven drying is even faster than dehydrators since the temperature is much higher. In general, your chives will need 1-2 hours of drying time.
Yes! I recommend using the dehydrator or oven because they’re much faster, meaning you’re less likely to lose your chives to mold. However, you can certainly try air drying your chives instead. This method has the lowest heat, so it takes the longest. Place the clean chives on a baking sheet in a dry location with good air circulation and let them dry for several days or up to a week. Stir them occasionally to help any excess moisture evaporate so they can dry evenly.
Related Recipes
- How to Dry Basil
- Drying Green Onions
- How to Dry Dill
- How to Dry Parsley
- Dehydrating Garlic Scapes
- How to Dry Sage
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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How to Dehydrate Fresh Chives
Equipment
- dehydrator or oven
- Kitchen scissors
- clean kitchen towel
- mason jar or other airtight container
Ingredients
- fresh chives, as much or as little as you have
Instructions
How to Dehydrate Chives in the Oven
- Rinse the chives under cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Turn on the oven to its lowest temperature setting (usually around 170 F) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Use the kitchen scissors to trim the chives into very small pieces.
- Spread the chives in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Place in the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to reduce the temperature even further.
- Allow the chives to dry completely (usually 1-2 hours). When totally dry, they will crumble or shatter in your fingers and sound papery.
- Once dried, let the chives cool to room temperature, and then transfer them to a clean jar for storage.
How to Dry Chives in the Dehydrator
- Rinse and pat dry the chives.
- Use kitchen scissors to slice the chives into small pieces. Spread them evenly on the dehydrator tray. NOTE: Depending on your dehydrator, the pieces of chive may fall through the holes in the screen. Feel free to use a piece of parchment if this is a problem.
- Close the dehydrator and set it to 125 F.
- Allow the chives to dry for 3-4 hours or until fully dried.
- Turn off the dehydrator, let the chives cool, then transfer to a glass jar for storage.
