Food processors and blenders make it so much easier to cut and blend foods. They both operate by having a holding container and blades with various texture settings. These similarities may make you wonder if they can be used interchangeably. We have researched whether or not a blender will work as a food processor, in addition to other questions regarding this topic.
You can use a blender instead of a food processor for most recipes. However, a blender can only be used for smaller batches, and you may need to change a few of the blender's settings. It cannot be used for kneading dough and making pastry dough.
Now that you know that you can use a blender as a food processor, you are probably wondering how to make the exchange. In this article, we will cover that and explain the differences between a blender and a food processor.
What Is The Difference Between A Blender And A Food Processor?
Before discussing how to use a blender as a food processor, it is important to know the difference between these two kitchen appliances. One of the biggest differences is that blenders are designed for foods that are mostly liquid and food processors are designed to be used for completing various food preparation tasks.
Food processors are designed to perform tasks like chopping, shredding, mixing, and other tasks that you would normally have to do manually. They make quick work of various dry ingredients but don't do as well with wet or liquid ingredients. These appliances can be used for chopping vegetables and kneading dough.
On the other hand, blenders are much better at handling wet or liquid ingredients. Blenders pulverize and combine wet ingredients with dry ones. They are used to make purees, soups, smoothies, and other liquids.
How Do I Use a Blender As A Food Processor?
First, you set your blender speed to low. Then, check and make sure that you change your blender's other settings to normal rather than liquid or puree. Do not add any liquids.
If you want to make a course food, like bread crumbs, use the pulse setting. For blenders with no pulse setting, run the blender on high for 30 seconds at a time. For purees, set your blender to puree and blend until smooth.
See this Ninja Professional blender on Amazon.
Keep in mind you will need to do smaller batches in the blender than you would be able to in the food processor. This is because most blenders cannot hold as much food and will have a harder time chopping bigger amounts of ingredients.
Food Processor Functions You Can't Do With A Blender
While many recipes can be made in a blender rather than a food processor, blenders cannot perform some functions. These things are shredding, chopping, slicing, or grating food.
If you are making dough, you cannot use a blender for kneading dough or making pastry dough.
Is It Better To Make Salsa In A Blender Or Food Processor?
Food processors and blenders can both be used when making salsa. Therefore, the answer to this question depends on what texture you want your salsa to be.
If you want to make chunky salsa, you will want to use a low-speed food processor. This is because food processors have multiple attachments that can be adjusted to the texture you want. Salsas made in the food processor tend to be less liquidy.
For finely chopped salsa that is almost pureed, you will want either a high-speed processor or a blender. Making salsa in a blender will result in a thinner salsa.
If you need to make a large batch, you will most likely want to use the food processor. This is because they generally hold more ingredients than a blender can. If you want to use a blender, you can always make smaller batches.
Should I Get A Food Processor Or A Blender?
Every chef or home cook can benefit from having both appliances as they serve different functions. However, if purchasing both is not possible, which one you should get is determined by what things you tend to cook.
Blenders can be used to make smoothies, butter, dressings, nut butter, purees, and soups. On the other hand, food processors can be used for making butter, dressings, mincing/chopping vegetables, shredding cheese, and making dough.
When you have a blender, you will not be able to chop vegetables or shred cheese. Food processors cannot be used to make smoothies, purees, or soups. However, you can make chunkier liquids like pesto.
What Can Be Used Instead Of A Food Processor?
In addition to a blender, there are a ton of kitchen tools that can replace a food processor. Your options include:
- mortar and pestle
- rolling pin and a plastic bag
- cooking food to soften
Which one you use depends on what job you want to do. For instance, use a mixer when you need to combine things, such as flour, butter, and milk to make dough. Choppers and knives can be used to chop vegetables, fruits, and meats. To get shredded or grated produce, you can use a grater.
See this multipurpose box grater on Amazon.
If you want to mince meat or make nut butter, try a grinder. They tend to be heavier than food processors, but they will get the job done. To avoid dealing with a grinder, you can try out a mortar and pestle for grinding as well.
See this mortar and pestle on Amazon.
To crush foods like chips, chickpeas, and cookies, you can put the items in a resealable plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin. When you don't have a blender or food processor, but want to make purees, you can cook them until they soften. As a result, you will be able to mix or puree them by hand easily.
See this classic rolling pin on Amazon.
Is It Worth Getting A Food Processor?
Food processors are basic kitchen appliances. If you tend to make a lot of foods that involve chopping, mincing, or shredding, a food processor can drastically lower your preparation time. Chopping vegetables by hand can take ten minutes or more, whereas a food processor chops everything in under a minute.
Also, food processors can make cooking safer. Instead of having to use a sharp knife to cut up stuff, all you have to do is put the vegetables or other ingredients into your food processor. This keeps your fingers away from any blade.
Not to mention the wide variety of things that can be made with a food processor! You can make dough, carrot cake, vegetable dishes, cut butter into flour, crush graham cracker for pie crusts, and make bread crumbs with a food processor. These are just a few of the many things it can do.
See this Cuisinart food processor on Amazon.
So, is it worth it to get a food processor? Ultimately, that's your decision. After we have researched about everything a food processor is capable of, we think that yes, it is worth getting a food processor.
Can A Food Processor Be Used As A Blender?
After finding out that a blender can be used for many of the same functions as a food processor, you are probably curious if the reverse is true. It is, to an extent.
Food processors do not handle liquids as well as a blender does. You can make smoothies in a blender, provided you follow the correct steps. Anything that is extremely liquidy, like thin batter for crepes or a smooth, liquidy sauce, has to be made in a blender.
So, it turns out that you can use a blender in place of a food processor for most recipes, and a food processor can be used in place of a blender sometimes. However, if you want something chopped or shredded, you will want to use a food processor.
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