Can a Vitamix be used as a food processor? The simple answer to this question is yes, however the more detailed answer isn’t quite as cut and dried (no pun intended).
In this article I’m going to explain the differences between a Vitamix blender and a food processor, and which processing tasks your Vitamix will be able to handle.
I’ve also included some tips and tricks for how you can more efficiently use your Vitamix for food processing. At the end you’ll also find answers to some of the commonly asked questions on this topic.
(Want to learn more about juicing and blending? Take a look through my collection of guides and reviews.)
Blenders Vs Food Processors
Food processors and blenders alike are capable of tackling a wide variety of kitchen prep tasks.
The main difference between the two is the cutting action each one uses.
A Vitamix blender has particularly tough, durable blades that are designed to pulverize the container’s contents into a perfectly smooth mush.
Food processors use finer, sharper blades. They’re designed for chopping, slicing, grating and so on. Put simply, they offer much more control over the final consistency
They’re also commonly supplied with cutting discs designed for performing specific jobs really well.
What Foods Can I Process In A Vitamix Blender?
You’ll get the best results by using your Vitamix blender for chopping very rough vegetables at a low speed. Think of hard ingredients like carrots and cauliflower.
I highly recommend using the pulse feature on your Vitamix blender for this kind of kitchen prep too.
By combining a low speed with short bursts of activation, you’ll avoid turning your chopped vegetables into a slushy mess.
There are two main methods you can use to make life easier and more effective:
Solution #1 – The Dry Chopping Method
The dry chopping method involves working in very small batches.
You add the job cup by cup, blending at a low speed until you reach the consistency you want to achieve.
Although you need to work in very small batches, each batch should process very quickly. Once you get good at this, you can work quickly through a surprisingly large quantity overall.
It will take some experimentation to get this right though. It all depends on the type of ingredient you’re working with, and the Vitamix model you have in your own home.
My advice is to start at a slower speed and work your way up, balancing ideal consistency with turnaround speed.
Solution #2 – The Wet Chopping Method
As the name suggests, the wet chopping method involves adding liquid along with your ingredients. It works best when you create naturally moist foods such as coleslaw.
First, add your vegetables to the blending jar. Next, add just enough water that the vegetables rise above the blades.
This gives the vegetables plenty of room to swish around, reducing the overall contact time they make with the blades. The end result will be much less mushy.
Once you’ve achieved the right consistency, you simply drain the liquid from the mix.
This allows you to work with much larger quantities in a single blend.
The flipside, however, is that you’re pouring a lot of flavor and nutrients down the sink along with the water!
You’ll have to decide whether the loss is worth the gain here.
Solution #3 – The Attachment
Vitamix is well aware that many of its customers would like to be able to use their blender as a food processor.
In response, it recently released a food processor attachment designed specifically for certain models.
- The food processor attachment eliminates storing another stand-alone appliance.Voltage: 240 V
- Capacity – 12 c dry; 9 c wet | Material: Plastic
- Clear bowl, lid and food pushers
- Easy assembly and disassembly
- Intuitive Storage Solution with minimal parts
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It’s picked up strong reviews since release, and represents the best method for converting your Vitamix blender into a food processor. You get the container and all of the attachments you’ll need, right out of the box.
The flipside? It’s quite expensive. In fact, you could pick up a perfectly serviceable food processor for the same kind of money.
With that said, you lose the space-saving benefits gained by going down the attachment route.
It’s also not compatible with older Vitamix blenders. You’ll need a machine from the Ascent or Venturist range to take advantage of this clever accessory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Finally, I wanted to wrap up this article by answering some of the most common questions readers have about this topic.
What’s The Difference Between A Food Processor And A Vitamix?
In its simplest terms? The cutting unit.
Vitamix blenders use a big, hefty blade unit to smash everything into a pulp.
A food processor’s blades tend to be thinner, sharper, and designed to slice through the ingredients.
Food processors also typically come with dedicated cutting blade attachments for handling specific jobs.
Should I Buy A Blender Or A Food Processor?
This depends entirely on what you want to achieve. A high quality blender is great for making smoothies, sauces, and other finely blended concoctions.
A food processor is better for handling tasks like slicing, dicing and grating. The difference really is how well you can maintain a specific consistency.
In terms of food processing jobs, a blender will work best at chopping tough vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and carrots.
By working these tough ingredients at a low speed for small amounts of time, you’ll be able to achieve a rough chop rather than a pile of mush!
What Does A Food Processor Do That A Blender Doesn’t?
A food processor offers finer control over consistency. You’ll be able to make use of an assortment of attachments to tackle the particular job you have in front of you.
Blenders are designed to pulverize whatever you put in them! It’s very difficult to roughly chop or slice soft ingredients, even at a very low speed setting.
When Should You Use A Food Processor?
The simple answer to this question is you should use a food processor over a blender when you need a very specific finish to the consistency.
The difference is as simple as considering the difference between grated carrot and carrot juice!
Wrapping Up
I hope that’s given you a much clearer understanding of the challenges involved with using your Vitamix as a food processor.
Stick to rough chopping of tough vegetables and you can achieve surprisingly good results. Just be aware of the limitations of using any blender as a food processor.
If you don’t have the countertop space for a dedicated food processor, consider buying the Vitamix food processor attachment instead.
Mark’s a lifelong food fanatic and spent ten years working as an entertainment journalist. He now combines his love of food, drink and writing as the founder and editor of Viva Flavor. Read more