A method of making a porous, dehydrated food product comprises subjecting a food product to pulsed electric field treatment to form pores in the cell membranes of the food product, freezing the treated food product, and exposing the treated frozen food product to microwave radiation in a vacuum chamber at a pressure that is less than atmospheric and at which the boiling point of water is above 0° C., causing the frozen food product to thaw and water to evaporate to produce the porous, dehydrated product. The process is faster than freeze-drying and consumes less energy. The pulsed electric field treatment does not result in structural damage to the product, despite the thawing of the frozen product during the drying process.