Recipe This | Dehydrated Limes In The Air Fryer (2024)

How to dehydrate Limes. Let me show you how easy it is to make dried lime slices using the dehydrator setting on your air fryer.

Dehydrated limes are perfect for air fryer beginners, can be mix and matched with any citrus fruit and are perfect for summer co*cktails and Christmas parties.

Dehydrated Lime

Picture to scene….it was September 2013 and we were camping with my parents in rural Spain. It was a beautiful rural village, that shouted out REAL SPAIN and was not something you would typically see on a holiday brochure.

We were in a chalet and my parents were in their RV and little Kyle went from a night with his grandparents in the RV to a night in the chalet with us.

My parents who drink a lot more than us, well that is most people as we are small drinkers, asked us what drink we wanted before the trip.

We tried the line “we don’t drink” and on arrival was presented with co*cktails. As a person that rarely drinks, I was soon lightheaded and don’t remember the rest of the night.

BUT I do remember how amazing the co*cktails were and how they were loaded with lime slices.

It made me realise that I hardly ever buy limes and it started my obsession with virgin co*cktails that I could make with dried lime and then serve to the kids.

We now love our air fryer dried limes and wanted to share with you, how to dehydrate limes and use them in your drinks, or however you prefer to use them.

Plus, as well as our free newsletter, we also have a free air fryer mini course. It is ideal for air fryer beginners or those that want to get more confident with their air fryer. The free course runs for 5 days with a new lesson delivered each day to your inbox.

Can Limes Go Bad?

Yes, they can. Though if you use a dehydrator, such as the dehydrator setting on the air fryer, you can transform your limes into dried lime slices.

This of course doesn’t stop the limes from going bad, as eventually they do, it just makes them last a lot longer than they normally would.

Why Dehydrated Limes In Air Fryer?

Because it is so, so easy to dry out limes in the air fryer, or more specifically the air fryer oven. Many air fryers (like this one) have a dehydrator setting, making it incredibly easy and to avoid the cost of a dehydrator.

Then, like with a dehydrator, you place your sliced citrus fruit on the shelves, and it dehydrates for you.

How To Slice A Lime For The Dehydrator?

When making dehydrated lime slices, its all about a thin slice, but not thin enough that the lime breaks.

I recommend that you do more lime slices than you need, that way you can discard the lime slices that have broken and the ends and still create enough lime slices for your dehydrating.

For example, buy 6 limes from the grocery store, as there is nothing worse than buying 4, not having enough and being annoyed with yourself.

Plus, limes are very small anyway and its hard to cut your limes for your dried lime recipe.

Then the next important thing is to use a mandolin as it’s the easiest way to get an even slice on your limes, like we have done here:

Here is the link to a Mandolin we recommend if you don’t have one. Its about the only one that has not chopped my finger off!

Dehydrating Lime Ingredients

Air Fryer Oven – I recommend this air fryer oven for dehydrating fruit, and it is fantastic because there are three shelves, and you can do a small batch or a large batch of dehydrated limes.

Storage – You need a plan of action of where you plan to keep your dried fruit. You can keep it simple by eating them all straight away (yes I do that), use a zip loc bag (I prefer this one) or you can opt for traditional pantry containers (like this one).

Limes – If you are wondering what the best limes for dehydrating are, then the answer is simple, as any will do. Of course, if they are over soft, it makes them very difficult for slicing and you can cut yourself with a mandolin. Therefore, I recommend limes that are hard rather than soft.

That is, it! You probably think that are complicated ingredients and accessories to make air fryer limes, but there isn’t. It is also a fantastic easy recipe for air fryer beginners.

How To Prepare Limes For Dehydrating?

I love dried lime slices because unlike dehydrated blueberries or dehydrated raspberries, no extra ingredients need to be added to the limes.

You simply just need to get your limes out of the fridge and slice up your limes with your professional slicer.

If you don’t have time to dehydrate today, you can prepare your sliced limes and then dehydrate tomorrow and leave them in the air fryer oven ready for later.

How Do You Dehydrate Limes?

• Prep. Slice your limes into similar size slices. We recommend a professional slicer (like this one) for this and other dehydrated fruit as it can give an even cut. Then discard the ends.
• Air fry. Load your sliced limes onto the air fryer shelf (or shelves) and air fry for 2 hours on 55c/130f.
• Store. Remove from the air fryer and allow to cool before placing into your preferred storage container.

How Long Do Limes Last?

I am sure you want to know how long do dehydrated limes last. Well, if they are left in a mason jar or other sealed containers, in your dark pantry, then you have a year before you have to use them all.

BUT if they are in sunlight and in a zip loc bag then I recommend using within 90 days.

What Do You Do With Dehydrated Limes?

I am sure you want to know what to do with your dehydrated limes and my first thought is lime garnishes for co*cktails!!!

Though of course you can use dried limes for presentation at parties, for your centre piece on your Christmas table or for a topping on a birthday cake.

What Can You Dehydrate?

There are lots of food you can dehydrate and it’s not just about limes. In fact, this recipe is number #7 in a summer theme we are running of fruit to dehydrate in the air fryer. Last week it was dehydrated pears, the week before it was dehydrated bananas, and we can’t wait to carry on the theme.

As well as these you can also dehydrate most fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. There is also the option to dehydrate other foods such as marshmallows, potatoes, and beef jerky. Though, those are the dehydrated foods I think of first as there is so much choice.

I recommend that if you are a beginner to dehydrated foods that you start with dehydrated fruit recipes from the berry family.

Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!