Personal blenders like the Magic Bullet and NutriBullet are very popular for making single-serve smoothies and smoothie bowls. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to stay in and cook at home more frequently, myself included. One downside of cooking more often is constantly washing dishes. I am always trying to reduce the number of kitchen utensils I use so I can wash less. This caused me to fall in love with my Magic Bullet again. After months of experimenting, I have found countless ways to use my Magic Bullet in the kitchen. Here are some of my favorite things to make in my Magic Bullet that aren't smoothies.

1. Pesto

herb, vegetable, vinaigrette, juice, garlic
Jocelyn Hsu

As a student, I'm always looking for quick meals to power me through long nights of homework and studying. For me, that meal has been pasta. Personally, I don't like nuts and most store-bought pesto sauces contain pine nuts so making my own is the best alternative. Traditional pesto is made using a mortar and pestle, which takes a lot of time and effort. Using a Magic Bullet, I have been able to make a smooth pesto in seconds. I tend to add other greens like spinach, arugula, kale and other herbs or vegetables I have that are about to go bad. This way, I am reducing my food waste while creating a more complex sauce. The Magic Bullet makes combining those vegetables incredibly easy. Pesto isn't just for pasta, though. It's perfect for pizza, salad dressing, chicken marinade and as a dip for bread. Here's one of the recipes I use, but I omit the pine nuts and add any other greens I have on hand into my Magic Bullet.

2. Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar is an ingredient I rarely have in my cabinets. I've only used it for icing or to top french toast, lemon bars, or the occasional batch of brownies. I use minimal amounts of powdered sugar throughout the year so I don't want to buy an entire bag. This led me to the discovery that granulated sugar can be blended to make powdered sugar. When making icing, I'll further reduce the clean-up process by adding the other ingredients into the Magic Bullet as well. It makes smooth, consistent icing to top cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes and bundt cakes

3. Banana Oat Pancakes

Classic banana oat pancakes are often made by mashing a banana in a bowl and adding rolled oats. While this method makes delicious, textured pancakes, sometimes I want a batter that mimics the box mix. In order to achieve this, I use the same ingredient list, but throw them into my Magic Bullet! This makes a smooth batter that's ready to use in seconds. Similar to making powdered sugar out of regular sugar, you can make oat flour by simply blending oats. This method also makes it easier to incorporate ingredients such as peanut butter or canned pumpkin and ensure consistent distribution of flavor throughout every pancake.

4. Guacamole

vegetable, guacamole, herb, sauce, salad
Jocelyn Hsu

I like very smooth guacamole, which I know is a hot take. I used to spend a lot of time mashing avocados with a fork in order to get the consistency I wanted. Now, I add my avocados into a Magic Bullet and blend it for a few seconds to achieve a smooth texture. Instead of transferring the smooth avocado blend into a bowl to add the other ingredients, I fold them into the mixture in the Magic Bullet cup. If you find yourself wanting a chunkier guacamole, you can set aside an avocado, cube it and incorporate the pieces into the blended mixture.

5. Meatballs and Hamburgers

sweet, candy, chocolate, cake
Nancy Gao

This is a perfect way to make meatballs and hamburgers for those who become squeamish when it comes to touching raw meat. Add all of the ingredients into your Magic Bullet and pulse the mixture a few times. Make sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula or knife a few times so everything is evenly dispersed throughout the mixture. Be careful not to over-blend the meat or the final product will be tough. 

6. Salad Dressing

Many store bought salad dressings have unnecessary additives. By making your own salad dressing at home, you can avoid overly processed products and adapt the flavors to fit your preferences. Like the other recipes, just add your ingredients into your Magic Bullet and blend until it's combined. This also helps to emulsify oil and vinegar, which prevents the dressing from separating. Here are some recipes to start with! 

Magic Bullets are a diverse tool to have in any home. The uses are endless, but hopefully these unique recipes inspire other ways to utilize your personal blender to make cooking, baking and, most importantly, cleanup easier in the kitchen.