Are you looking for versatile ways to use a blender? Sure, a blender can whip up your favorite strawberry smoothie, but this handy kitchen appliance is capable of much more!
Blenders are practically standard in most kitchens because they are great for crushing, chopping, and whipping up anything from cocktails and soups to sauces and crushed foods.
While a blender may not be easy to clean, it is multi-functional and built to withstand years of use. Plus, it saves time and takes up minimal space.
If you find yourself shoving your blender to the back of a cabinet with your slow cooker, it's time to pull it back out on the counter and get those blades moving!
No matter the type of blender you own, get ready to mix up tasty meals and drinks with a simple touch of a button. Check out ten ways to use a blender and discover its culinary potential.
Let’s see what you can do with your blender on any given day.
The process of puréeing food refers to the change from solid foods to a smooth texture like mashed potatoes or applesauce. Puree your food of choice in a blender or food processor.
It’s possible to blend anything from fruits and vegetables to meat, milkshakes, pudding, and soup. You may need to add some liquid like juice or broth for the right consistency.
Transitioning to puréed food isn’t always easy, especially if you’re on a new diet, but it has many benefits. If you or someone you know has digestive disorders, oral issues, or trouble chewing or swallowing, try puréeing your food!
When you’re ready to eat, it requires practically no chewing. For parents or caregivers, homemade purée can be one of the best first foods for babies! Although prep is involved compared to store-bought food, you will know everything that goes into your baby’s mouth.
Popular meals to purée for babies include sweet potatoes, carrots, green peas, butternut squash, apples, pears, and more.
From vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry to specialty flavors like salted caramel and pumpkin spice, you can enjoy this dessert in less than ten minutes.
Let’s shake things up, literally! Try this step-by-step guide from Wayfair on how to make a milkshake with a blender.
Step 1: Prepare Your tools and ingredients.
Step 2: Add ice cream, milk, and your flavors of choice to the blender.
Step 3: Blend until smooth.
Step 4: Add any garnish (like whipped cream) and enjoy!
They say "happy hour" is the best hour. But, when you're making your cocktails, it is whenever you decide to use your blender.
With a blender, you don't have to be a mixologist or own special equipment to mix up delicious cocktails at home. From piña coladas to tropical martinis, all your favorites are a sip away.
Directions from liquor.com suggest adding “twice as much ice as everything else.” Crush the ice and only use small cubes for thicker cocktails. Fresh ingredients like fruits are preferred compared to frozen. Always run the blender on the highest speed setting for cocktail drinks.
Prefer to start your day with a smoothie? There’s nothing like a green breakfast smoothie filled with super ingredients for a boost of energy. However, for the best taste, the order of ingredients matters. It will determine if you’ll be sipping the velvety smooth or chunky version.
Martha Stewart recommends to “start by adding the yogurt, or a base liquid to the blender. Next, put in smaller ingredients and top off the blender with larger ones.”
Frozen Fruit Smoothies Can be Made Easy With a Blender
Be your barista! When Starbucks isn’t blending in with your budget, or you don’t want to leave the house, create a beverage, like a Caramel Crunch Frappuccino. This popular coffee blend is easy to make and doesn’t require many ingredients.
A frozen coffee drink typically starts with ice, a coffee roast, milk, sweetener, and optional toppings like syrups, spices, and whipped cream. Blend on a high setting until the mixture has a smooth consistency. To serve, pour into a chilled glass, add your optional topping, and enjoy.
Do you remember your first crush—in the blender?! Probably not, but once you discover the crush setting, you are in for a real treat.
If you do not have a food processor, you can use a blender to crush foods in smaller batches. Additional advice suggests cutting solid foods into small pieces in advance.
Once in the blender, set the speed to low. Then, check your blender to ensure it is on the normal setting rather than liquid or puree. For thicker food, use the pulse setting.
To crush ice, blend at a higher speed and see if your blender has an “ice crush” feature.
Fruits and Vegetables Can be Easily Combined With Ice
If making tomato sauce is on the menu, you have good taste. Whether you like your sauce sweet or bold-flavored, use an immersion blender to get lost in the sauce! In under 5 minutes, you can create dips, dressings, and flavors fit for veggies, chicken, fish, and pasta.
While a powerful blender is ideal, it is not necessary. The goal is to get a smooth texture. If you experience trouble achieving the creamy texture, try adding water, citrus juice, vinegar, or olive oil to the mix.
Homemade peanut butter? Yes, please. Expect a nut butter that is smooth, creamy, and healthier than the store-bought version. You can make it in your blender in less than 5 minutes! All you need are some nuts and optional flavorings.
Making peanut butter from scratch is quick and easy. First, add the peanuts to the low-speed setting until the peanuts turn creamy.
Then, switch the blender to medium until the peanut butter is completely smooth. Tip: Scrape the sides frequently, and don't overwork the motor blades. Now, you and the family can go nuts on PB&J sandwiches!
How about a healthy soup bowl for work or when you're sick? From broccoli to pumpkin, homemade soup is a refreshing way to start any meal.
If you have veggies expiring soon, turn them into soup. Spot any carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or potatoes in the kitchen?
Just cook them with the aromatics of your choice, then puree them in a blender with a liquid base like broth stock. Countertop blenders and immersion blenders will work just fine for blending this meal.
Exercise caution. As the blender starts, firmly hold the top lid in place. If you fill a blender with a hot liquid and turn it on, BE CAREFUL! The pressure from the inside will blow off the lid and create a huge mess.
Vegetables can be Crushed into a Liquid for a Quick and Easy Soup
If blended food and drinks aren’t your jam, try a body scrub! You will likely find ingredients like coffee, sugar, and honey in your pantry that make the best exfoliating scrubs.
Making a DIY body scrub at home with a hand blender takes less than five minutes and allows you to customize the blend to whatever your skin needs to exfoliate dead skin.
Once you combine all the ingredients in the blender, mix well, and use immediately. With homemade body scrubs, it is best to get the consistency right. It should not be too runny, nor should it be dry and crumbly.
Need a recipe idea? The Nutribullet blender has a body scrub recipe worth trying during your next self-care Sunday ritual. Once applied, you will feel (and maybe taste) pretty delicious!
You will get the most out of your blender with proper setup, maintenance, and usage. Check out these tips for the best results:
Blend, crush ice, mix, or purée! Which button will you press the most? When choosing a blender, consider your needs and usage. There is a wide range of blenders in design and function, but the main three are countertop, immersion, and personal blenders.
Blenders Like the NutriBullet Can Be Used to Create Many Different Blended Drinks
Sometimes it’s as easy as a press of a button before making that strawberry-kale smoothie for breakfast or soup for lunch. After all, your blender can make almost anything!
While your blender is a multi-purpose appliance, even this powerful appliance has limits.
Be careful with anything hard or frozen as it may damage the blades. You should also avoid sticky foods which leave a mess in the blender and are hard to clean.
Depending on what you’re making and the type of model you have, it may be best to use a food processor or grinder for hard foods or execute the proper prep before placing them in the blender.
So, while you can make almost anything with a blender, proceed with caution on the items listed below.
