10 Creative Ways to Use a Vitamix Blender Beyond Smoothies

When most people think of a blender, smoothies are usually the first thing that comes to mind. A powerful blender can do much more, however. From preparing soup for dinner to making nut butter for breakfast, there are plenty of ways to put a Vitamix to work throughout the day.

Learning a few different techniques can also help you get more value from an appliance that might otherwise spend too much time sitting on the kitchen bench. If you already own a Vitamix and mostly use it for drinks, these ten ideas are a good place to start.

1. Blend Smooth and Creamy Soups

A Vitamix is particularly useful when you want to turn cooked vegetables into a smooth soup. Pumpkin, tomato, cauliflower, carrot and roasted capsicum can all be blended into a creamy consistency without relying on large amounts of cream.

Start with cooked ingredients and enough stock to help everything move freely. You can then adjust the liquid until the soup reaches the consistency you prefer.

Try It With

• Roasted pumpkin soup
• Tomato and basil soup
• Carrot and ginger soup
• Cauliflower soup
• Roasted vegetable soup

Kitchen tip: Take care when blending hot ingredients and always follow the instructions provided for your particular Vitamix container and model.

2. Make Fresh Nut Butter at Home

Homemade nut butter is another useful way to get more from a high-performance blender. Peanuts, almonds, cashews and other suitable nuts can be processed until their natural oils create a rich, spreadable texture.

Making it yourself also gives you control over the flavour. Keep it simple or add a small amount of salt, cinnamon or another favourite ingredient.

• Peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Cashew butter
• Mixed nut butter

Nut butter can be spread on toast, added to breakfast bowls or used as an ingredient in sauces, baking and snacks.

3. Prepare Homemade Dips in Minutes

Instead of reaching for a packaged dip, use your Vitamix to turn simple ingredients into something fresh for snacks, lunches or entertaining.

Hummus is an obvious place to begin, but you can also experiment with bean dips, roasted vegetable dips and creamy herb combinations.

Easy Dip Ideas

• Classic hummus
• Roasted capsicum dip
• White bean dip
• Avocado and herb dip
• Roasted vegetable dip

Serve them with crackers, vegetable sticks, flatbread or as part of a shared platter.

4. Create Sauces and Dressings from Scratch

A good sauce can completely change a simple meal, and many sauces require very little preparation when you have a blender available.

Use fresh herbs, vegetables, oils, spices and other ingredients to create sauces with a consistent texture. Homemade dressings are also easy to adjust, so you can make them sweeter, sharper or creamier depending on the meal.

• Pesto
• Tomato-based pasta sauce
• Herb dressing
• Salad vinaigrette
• Tahini dressing
• Marinades

5. Turn Frozen Fruit into Simple Desserts

Frozen fruit can become the starting point for an easy dessert. Bananas, berries, mango and other fruits can be blended into thick, spoonable treats without requiring a long list of ingredients.

Frozen banana works particularly well as a creamy base. Add berries, cocoa, nut butter or other flavours to create different combinations.

Useful idea: Keep portions of prepared fruit in the freezer so you have ingredients ready when you want a quick dessert.

6. Make Fresh Flours for Home Baking

Depending on your Vitamix model, container and the ingredient being processed, the blender can also help with grinding suitable dry ingredients for home cooking and baking.

For people who enjoy experimenting with homemade recipes, this opens up another useful area beyond drinks and liquid foods.

• Oat flour
• Selected grain flours
• Finely ground dry ingredients

Always check which container and settings are recommended for dry grinding before processing grains or other hard ingredients.

7. Mix Pancake and Waffle Batter

Weekend breakfast can involve fewer bowls when you use a blender to prepare batter. Liquid and dry ingredients can be combined quickly into a consistent mixture for pancakes, waffles and similar recipes.

The key is not to over-process the batter. Blend only as much as needed to combine the ingredients, then cook as usual.

You can also add ingredients such as banana, oats or selected fruits directly into the mixture, depending on your recipe.

8. Prepare Homemade Plant-Based Milk

If you enjoy making kitchen staples from scratch, your blender can also help prepare plant-based drinks using suitable nuts, oats and other ingredients.

Homemade versions give you more control over sweetness and flavour, while allowing you to experiment with different combinations.

Popular Ideas

• Almond milk
• Cashew milk
• Oat-based drinks

Some recipes may need straining after blending, while others can be enjoyed as they are. Follow a suitable recipe for the ingredient you're using.

9. Make Breadcrumbs from Leftover Bread

Before throwing away bread that has become dry, consider turning it into homemade breadcrumbs. Once properly dried, suitable bread can be processed into crumbs and stored for later cooking.

Breadcrumbs are handy for coating chicken or vegetables, topping baked dishes and adding texture to homemade recipes.

You can also add dried herbs or seasoning after processing to create a breadcrumb mixture ready for your favourite dishes.

10. Prepare Salsa, Chutneys and Meal Bases

Your Vitamix can also save preparation time when you're making ingredients that form the base of a larger meal. Tomatoes, onions, herbs, chillies and other suitable ingredients can be processed to achieve anything from a chunky mixture to a smoother consistency.

This can be useful for homemade salsa, selected chutneys, curry bases and other sauces where several ingredients need to be combined.

Use shorter processing times when you want more texture and blend longer when the recipe calls for a smoother result.

Quick Guide: What Else Can You Make in a Vitamix?

Get More from Your Vitamix

The easiest way to make better use of a Vitamix is to stop thinking of it as an appliance reserved for smoothies. Keep it accessible and look for small preparation jobs where blending, grinding or mixing could save time. Breakfast batter, lunchtime hummus, an afternoon dip and soup for dinner can all put the same appliance to work in different ways.

Remember that capabilities and recommended techniques can vary between Vitamix models and containers. Check the instructions for your specific appliance before processing hot foods, hard ingredients, dry grains or very thick mixtures.

Pair Blender Recipes with the Right Cookware

Blending is often only one part of preparing a meal. After making a soup, sauce or meal base, reliable cookware helps you finish the dish on the stovetop or in the oven. At The Living Styles, we also sell Lodge Cookware, including durable cast iron cookware suited to a wide range of everyday recipes. Pairing useful appliances with dependable cookware can make everything from weeknight dinners to weekend cooking easier to manage.

Explore Vitamix Blenders at The Living Styles

From homemade nut butter and soups to sauces, dips, frozen desserts and everyday meal preparation, there are plenty of reasons to use a Vitamix beyond your morning smoothie. If you're looking for an appliance that can take on a wider variety of kitchen tasks, explore our range of Vitamix blenders for smoothies, soups and everyday food preparation at The Living Styles.

Always follow the operating and safety instructions supplied with your Vitamix model and container, particularly when working with hot, frozen, dry or thick ingredients.