Is your food processor tucked away in some back corner of a cabinet collecting dust? This handy kitchen appliance isn’t just for chopping vegetables. It’s also great for making salsa and dips, as well as grinding up nuts, cookies, bread, and meat for some delicious dishes.
These hacks and recipes will inspire you to give your processor an easy to access, prominent spot in your kitchen!
Chop or Shred Vegetables
The food processor is probably best known for its ability to efficiently chop and shred vegetables. Maybe you have forgotten how much faster food prep can be with this little appliance? Or maybe you just need a little inspiration?
Save yourself some tears by chopping onions. Grate carrots for salads or check out this Food Processor Carrot Cake recipe. Whipping up some coleslaw? Your processor will quickly chop up cabbage to the size of your liking. And try this Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad that makes an excellent, tasty side dish!
Don’t forget about shredded potatoes for hash browns for Potato Pancakes (Latkes). Or, thinly slice your potatoes to make chops or a casserole like this Potato and Leek Gratin.
Salsas, Dips, and Dressings
Another popular use for your food processor is making homemade salsa by combining tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and cilantro. Add in some pineapple or peach for a bit of sweet flavour.
Homemade dips and dressings where you can control the ingredients are often healthier and taste better too! Check out this list of 20 Easy Dips You Can Make in 5 Minutes or Less Using Your Food Processor, including hummus, pesto, and crab dip. Or try making your own balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard, or one of these other 7 Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings.
Grind Meat
Grinding your own meat is a great way to use up leftover beef, pork, or poultry. America’s Test Kitchen provided this How to Grind Meat in Your Food Processor guide. Here is a great food processor-made burger recipe that will wow your friends at your next BBQ.
Gluten Free Flours
Your food processor is also great for grinding up food finely. Oats or almonds can be ground up for gluten-free flour options. Use oat flour for making pancakes, muffins, breads, and cakes. Here are Healthy Oat Flour Recipes to Try ASAP from Ambitious Kitchen. Almond flour also works well for baked goods and is an essential ingredient for macarons. Kitchn provides this guide for 18 Ways to Bake with Almond Flour and Almond Meal.
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Coffee Grinder
Have a bag of fresh coffee beans and no grinder? Your food processor comes to the rescue. How to Grind Coffee Beans Without a Grinder offers some helpful tips.
Crumble Cookies
Need to make a graham cracker or Oreo cookie crust? Pull out that food processor to blend those cookies into fine crumbs. Cookie crumbles can also be used in cookie recipes or as a topping on ice cream or other desserts. Here’s Sally’s Baking Addiction’s instructions for making a Perfect Graham Cracker Crust.
Bread Crumbs
Hate wasting stale bread? Blend it in your processor with some seasoning and make your own bread crumbs with this article: How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs in the Food Processor. Need some ideas for your new batch of freshly made bread crumbs? Here are 55 Recipes that Use Bread Crumbs from Taste of Home that will have you stocking up on your homemade breadcrumbs.
Have you dug out your handy food processor yet? These ideas will have you chopping, slicing, and grinding to efficiently create new recipes starting today. Don’t have a food processor? Want to upgrade? Or want to switch to a mini size? Here’s a guide to buying a food processor in 2024 with recommendations and tips.
