21 Unusual Blender Uses

That powerful blender that you bought isn’t getting its full use; not yet.

These are some of the most unusual ways that you can power it up and make it work for you, apart from just smoothies and soups. You didn’t pay all that money for a simple device, did you?

Put it to work and have it replace half-a-dozen appliances in your kitchen, starting right now with the most quintessential part of anybody’s morning.

If you’d like to see a graphical breakdown of the blender uses, we got you covered:

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1. Grinding Coffee

If you’re a coffee aficionado like the rest of the world, then you grind and brew your own coffee in-home.

Not only does it taste better, but it saves you from spending over $2,000 a year on Starbucks, which is always a plus.

That means that your new top-tier blender is going to pay for itself in a matter of months, just on coffee alone.

Coffee grinds need to be a certain size.

They can’t be too fine, otherwise they’ll bleed into the coffee cup and hold no strength.

They can’t be too coarse, otherwise the hot water can’t penetrate the exterior of the bean and get all that caffeinated goodness out.

They need to be just right, so with a keen eye and a swift hand (as well as 12 amps of power underneath stainless steel blades), you’ll be able to get that perfect grind every single time.

2. Nut Milk

Sick of the stuff in the blue and white carton at the store?

Yeah, so are we. You can make your own almond, cashew or walnut milk at home if you have the right know-how.

This fantastic guide from The Kitchn showcases the (long) process of making your own almond milk.

It’s not something for the faint of heart to try out since it can take a while to get the process down pat, but it’s rewarding and customizes your nut milk experience. You can turn your nuts into butter if you don’t want to make milk

3. Applesauce

Applesauce has a bit of cooking involved, but it can’t be finalized without a quality blender.

Sure, you could use a food processor, but it doesn’t do the same job as a high capacity blender does.

With a Vitamix model, for instance, you can activate the soup mode to pulverize the fibers in the applesauce while simultaneously heating it up to complete the cooking process.

There are tons of four-ingredient applesauce recipes online that can bring you a ton of success, such as this one from The Stay At Home Chef, or Cookie and Kate.

You can continue the process to make an apple butter puree, or whip it into a smooth and creamy paste to use in apple pie or other desserts.

The versatility of your blender is the real star here: you can make your kitchen smell like autumn and taste like Halloween.

4. Alfredo Sauce

Having trouble with alfredo sauce at home?

You’re not the only one.

When you toss in parmesan, the mix can easily clump and get sticky.

You’ll end up with some parts that are more sauce than anything else, then globs of cheese just sitting in the middle.

You can’t call it rustic and get away with it.

Instead, drop it into your blender to finish the process.

Use a heated mode, such as a soup setting, to whip it into a creamy texture while maintaining the heat of the sauce with heat transference from the stainless steel blades.

This option is most common on Ninja or Vitamix blender models.

After about thirty seconds, it will have the smoothness of restaurant quality sauce, and the flavors will metamorphosize into an entirely new experience.

5. Pesto Sauce

Pesto is a good switch up when you’ve had too much alfredo (because trust us, after that previous method and recipe, you’ll be making it all the time).

This simple recipe can only be completed with your blender, because pine nuts aren’t exactly easy to work into food in any other way.

Pesto has a process where olive oil (and water from the pine nuts) separate into a top layer, which can be a bit frustrating when you go to pull it out of the fridge.

At least, that’s if you try to do it by hand. Keep it in the blender pitcher in the fridge, and if it separates at all, you can just pulse it for five seconds to get that perfectly smooth texture back.

6. Cocktails

Not in possession of a cocktail maker?

That’s okay, because they’re just over-glorified and overpriced blenders anyway.

You don’t need a separate appliance to make a stellar cocktail that everyone will remember, your just need a good blender.

If it has a setting to crush ice into a fine powdery snow, then you’ll have all the power you need right at your fingertips.

Regardless of how much fruit is thrown into the mix, your high powered blender will be able to handle all of it.

7. Veggie Burgers

To each their own, but to those of you who enjoy a hearty veggie burger, your blender is about to solve all of your previous problems.

Homemade veggie burgers are notorious for falling apart and becoming more like par ground beef before serving, but with a high powered blender to properly meld all of the ingredients together, you’ll be able to create a stronger base that doesn’t deteriorate in the pan.

There’s still some work to be done on your part with packing them, but if the ingredients aren’t blended properly beforehand, you’ll know it by the consistency (or lack thereof).

Use a strong pulverize mode, or with a Vitamix blender, activate the 500+ recipes on their app to find the perfect way to keep it together.

8. Pastry Crust Mix

Mixing pie crusts by hand is absolutely exhausting.

You have to work tirelessly and your hand will definitely feel it by the end of kneading and whipping the dough. It’s a long process, and at that point, who really wants to continue baking?

Expedite homemade goodies by using a preset option on your blender, or pulse for 2-3 minutes until everything melds together perfectly.

9. Pancake Batter

It’s not the most difficult thing to do, but it is uncommon.

You don’t have to get those “Just add water” mixes anymore, either.

There are tons of homemade pancake batter recipes with various ingredients, some of our favorites being recipes on Cooking Classy and Cafe Delites.

You can experiment with restaurant-style pancakes as well,

10. Faster Low Carb Breads

Carbs can be pretty bad for you, especially with modern conveniences—they’re in everything.

However, you can make your own low-carb or basically zero carb breads with a blender.

One of the most difficult and aggravating parts about making low-carb bread is how long it takes.

Since the ingredients take a lot more time to mix together, it can get tiring if you’re not using some piece of machinery.

Use the pulse option on your Vitamix or Ninja blender to chop up the ingredients and begin blending them together, and gradually increase the speed to whip that bread into a fine dough.

This is the perfect reason to utilize a set-and-forget option with integrated timers found in most medium and top-tier blenders. You don’t have to be the victim of store bought bread anymore.

11. Salad Dressing and Dip

Fancy chips and dip? Store bought dip that come in the containers is salty as can be, and usually leaves a burning or rough taste on your tongue after you’ve had your fill.

With your own blender, you can control the sodium content, as well as the ingredients to keep things as healthy and farm-fresh as possible.

Somewhere in between pesto and sour cream is the consistency you should aim for.

Then again, there’s this stellar avocado dip recipe from Carl’s Bad Cravings that’s pretty fantastic as well.

Salads and dip are more enjoyable when you know it’s not high in calories, so get creative in the kitchen and make your own.

12. Scrambled Eggs

Don’t have time? Not a problem.

Buying those premixed egg beaters at the grocery store as expensive, so just crack your eggs into the blender and mix it up in there.

This is especially helpful if you’re feeding your large family in the morning, and you’re trying to get everything done as quickly as possible.

Don’t forget to toss in your additives, like salt, pepper, and even some basil before you mix it up. It will ensure a consistent and thoroughly delicious flavor all the way through.

13. Frosting and Whipped Cream

Have you ever bought whipping cream and watched the minutes just drain away?

It takes longer than you’d think, and often times, it’s hard to get the right consistency with a fork and some elbow grease.

Toss it all in the blender to not only relieve your arms of the stress, but to expedite the entire process.

You can get perfect whipped cream out of the blender in about 15-20 seconds, compared to 3-5 minutes of non-stop whipping with a fork. It’s also great for frosting and icing as well.

14. Guacamole

If you’ve tried making guacamole at home, then you know it’s a tedious process.

The reward is fantastic, but it’s not the most time-effective method of getting a healthy, balanced diet.

If your avocado isn’t quite ripe enough for mashing with a fork or a beater, the blender will take care of all that.

Guacamole is best when it’s smooth and creamy, so it’s time to whip it together.

If you’re looking for an excellent guacamole recipe, the Food Network and Love & Lemons offer great instructions.

15. Homemade Granola Bars

If you’re currently serving granola bars to your little ones, don’t look at the added sugar content on the package.

It’s nuts.

Instead, you can still make sweet and sticky granola bars at home, but with about 35% of the sugar.

They’ll love it, you’ll love how it’s not chock full of additives and processed garbage, and everybody wins.

It’s a slippery slope, but doable. If your blender is professional grade, it could pulverize the oats and nuts into a powder, which isn’t what we want.

If it’s a bit daunting or tricky for you to tackle, you could always check out these recipes from Life Made Sweeter for some inspiration and instructions.

16. Compost

That took a turn you didn’t expect, didn’t it?

We throw out a lot of food in America, leading the world in the highest number of food waste.

You can take those egg shells, coffee grinds and portions of white rice that you didn’t eat, and make something fantastic for the planet.

Not only will you feed the soil, but you’ll be avoiding food from producing greenhouse gasses in landfills.

Even if you’re not a gardener, this is an excellent way to be eco-friendly. It’s all food, so you’re not dirtying your blender or tarnishing the blades.

Mix up those scraps in the blender, and evenly sprinkle it outside in areas of your yard that are lacking grass. If your neighbors garden or farm, offer it to them when you have it.

17. Dog Food

Fido’s got to eat, too.

You can make them some fantastic homemade dog food in the blender, using all natural ingredients. Don’t worry, your blender isn’t going to smell like dry dog chow afterwards.

There are some recipes that use food you likely already have in your kitchen, all in the spirit of giving your dog a better, more nutritious diet.

Dogs notoriously eat their food too fast, and often too much in one sitting.

You can control their portions better this way, but you can also grind the food up so finely that it’s not going to cause any digestive problems for your pup, even if they do scoff it down a bit too quickly.

18. Lotion and Body Scrub

There’s a lot of perfumes and unnecessary junk in lotion, so why not make it yourself?

Your blender is perfect for whipping it up into a fine, buttery consistency.

It might not last quite as long as the stuff on the shelves, but it’s going to be far better for your skin.

Using all-natural recipes like this one are fairly inexpensive, but they’re also less likely to irritate your skin. It’s estimated that over 50 millions Americans suffer from some form of a skin condition, and much of it can be sourced back to heavy ingredients that exist in our lotions and face creams.

Make your own to save money, put that blender to good use, and nurture your skin better than ever before.

19. Hot Chocolate

When you get a blender that has a soup function, like a Vitamix 310E, you can actually transfer the heat from the stainless steel blades into whatever you throw into the pitcher.

That’s good for soups, but it’s even better for hot chocolate when you want to get it to the right consistency and drinking temperature.

Go gourmet with it.

Those powdered packets in the cabinet don’t do true hot chocolate any justice, so mix up something exquisite (like this variation from Bon Appetit).

While you’re at it, backtrack on this list and make some homemade whipped cream to put on top of it. You won’t regret it.

20. Salsa

Usually, this would be the work of a food processor, but your high powered blender can get the job done just as well.

Peppers and tomatoes can get a good, consistent chunk on them by feathering the pulse button until the desired texture.

Salsa is one of those things that’s difficult to get right the first time, but once you see how quickly your blender helps the process, you won’t want to do it any other way.

21. Jams and Jellies

Or preserves, or fruit pattes—the choice is yours, and the method is divine.

Using a low speed or a pulse option, you’ll be able to forego all the hassle with mixing your own jams and jellies.

Even if you have to cook them a bit, you can pop on the soup mode on your Vitamix blender, and heat up the ingredients right then and there with friction heat from the aircraft grade stainless steel blades. Whip to the right consistency, jar it up, and you’re good to go.

Blend It Your Way

It’s your blender; you decide what to make.

This is just a small taste of what you can make with your blender, especially if you’ve gone with a Vitamix or a Ninja model (two of the most powerful and versatile blender brands in the world).

If you’re still on the prowl for a proper blender, take a look at our buying guides to determine the perfect one to match your personal needs, and your appropriate budget.