For those that like experimenting in the kitchen, it's amazing that a new recipe is really just a click away. But have you ever become so excited to make something new, then realized the recipe calls for the use of fancy kitchen gadgets you've never even heard of? What's an induction cooker anyway?
Trying out new recipes doesn't really have to be difficult. There are so many things you can make using the kitchen tools that are probably somewhere in the cabinet collecting dust. One of these tools is the blender. Chances are you probably have one and it's either never been touched or you only take it out to prepare some of the same old smoothies. Even if you don't have one, they're some of the most inexpensive kitchen tools you can get.
More from MamásLatinas: 40 Breakfast smoothies to get your morning going
Surprisingly, there are so many delicious things you can cook up using your blender and other basic kitchen items. From desserts like flourless muffins to sauces like a tasty Hollandaise sauce, you can use your blender for a lot more than just blending fruits.
Recipes that mostly call for the use of a blender will save you a lot of time and money, too. They usually call for fewer ingredients, so you're not busy spending an hour just trying to get the side dish to your entree right or countless dollars at the supermarket buying way too many ingredients to count. They might even save you a few calories, since you're omitting certain ingredients to make the recipe a little more blender-friendly.
It's never too late to start experimenting with the kitchen gadgets you already own. Plus, these blender recipes are perfect for any skill set. Here are 30 recipes that mainly call for the use of a blender.
This quick and easy Hollandaise sauce will become your brunch go-to.
Hollandaise sauce is usually a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter and lemon juice. This recipe also adds a dash of hot pepper sauce and some Dijon mustard. Hollandaise sauce makes the perfect topping to an eggs Benedict dish or over some steamed vegetables, like asparagus.
Get the recipe at All Recipes.
If you’re up for dessert, try this cherry sorbet.
This tasty snack is just as yummy as ice cream, but with a lot fewer calories and all you really need are two ingredients: Greek yogurt and frozen cherries or a frozen fruit of your choice. You’ll throw the ingredients into a blender. For smoother blending, you can can add a sweetener like Truvia and some milk.
Get the recipe at Yummy Healthy Easy.
These lemon blueberry pancakes make a tasty breakfast option.
This might be a fun one to make with your kids, since blending the ingredients will turn the batter blue. All you’ll need is a blender and a skillet. First, you’ll blend all the ingredients, including lemon zest, blueberries, and flour. Then, the second and final step is cooking the pancake batter on a hot skillet. That’s it, you’re ready to eat.
Get the recipe at Fit Foodie Finds.
This tangy cauliflower soup is drizzled with brown butter to leave you wanting more.
While you need a little more prep time for this, about 30 minutes, it’s definitely worth it. You’ll need to first prep the soup’s ingredients in a skillet before pureeing the soup using a blender. Some ingredients you’ll need to make this one, include cauliflower florets, ground coriander, Greek yogurt, and chopped cilantro.
Get the recipe at Food & Wine.
Skip the store-bought salsa and make your own using this simple recipe.
All you have to do is blend the ingredients. Some of these include tomatoes, yellow onion, and cumin. The recipe’s also customizable, so you can add the jalapenos to taste, depending on your preference of spice, and stir in corn and beans, once blended, to give the salsa a kick of something extra. Most importantly, this recipe’s low in calories, so feel free to have a little more this time.
Get the recipe at Averie Cooks.
There’s no fun in buying pre-made salad dressing, so make your own.
This creamy basil lemon dressing is a healthy one you’ll love. This salad dressing takes about two hours to prepare, but only because you’ll be soaking cashews in hot water for two hours. Once the cashew water is ready, you’ll combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender until creamy and smooth. You’ll be able to store this salad dressing for about a week before it’s time to toss it.
Get the recipe at Chef Catherine Brown.
These peanut butter chocolate chip mini muffins are made without flour, but still tasty.
All you need is a blender and about 8 ½ minutes of baking time. First, you’ll combine one egg, banana, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and baking soda in a blender before mixing in some chocolate chips and baking away. It’s perfect for the health-conscious since they’ll run you less than 100 calories and are gluten-, dairy-, and oil-free.
Get the recipe at Averie Cooks.
You won’t have trouble making this butternut and apple harvest soup.
You’ll be craving this autumn-themed soup, even when it’s not in season. Its key ingredients are butternut squash and a Granny Smith apple. You’ll need to melt butter and boil some of the ingredients first, but once they’re prepped, you’ll carefully puree the soup in a blender. Once it’s done, season it to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Get the recipe at All Recipes.
A store-bought pesto sauce just isn’t the same as one that’s freshly made at home.
Making one doesn’t have to be hard. This pesto has a basil base, but it can easily be swapped out for a leafy green of your choice. Ideally, this pesto should be made in a food processor, but a blender also works. The key to making this sauce thick and yummy is to place the blender on its pulsating setting so that it doesn’t become too thin.
Get the recipe at The Kitchn.
A yummy hummus is a great snack for those that are watching their calorie intake.
You can have this tasty spread with almost anything, bread, vegetables, and most popularly, pita chips. To shorten the prep time, you can use canned chickpeas, but it’s best to go for the organic kind. You’ll also need a high-speed blender to get the hummus to a smooth consistency.
Get the recipe at Fat Free Vegan.
This horchata recipe is probably easier than all the other ones you’re used to.
Before blending the ingredients, you’ll need to soak rice, almonds, and chopped cinnamon sticks in a bowl, preferably overnight, but for at least two hours. After blending the mixture, add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla to make the horchata taste a little sweeter and more intense. You can also substitute the condensed milk for honey, agave, or dates to naturally sweeten it up.
Get the recipe at The Kitchn.
This plant-based nacho cheese sauce is a healthy alternative to the processed junk.
Have this nacho cheese sauce over fries, to coat vegetables, or as a tasty fondue dip. To make it, you’ll need cauliflower florets, carrots, turnips, cashews, and a host of spices. First, you’ll need to cook and simmer the veggies before they can be added to a blender. But the total time it’ll take you to make the cheese sauce is just 25 minutes.
Get the recipe at Veggie Primer.
This zucchini banana bread is so easy to make it requires no flour.
After preheating the oven, the first step will be to blend the oats into a fine powder. You’ll then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. The mixture will be baked in a well-greased pan, but it’s important to not open the oven while it’s baking and for 10 minutes after you turn it off. This recipe is a good option for vegans and gluten-free dieters.
Get the recipe at Chocolate Covered Katie.
Make this overnight oatmeal tonight for a yummy and easy breakfast tomorrow.
For this recipe, all you need is a blender and a refrigerator. To make the base, blend Greek yogurt, almond milk, honey, and strawberries. You’ll then finish off the recipe by preparing the oats in a medium-sized bowl. When you’re ready to eat the oatmeal, you can top it off with your favorite fresh fruits, granola, or anything else you prefer.
Get the recipe at Fit Foodie Finds.
If you’ve never made cheesecake because it’s too hard, you’ll start now.
This batter is one you won’t have a hard time making, but it requires Bisquick mix to make it work. To make the batter, you’ll blend the ingredients. You don’t have to worry about making the crust because this cheesecake starts to form its own as it bakes. You can top it off with the sour cream glaze described in the recipe or with any toppings of your own. Fruit and chocolate shavings are popular options that will definitely complement this recipe.
Get the recipe at Averie Cooks.
You don’t have to head to a restaurant to have some delicious gazpacho.
Its basic ingredients are ripe tomatoes, a cucumber, and shallots. You’ll blend the ingredients in the order the directions state, helping the ingredients distribute evenly throughout the soup. To make the soup thicker, you’ll also blend in a couple of slices of day-old bread. The soup often tastes better on its second day, as the flavors have had time to settle in.
Get the recipe at The Kitchn.
This Asian peanut coconut dressing is packed with flavor.
It’s a creamy dressing that blends the nutty flavors of peanuts with the taste of fresh citrus. It packs a blend of several ingredients like lime juice, Asian sweet chili sauce, and creamy peanut butter, but it only takes a few minutes to make. You’ll add all the ingredients to your blender, first putting it on the chopping setting then pureeing.
Get the recipe at Carlsbad Cravings.
This raspberry sauce is the perfect drizzle for any dessert, including ice cream.
This recipe is so simple you can probably customize it with a fruit of your choice. You’ll need some basic ingredients that you’re bound to find anywhere. These include raspberries, white sugar, orange juice, and cornstarch. Once made, you can keep the raspberry sauce in your fridge for up to two weeks.
Get the recipe at All Recipes.
Garlic croutons perfectly complement this tomato artichoke soup.
Since such few ingredients are used, it’s important to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, instead of going for the canned option. The most time-consuming part of the recipe is chopping up the onions, garlic, and artichoke and simmering the onions, garlic, and bay leaves in butter. But the whole soup is done in just 25 minutes.
Get the recipe at A Couple Cooks.
This warm applesauce will make you reconsider buying a pre-made one ever again.
Make sure you’re using some great-tasting apples, since they’re the main ingredient in this recipe. Using a blender to make this applesauce will give you a smoother result. Before blending, you’ll first need to cook the apples in a saucepan, with some optional lemon peel, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger.
Get the recipe at The Kitchn.
These pancakes are fun to look at, but even better to eat.
Since they’re made with beets, they take on a deep pink color. To make these pancakes, all you have to do is literally blend the ingredients and then cook the pancake mix in heated coconut oil. Some toppings they can be paired with include avocado slices, tahini, and pieces of blood orange or grapefruit.
Get the recipe at Victae.
Edamame doesn’t only make a good appetizer, but it’s a delicious base for a dip.
Plus, it’s so much healthier than a salsa or buffalo chicken dip loaded with calories. To make the edamame dip, you’ll blend the vegetable with other ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, tahini, and lemon juice. Along the way, you’ll tweak the ingredient portions to your taste so that the dip is exactly to your liking.
Get the recipe at An Edible Mosaic.
Skip the ranch sauce and make your salad worthwhile by dressing it with this honey balsamic vinaigrette.
To make the dressing, you’ll combine white vinegar, a small chopped white onion, soy sauce, honey, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes into a blender. You’ll use the puree setting until the mixture is thick, gradually adding in olive oil. In under 15 minutes, you’ll be ready to drizzle your salad in this delicious dressing.
Get the recipe at All Recipes.
If you’re craving something chocolatey, this chocolate avocado mousse is really easy to prep.
This recipe calls for avocados, but you can use any kind, even if they’re starting to ripe. The avocados will give this mousse some added creaminess. You’ll need to melt the chocolate before throwing it into the blender with the other ingredients. The dessert takes at least three hours to chill, but if you can’t wait, go ahead and eat up some spoonfuls.
Get the recipe at Produce on Parade.
Broccoli cheddar soup doesn’t have to be something you only have when you’re lunching at the local cafe.
This creamy goodness comes together in just about 30 minutes. The recipe is also customizable, so if you prefer more potatoes or onions instead of leeks, go for it. You’ll need to cook the broccoli in an oven separately. Towards the end, all the flavors come together as you puree the soup in a blender.
Get the recipe at The Kitchn.
Skip the regular banana bread and make this peanut butter bread instead.
This peanut butter bread is so easy to make, even someone with no cooking experience can do it. Just blend and pulse the ingredients until you create a batter that’s ready to be baked in the oven. You can go for the obvious option and pair this bread with jelly or try something new and pair it with some ice cream.
Get the recipe at She Wears Many Hats.
This spinach and artichoke dip is a lot healthier than the ones you’re probably used to having.
Instead of being loaded with cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise, its ingredient list includes non-dairy milk, cannellini beans, and cashews. After the ingredients are blended through, it’s baked in the oven for 20 minutes. This recipe is sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan, so don’t worry about having some extra this time.
Get the recipe at Our Four Forks.
This homemade hot sauce is worth throwing out the store-bought one for.
Some of the ingredients include Fresno, cayenne, and jalapeno peppers, so you know it’s packing the heat. You can customize the recipe and make it with your preference of peppers, depending on how high you want to turn up the spice. First, you’ll boil the peppers in vinegar, salt and pepper. Then, you’ll blend everything into a hot sauce.
Get the recipe at Don’t Waste The Crumbs.
These salmon burgers will have your guests asking for the recipe.
It’s up to you to tell them you made them in a blender. To make the salmon burgers, you’ll blend boneless salmon fillets, smoked salmon, a large egg, watercress, lemon zest, and black pepper in a blender. You’ll then form the mixture into patties that you can cook in a skillet.
Get the recipe at Fitness Magazine.
This hearty beet soup is a superfood-infused blend of goodness.
The roasted beets give the soup its rich deep pinkish, red color. The other ingredients, which include cumin seeds, maca, and chili powder, among others, are first prepared in a medium saucepan. The last step involves pureeing the final prepared soup mixture in a blender. You’ll add dulse flakes and lemon juice for taste.
Get the recipe at Mother Earth Living.
