Even if you are pretty well versed in kitchen tools, you might not be that familiar with an immersion blender. Once you finally use one, you might wonder how you ever did without it.
An immersion blender is used to blend sauces, soups, and a variety of other kinds of liquids. It resembles a stick and has blender blades at its end.
You might still be wondering, what is an immersion blender, and why do I need one? We’ll let you know why it’s different and how it can save you time.
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What Is an Immersion Blender and How Is It Different
So, you might be wondering how an immersion blender is any different from the standard blender you likely already have in your kitchen. Well, an immersion blender does differ in several fundamental ways.
To start, you don’t have to pour your liquid into the blender to use it. Instead, the blender is placed right into the container holding the liquid. For example, if you were making soup, you would put the immersion blender right into the pot, and then you just turn the immersion blender on to use it.
You don’t have to transfer any liquid when using an immersion blender. Once inserted, you move the blender through the liquid until you reach the consistency you want.
Another is that an immersion blender is particularly helpful when you are trying to blend a considerable amount of liquid. A traditional blender has a capacity; you can only blend the amount of liquid that will actually fit in the blender. That isn’t the case with an immersion blender since you place it right into the container holding the liquid.
Lastly, a traditional blender would require you to blend in multiple batches. You would have to keep transferring the liquid from one pot to the blender, and then another container until the contents were sufficiently blended.
How Powerful Is an Immersion Blender?
Of course, not all immersion blenders are made the same, as is the case with any product. However, you can find pretty powerful ones, which is what you want.
You likely want to find one that will allow you to process and blend a whole variety of items. That means being able to blend through potatoes, meats, and vegetables.
Some immersion blenders are used simply for blending drinks. They can be instrumental in making morning smoothies, for example. This is especially true if you want to make a large batch to keep in your fridge and quickly grab each morning.
You’ll want to keep in mind that the durable, heavy-duty models will cost you a bit more money. That said, they are often really worth the investment, especially since there aren’t many that are very expensive.
If you plan on using it frequently or find that you are blending things all the time, you’ll want to find one that will stand up to regular use. A good immersion blender will likely save you plenty of time when preparing food and drinks. It will also save you from washing too many dishes and attachments since you can blend right in the container that holds the mixture.
When shopping around for an immersion blender, bear in mind that you’ll also find it called a hand blender or stick blender.
Quick Recipes Using an Immersion Blender
There are plenty of ways an immersion blender will save you time when preparing food. You are likely even to find common recipes that now call for an immersion blender to be used.
Below, you’ll find a few everyday food items that are easier to prepare when you have an immersion blender. You may have not even ever considered making these things yourself, but with an immersion blender, you no longer have to buy them at the store.
1. Whipped Cream
Whipped cream can be a great addition to any dessert. It’s also a tasty highlight on a morning parfait.
You can make your whipped cream easier and quicker when using an immersion blender. Keep in mind that the blade on the blender uses air much more effectively if you use a container that is tall in which to blend.
You can also add in some powdered sugar if you want a touch more of sweetness. If you want even more flavor, you can add in a tiny bit of vanilla extract. Whatever recipe you decide to try, an immersion blender makes creating whipped cream a whole lot easier.
2. Tomato Sauce
Make sure that you’ve left your tomatoes simmer until they have a nice, soft consistency. You can then use your immersion blender to break up the tomatoes, creating a thick sauce for your pasta.
Add in some meatballs and fresh basil if you’re using it to top off your pasta. If you want to use it for your lasagna, just leave it as is. You can freeze any leftovers you have and then use the sauce when you need to create a quick weekday dinner.
3. Soup
There really are no limits to the soups you can easily prepare by using an immersion blender. Even tough ingredients, such as cauliflower and squash, can be blended into rich, smooth soups.
You can add in some warm stock, broth, or water, which can help you determine the overall thickness of the soup. You can also add in some onion slices or garlic cloves with your main vegetables.
With an immersion blender, you can blend everything at one time. This can eliminate a ton of steps in your recipe.
You no longer have to blend things individually before combining them. This is especially true if you have a powerful immersion blender that can cut through everything.
4. Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise is not the easiest sauce to prepare or get right. There are plenty of things to get wrong. You could accidentally cook the eggs or break the sauce, for example.
Nonetheless, it is entirely possible to get it right. The best way to do it is to beat the eggs with water and lemon juice in the immersion blender. Then, fold in your melted butter; do so slowly.
By pouring in slowly, the butter will emulsify with the eggs, so they don’t scramble. This will give you a creamy, smooth sauce.
5. Pesto
An immersion blender will have you making a nice pesto sauce in nearly no time at all. You can use that pesto on your lunchtime sandwich, in your pasta, or even on your pizza. You don’t have to use pine nuts, either.
You can use walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or even almonds as a substitute if you’d like. Keep in mind that some of these nuts will cost you a bit more, though.
6. Mayonnaise
With an immersion blender, you can make your own mayonnaise right at home. It is just emulsifying oil and egg yolks.
With that said, these ingredients are known for being difficult to get to bind together. This is why an immersion blender is useful in making mayo.
It is possible to make mayonnaise without an immersion blender, but it is much easier with one. By using one, you basically give your arms a break and allow the blender to do the work for you.
To make your mayo, beat the eggs while you are slowly folding in the oil. It is essential to add your oil slowly, as this allows the mayonnaise to take its proper consistency and shape. Store it in your fridge and use just as you would if you had to purchase it from the store.
7. Various Vinaigrettes
When you have an immersion blender, you really don’t need to spend money on salad dressings or vinaigrettes anymore. You can make them right at home for less money and in virtually no time at all.
You can simply blend honey, olive oil, and vinegar. For a substitute for vinegar, you can use rice wine, red wine, or balsamic. You can also use olive oil, lemon juice, a bit of salt, and honey if you are looking for a standard vinaigrette base.
Then, add in whatever seasonings or herbs you prefer for flavoring. There is no limit to the dressings you can create. Play around with your seasoning and flavoring until you find a dressing you like best.
8. Smoothies and Milkshakes
An immersion blender will make creating smoothies and milkshakes so easier. You can also make them in larger batches than you ever could with a traditional handheld blender.
They also work great if you are just making one milkshake or smoothie. You can put everything you want in your morning smoothie right in the container from which you plan to drink. Then, put the immersion blender right in there and blend away.
You’ll be able to walk out the door with your blender in that same container. Thus, an immersion blender is great for drinks on the go.
Immersion Blender: Reasons to Buy One
It was long believed by many that an immersion blender was an unnecessary purchase. It was just a way to spend money and would be an item you’d put in your pantry closet and never use.
That really isn’t the case anymore, though. Many professional chefs use the tool, and it can really make whipping things up at home a whole lot faster and easier.
Previously thought to have very little power or usages, immersion blenders have been found to be quite useful. There are plenty of advantages to using an immersion blender over a handheld, traditional one, including:
1. Ease of Use or Convenience
An immersion blender is most useful because of its ease of use. It is light, can be held right in your hand, and is easy to move around and use. You simply need to put an ingredient in a container, bowl, or pot and hit the “on” button. That is really it.
When compared to other products, it is easier to use. You don’t have to take the contents out of your mixture into a blender and then back into the pot. Instead, you can simply use the immersion blender right in the pot. This can save you tons of time and can also save you from cleaning a bunch of unnecessary extra dishes.
2. Easy to Clean
You don’t need to take out a huge blender with multiple parts that you’ll have to clean after you’ve used them. An immersion blender is quite straightforward when it comes to cleaning.
Put it in some water, scrub it, rinse it, and dry it. There are plenty of models that even have parts you can put right in the dishwasher.
3. Inexpensive
Perhaps one of the best things about an immersion blender is its price tag. You can find some really inexpensive ones but are still powerful enough to make any of the recipes we’ve highlighted above.
Even some of the very well-known, trusted manufacturers have an immersion blender that will not set you back too far but will make cooking easier.
4. Quick Setup
A big, full-sized blender might be considered the best tool for your job at hand. However, if you are in the middle of a recipe, a full-size blender can be really inconvenient to set up.
An immersion blender, on the other hand, can be ready to go in just a couple of seconds. You only need to turn it on, and you’re ready to go.
5. Versatile
You might have thought immersion blenders were reserved for making soup. Nonetheless, they can be used for so many other things and many of which are quite common. Some immersion blenders also come with attachments that make them double as food processors.
6. Quiet and Compact
Immersion blenders are quite small. They are easy to store and take up a lot less space than some other kitchen appliances and tools. They are also usually very quiet when compared to alternative options.
Conclusion
So what is an immersion blender? An immersion blender is a versatile kitchen tool that can help you save time and effort.
If you are looking for a way to create things easily at home, an immersion blender can make all the difference. You’ll spend less time cleaning unnecessary dishes, and you’ll spend less time preparing your mixture. Use it for garnishes, soups, smoothies, milkshakes, and anything else that you need to blend quickly.