As wonderful as kitchen appliances can be to make cooking an intricate dish or meal easier than ever before, there’s just no denying that having every appliance takes up too much space.
Every tool has its uses, but there are times when you simply won’t want to own all of them. After all, who has that much counter space?
One tool that many kitchens don’t have is a food processor. Those without a food processor are left wondering and asking, "What can I use instead of a food processor?".
Learn what you can use that you already have at home when your recipe calls for a food processor.
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What Can I Use if I Don't Have a Food Processor?
There are a few different appliances that you can use if you don’t have a food processor.
The best choice will depend on what type of item you needed a food processor for.
1. Blenders
In many cases, using a blender instead of a food processor is recommended, but this will only work if you are focused on liquifying items together rather than blending or kneading them.
There are many differences between blenders and food processors, but they can be substituted for each other.
Choose a blender when your goal is to liquefy the ingredients as much as possible or when you want to chop or puree something.
If your blender is high-end and has more nuanced options, it may work for some other applications, as well.
2. Mixers
Hand and stand mixers are great if your goals are to aerate or whip your ingredients together.
These tools allow air to come into the mixture as you combine liquids and solids.
3. Grinders
Many recipes call for using a food processor to chop or grind spices, nuts, and other hard items.
In these cases, a grinder can often be used instead of a food processor.
If you have something like a coffee or spice grinder at home, you can use it to do the same work.
4. Mortar and Pestle
Another option when you need to grind up spices or nuts is a mortar and pestle.
This straightforward tool allows you to mash up and grind down any substance using some physical exertion.
5. Rolling Pins
Sometimes recipes will call for a food processor just to roughly chop something like nuts, pretzels, or another hard ingredient.
To create a similar effect, simply put the food in a plastic bag and then smash it with a rolling pin.
6. Heat and Mash
Many soup and puree recipes use a food processor to take cooked food from a softened form to a fully smooth and combined form.
You can get around this by cooking the food for longer and using a fork or potato masher by following these steps:
- Cook the food until everything is very soft.
- Use a fork or a potato masher to break down any remaining chunks.
- If you want a finer mixture, use a food mill or a fine-mesh sieve to push the mixture through until you get the desired texture.
7. Knife
Finally, you can just use a knife to chop things down to a tiny size.
Finely chopping things like nuts with a knife definitely takes longer than it does in a food processor, but you can get similar results if you take your time.
Why a Food Processor Might Be Worth It
In particular, equipping yourself with a blender food processor combo would be a great way to improve the tools available to you.
These tools take the best of both worlds with a blender and a food processor and put them together into one handy appliance.
With different speed settings, blending options, and included blades, you can use these appliances to make sauces, smoothies, soups, and more without needing to do more work.
Sometimes, substituting one appliance for another appliance works.
This appliance is for when you never want to have to make that choice.
Can You Use a Blender in Place of a Food Processor?
When we answered "What can I use instead of a food processor?", the blender was on top of our list.
there are definitely some scenarios in which you can use a blender in place of a food processor.
Food processors have a lot of benefits, but there is even a chance that using a blender might be a better option than using a processor.
1. Fast
Blenders can make things smooth and consistent faster than a food processor in many cases because the primary point of using a blender is to liquefy things smoothly.
Consider using a blender when you’re in a rush.
2. High Power Options
High-powered blenders can pulverize nuts and other hearty ingredients just as well as a food processor.
If you are shopping for a new blender and want to be able to do this, make sure you choose one with as much power as possible.
3. Types and Settings
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of blenders on the market at varying price points.
Depending on the type of blender you have, you might be able to set it to work just as a food processor would.
There is a lot of versatility to be found with a blender; try out some different settings to see what works best.
4. Tighter Seal
One of the most excellent things about using a blender is that you can use them with liquids, which means it isn’t easy for any liquids to escape from the blender.
If you make purees, soups, or liquid-heavy dishes, using a blender instead of a food processor might save you from making a big mess.
Do You Really Need a Food Processor?
There are many different options, and many would agree that you don’t actually need to have a food processor at all, depending on what other tools you already own.
Food processors can be very helpful, but they simply combine the work that many other tools can already do.
If you already have those appliances, adding another to your kitchen counter or cabinets isn’t necessary.
Save space and find out how you can multi-task with your other tools.
What Can I Use Instead of a Food Processor: Conclusion
A food processor has made preparing meals easier and more efficient, but you don't necessarily need to have one since there are other basic tools in the kitchen that you can use.
Just make sure that you know each of their specific roles and what type of ingredients they can work on.