What Can You Do With an Immersion Blender: 10 Fun and Creative Ideas

Immersion blenders are an indispensable kitchen appliance. They are highly adaptable and take up almost no space. I own an immersion blender and a standard blender with a large jar, but this article will highlight and focus on everything you can do with immersion blenders alone. In numerous ways, an immersion blender is one of the most versatile kitchen tools available. 

My friends who do not own an immersion blender, but are considering purchasing one, are typically informed of all the cool things you can do with one. As a result, I decided to compile a list of the most valuable things you can do with an immersion blender, as I believe it will be helpful for people considering purchasing one. 

In many respects, they are even more versatile than conventional jar blenders. Let’s dive right in and see what these stick blenders can do. 

Blend A Soup Until It Is Smooth! 

When most people search online for immersion blenders, they first encounter a soup recipe. And this is for an excellent reason. Immersion blenders perform miracles on soup. They can transform a simple soup into a gorgeous, creamy soup. Everything from velvety-smooth tomato soups to velvety-smooth cream soups is straightforward to prepare with a stick immersion blender. 

Immersion blenders are more convenient for blending soups than traditional jar blenders because they can be placed directly into the soup pot. If you were making a smooth tomato soup, for example, and you wanted the same pureed texture as Campbell’s soup, then you would need to puree the soup in a blender. With a standard blender, the hot soup must be poured into the blender. And many blenders cannot handle hot, scalding soup. If you are not using a high-quality blender, such as Vitamix, the steam can damage the seal. Some inexpensive jar blenders cannot even handle hot soups and liquids. 

With an immersion blender, you can place the blender directly into the pot (hence the name “stick blenders”) and puree the soup while it cooks! I’ve made countless pureed soups in this manner—everything from black bean soup to tomato soup with cream. 

Make Whipped Cream With A Stick Blender 

I have an article discussing whether or not whipped cream can be made in a blender. 

I consider it advantageous if I devote an entire article to a topic. I’ve likely made whipped cream with an immersion blender more frequently than with an electric whipper. Because it is so simple to use a stick blender, I do so more often than not. 

Pouring cold cream into a mason jar or other narrow, high-sided container is the easiest way to make whipped cream using a stick blender. Then, utilize a blender attachment that aids in aeration. My stick blender came with an aerator attachment, but in all honesty, you can also use the regular blending attachment. 

The trick to using a stick blender to make whipped cream is to use a jar or container with a narrow opening so that the cream does not spread beyond the surface area that the stick blender can whip. I prefer sturdy mason jars (make sure you use an actual mason jar like one made by BALL).  

Then, blend the cream using an immersion blender. I always use cold cream, and I occasionally refrigerate the Mason jar. Remember to ensure that the mason jar is thoroughly clean and dry. Any moisture in the mason jar can affect the process of whipping cream. 

The advantage of using a stick blender to whip cream is that you have the same control over the whipped cream as you would with a traditional cream whipper. And a stick blender is much easier to use and cleaner than a whisk with all its attachments. 

Blend A Quick Smoothie 

A stick blender is fantastic for quickly blending a smoothie. Because you can use a smaller container to blend the fruits and vegetables (if you are into making green smoothies) and you don’t have to use large blending jars, immersion blenders are ideal for making single-serve smoothies. 

On numerous occasions, I’ve desired a smoothie, but if I used my large blender (I own a Ninja blender), I would end up with too much. You can always store your leftover smoothie in the refrigerator, but I don’t always want to do that. Usually, when I make a smoothie, I want to consume it immediately. The purpose of making fresh smoothies at home, whether fruit or green, is to obtain the most nutrient-dense and fresh smoothie possible. Therefore, storing it and allowing the nutrients to degrade is not ideal. 

Make Real, Homemade Mayonnaise 

If you read Bon Appetit or watch cooking videos on YouTube, you’ve likely encountered countless references to homemade mayonnaise. No one is purchasing Helmans anymore. The pitch is essential that homemade mayonnaise tastes better, is healthier, and is not particularly difficult to prepare. 

Everyone from Julia Child to Gordon Ramsey has a website or cookbook with a recipe for making mayonnaise. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a simple recipe. All essential recipes are identical. Egg yolks, vinegar, canola oil (the traditional oil used when making mayonnaise; olive oil is used when making aioli), and mustard are required. 

If you’re comfortable with raw eggs, use an immersion blender for this recipe. You will need two egg yolks, a teaspoon of vinegar, dijon mustard or Coleman’s mustard powder, and a cup or so of vegetable oil. Most chefs recommend using canola oil or something else with a mild flavor. This video demonstrates how quickly mayonnaise can be made with an immersion blender. 

Blend Up Raw Organic Pico De Galo 

This salsa is popular in the southwestern United States and throughout rural Mexico. It differs from traditional red or green salsa because it is chunkier and has a drier consistency. The term translates as Roosters Beak. This may have something to do with the peppers’ spice, although there are differing theories as to the precise origin of the name. Regardless of the meaning and head of the name, this salsa is one of the most delicious and versatile in your kitchen. 

It is a beautiful addition to the diet of vegans and vegetarians, as it not only provides a wealth of healthy nutrients from the peppers and onions but also adds flavor to bean, rice, and tofu dishes (not classically a Mexican dish, but it is something to look at). 

There are numerous online recipes, but they all boil down to using peppers (most people prefer Serrano peppers), onions, and tomatoes. Here are three recipes for your consideration: Rick Bayless’s Pico De Gall, Cookie & Kate, and Cookie & Kate recipes. 

I have prepared these salsas both manually and with a food processor. If you have an immersion blender with a chopping attachment, you can make excellent Pico de Gallo. 

Place the chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, and peppers in a mason jar or other narrow blending jar, and pulse it a few times to create a salsa with a coarse texture. 

You Can Make Salsa: Salsa Roja 

Now that you understand how to prepare Pico de Gallo, why stop there? You may also use your immersion blender to prepare the traditional red salsa (salsa Roja). These salsas are simple to make in a blender, and I recommend using an immersion blender rather than attempting to make salsa in a conventional blender. Why?  

You have significantly more control when blending with an immersion blender than with a conventional jar blender. A stick blender allows you to maneuver the blending angel and strike the tomatoes, peppers, and onions precisely as desired. Additionally, when using a stick blender, you have a much clearer view of what you’re blending. Using a stick blender eliminates the possibility of over-blending food. 

I purchase fresh tomatoes and peppers (because I prefer my salsa spicy, I use jalapeno peppers) and then add freshly squeezed lime juice. Then, I blend the ingredients in a Mason jar. After mixing the ingredients in the mason jar, I seal it and store it in the refrigerator. Why do I prefer using a stick blender when preparing salsa? Simple cleanup I can make fresh salsa twice weekly without cleaning a large blending jar. This is especially helpful if I made a smoothie in my Ninja earlier in the day and didn’t want to go through the blending process and clean it again. I can clean the immersion blender in the sink by immersing the stick portion in water and using soap and bubbles. 

You Can Prepare Yummy Jam 

Homemade jam is delicious and easy to make with the proper equipment. And these resources are: 

• Use a large saucepan or double boiler. 
• An immersion blender or stick blender. 
• A strainer comprised of mesh. 

Cooked berries and sugars constitute jam. The procedure involves cooking berries with sugar, such as blueberries or raspberries. The cooking process facilitates the breakdown of the berries’ fiber content and the absorption of sugar into the mash. The subsequent step involves preparing the mash. Historically, berries were combined by hand with a wooden spoon. They were mashed into a mixture of sweet berries. They were then strained. This combination gave you jam. Occasionally, people did not strain the jam, while others strained out a portion of the liquid, which could then be used as syrup! 

I’ve used an immersion blender to make jam by heating the berries and sugar and then mashing them with the immersion blender. Occasionally, I will blend the berries in a cup before adding them to the saucepan with the sugar. This expedites the process and decreases the likelihood that the berries and sugar will burn before forming a sweet harmony! 

Therefore, if you enjoy raspberry jam or blueberry jam and would like to attempt making it, go ahead. For a thicker preserve, strain out a portion of the liquid after heating the mash. If you desire traditional jam, allow the mixture to cool, add a touch of lemon juice, and place it in a mason jar or other small glass container. 

You Can Make Hummus 

I’ve discussed it elsewhere on my blog, but now is an excellent time to discuss hummus and whether it can be made with an immersion blender! To begin with, I would recommend using a food processor if you wish to prepare hummus. This is because a food processor is the easiest to use and makes hummus in under a minute. There are numerous online recipes. 

However, if you don’t have a food processor but still want to make hummus, you can use an immersion blender. There is no reason a stick blender cannot be used to make hummus if it is the only appliance available. It may not be as versatile as a conventional food processor, but it is certainly possible. 

I would still recommend using a food processor or even purchasing one if you plan to make a great deal of food from scratch at home without one. They are helpful (crusts for pies, hummus, falafel mix, sliced vegetables, etc.) 

Pesto Is Easy To Make Too! 

If you enjoy pesto and want to make it home from scratch, an immersion blender is fantastic! These stick blenders are even better at making pesto than large blenders. Large blending jars cannot be used with pesto because they are too large. A standard blender will not be helpful unless you prepare a massive quantity of pesto. 

Using a large blender to make pesto is problematic because the jar is too large and cannot adequately blend a small amount of basil, olive oil, and pine nuts. Therefore, I always suggest using either an immersion blender stick or a bullet blender. So, when you pack in the basil, pine nuts, and olive oil, everything will blend easily, and you won’t be left with any unmixed ingredients. 

You Can Make Soap with An Immersion Blender 

Finally, and this may surprise those who only associate blenders with food recipes, you can make soap with a blender. Specifically, a stick blender! The method of making soap is complicated. If you’re interested in making soap, I have a comprehensive article that discusses the best blenders for making cold-process soap and the additional materials you’ll need. 

A stick blender will be essential to the soap-making process. You must use a stick blender to combine the lye water and fats (olive or coconut oil). It is too dangerous to use a traditional blender and doing it by hand, as people did before the invention of electric blenders, will tire you out. 

This section has been updated with a link to a new article about the best stick blender for making soap. It is slightly more nuanced and only includes stick blenders.