A healthy, colorful smoothie: who doesn’t love one? By combining thicktypes of fruit and vegetables in one smoothie, you not only enjoy a real taste sensation, but you also immediately receive your daily amount of vitamins.
Smoothies are a great way for you to stay healthy!
The usual way to make a smoothie is by using a blender, such as a Vitamix or a NutriBullet. But what if you have a food processor and you don’t want to splash out yet another kitchen appliance?
Can you make a smoothie in a food processor?
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Food processor with blender attachment
Many people buy a separate blender to make smoothies, but if you already have a food processor, you can also use it to make a smoothie. If you have a food processor with a blender attachment, then you can easily make smoothies in it.
Many food processors are all-in-one kitchen appliances and come equipped with a blender attachment. If you already have a food processor, the first thing to check is if you also have a blender attachment that you can use.
If your food processor does not come with a blender attachment, have a search on the internet and see if there is a separate blender attachment that you can purchase. This will make it a lot easier for you to make delicious smoothies without having to buy a separate blender.
Food processor without blender attachment
What if your food processor does not come with a blender attachment, can you still make smoothies in a food processor? The answer is yes! You can definitely make smoothies in your food processor, providing you follow a few extra rules and take a little more care.
First of all, you want to make sure you only use soft ingredients. Leafy greens and fruits are perfect for this, and luckily they are the basis for a lot of smoothie recipes! Food processors are designed to chop food, so if you use hard ingredients such as root vegetables, they will not mix together well and you will end up with a lumpy drink.
The key to making a smoothie in a food processor is to take it slow. In a blender, you can add all of the ingredients at once and then blend, creating a nice mixture. But because a food processor is designed to chop ingredients, you will end up with a lumpy texture if you try the same.
Read More: Are blenders and food processors the same?
How to blend a smoothie in a food processor
The best way to make a well-mixed smoothie in a food processor is to add 1 ingredient at a time, along with a little bit of liquid. Once you have a smooth mixture, you can then add another ingredient and some more liquid. Keep going until all of the ingredients and liquid have been added and you have a smooth mixture.
The blade of a food processor is very powerful and has the added advantage of being easy to clean: all parts can be taken apart and easily cleaned in the dishwasher. Cleaning a blender is usually more time-consuming as a lot of blenders can’t be put in the dishwasher.
Smoothie recipes that you can make in a food processor
These are simple smoothie recipes that can be made in a food processor. Of course, you can also make these recipes in a blender and they will be just as delicious!
Berry, banana, and orange smoothie
This is a refreshing smoothie that is great to cool you down on a hot day. This smoothie only contains soft fruit and vegetables, so your food processor should have no problem mixing them into a smoothie.
Ingredients
- A handful of strawberries
- A handful of blueberries
- A handful of spinach
- 2 ripe bananas peeled
- Juice of 8 oranges
- Juice of half a lemon
- About 200 milliliters (skimmed) yogurt
Preparation
Place all the fruit and a little of the orange juice in the container and don’t forget to put the lid on!
Turn on the food processor at position 2 or 3, it doesn’t have to be ground too quickly, but it does have to be ground well.
Mix for a minute so that everything is well ground.
Now put the food processor on the lowest setting and lift the cap in the lid, slowly pour in the rest of the orange juice and the lemon juice.
Read More: How Much Juice In One Lemon – Ultimate Juice & Zest Guide
Put the cap back on and turn the food processor back to speed 2 or 3 so that everything mixes well.
Now turn the food processor off and lift the lid. Add the yogurt and close the bowl with the lid again.
Now turn the machine on again on the lowest setting so that everything can mix well, you no longer need power so turning it high does not make sense. Your mixing bowl is now also fairly full so it will only make a mess if you put the power too high.
After a minute your smoothie is ready!
Read More: Can a Ninja blender be used as a food processor?
Green & healthy smoothie
This is a healthy smoothie that is great for breakfast. It will keep you full all day, and it is also delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ avocado
- A handful of fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon linseed
- 100 ml unsweetened almond milk
- 100ml water
Preparation
Add the fruit, linseed, and spinach to the food processor and mix on a medium setting until mixed well.
Slowly add the liquid until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
Yogurt smoothie with raspberries
This is a nice creamy smoothie that is perfect for a snack or even as a replacement for your lunch.
Ingredients
- 150 ml Greek yogurt
- 125 grams of raspberries
- Half a ripe banana
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal
- 100ml water
Preparation
Add the fruit and the oatmeal to the food processor and mix on a medium setting until well mixed.
Slowly add the water until you have a smooth consistency.
Add the yogurt and mix on the lowest setting until well mixed.
Read More: Can a Vitamix replace a food processor?
Tropical smoothie with fruit & pak choy
This smoothie has a lovely hint of summer about it, and the pak choi ensures that it is super healthy.
Ingredients
- ½ mango
- 100 grams of pineapple
- 3 stalks pak choi
- 100 ml unsweetened coconut milk
- 100ml water
Preparation
Add the fruit and vegetables with a little bit of liquid to the food processor. Blend on a medium setting until well mixed.
Slowly add the liquid on a low setting until the mixture resembles a smoothie.
Tips for making smoothies in a food processor
Want to thicken your smoothie? Then add an ingredient that makes it thicker, such as chia seeds, oat flakes, or avocado.
Do you use fruits and vegetables in your smoothie? For the best ratio, keep two-thirds sweet (so for example two-thirds berries and banana and one-third spinach).
Do not mix too many ingredients. Keep a maximum of five to six ingredients that go well together, otherwise, you will not know what you taste or the taste will not be as good as you had hoped.
Read More: How To Make A Smoothie Thicker: 7 Simple Ideas
Can you make smoothies in a food processor: final thoughts
As you can see, you can most definitely make a smoothie in a food processor. A blender is a handy appliance to have, but if you have a food processor then you really don’t need one. Unless you have a large kitchen, space will be limited and another appliance that you may only use occasionally is not a good idea.
Follow the tips above and you will soon be making smoothies in your food processor, and they will taste just as good as if they were made in a blender!