Juicer Uses: Juice, Recipes and Model-Specific Attachments

The main use of a juicer is to extract juice. Other functions depend on the design and any compatible attachments.

Depending on the model and its approved attachments, a juicer can supply juice for soups, sauces, cocktails and frozen treats. Some multifunction machines can also make nut milk, nut butter or purees; these are not standard features of every juicer.

Juice can be frozen into fruit pops, and leftover pulp can be used in a burger recipe. Frozen-dessert processing requires a machine and attachment approved for that purpose.

Let us look at each of these uses in closer detail.

1. Make Nutritious Fruit Juices

As we saw earlier, the primary purpose of a juicer is to make nutritious fruit juices. Juicing is possible with all types of juicers, whether they are centrifugal, masticating, citrus, or twin-gear juicers.

Preparation differs by design: a citrus press handles cut citrus, while an extractor accepts suitable prepared produce through its feed chute. Use the supplied pusher, never fingers or utensils. The nutribullet NBJ-100 guide, for example, requires pit removal and is intended for suitable fruit and vegetables rather than frozen ingredients.

Prepare produce as the manual directs. Remove hard pits and large hard seeds, and peel skins or rinds that the manufacturer says to remove.

Depending on the type of juicer, it will either crush and extract the juice or grind the components and separate the liquid from the skin and seeds.

You can cut the produce into pieces that fit the feeding tube, and the machine takes care of the rest. But the quality of the juice depends on the type of juicer.

The amount of pulp and separation depends on the produce, screen and extraction method. A juicer type alone does not guarantee one texture.

2. Make Nutritious Vegetable Juices

Vegetable juice can be used in drinks or recipes. Vegetables like cucumbers, kale, spinach, gourds, and carrots are often used for juicing.

Use vegetables that the machine is designed to process, and wash and prepare them according to its instructions.

Cut vegetables to the size specified for the feed chute or attachment. A citrus press does not process chopped vegetables like an extractor.

After the juicing process, you will have the liquid component separated from the solid part.

3. Use Juice in Smoothies

A standard juice extractor separates juice from pulp; it is not a blender. For a smoothie, blend the extracted juice with fruit, milk or yogurt in a blender, or use a juicer’s dedicated smoothie attachment if its manual allows it.

However, they may not be able to crush ice like blenders. Check the device instructions to confirm if it’s safe to crush ice in a juicer or not.

If the blades are delicate, crushing ice can damage them.

Do not pour dairy products, nut butter or other thick smoothie ingredients into a standard juicing chute unless that use is approved for the model.

4. Use Juice in Shakes

Juice can be an ingredient in a shake, but a standard extractor does not mix shakes like a blender.

Mix the juice with the remaining shake ingredients in a blender or an approved blending attachment.

Follow that appliance’s capacity and ingredient limits.

If you prefer to have a chunky shake or smoothie, you can even save the pulp from fruits and vegetables and add them to the smoothie or shake.

5. Prepare a Soup Base

Extracted vegetable juice can form part of a soup recipe. A standard extractor does not puree a whole soup like a blender.

Extract juice only from produce that the machine permits, and combine it with the remaining soup ingredients separately.

Add herbs and seasonings to the collected soup mixture unless the juicer instructions specifically permit processing them.

Collect the extracted juice as a soup base, then cook it with the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. A standard juicer separates pulp rather than blending a complete soup.

6. Prepare Sauces

Tomato sauces for pasta or pizzas are some of the sauces you can make in a juicer. But juicers will crush the tomatoes and vegetables and separate the pulp.

If you want the sauce to contain both the juice and the pulp, you must mix the solid component inside the filter with the liquid separately.

You can also add ingredients like onions, garlic, leek, and herbs to the sauce mix for a more flavorful recipe.

7. Cocktails and Mocktails

You can use a juicer to prepare the fruity part of a cocktail and mocktail. Strain the collected juice further if your drink recipe needs a smoother texture.

Some fine pulp may remain, depending on the screen and produce. So after preparing the smooth juice part, you can mix it with the alcohol or soda base to create delicious cocktails and mocktails.

8. Make Nut Butter with an Approved Attachment

Make nut butter only if the manual lists that function and specifies the correct blank screen or other attachment. A blank screen alone does not prove that every type of nut is suitable.

Use only nuts listed for that model and attachment. Prepare and feed them exactly as its recipe directs.

Add only small quantities at once. Follow the manufacturer’s nut-butter recipe, including any soaking, feeding and oil instructions. Do not add an unspecified thickener.

Mix any optional sweetener into the finished nut butter unless the machine recipe says otherwise.

9. Nut Milk in Suitable Models

Use only a juicer approved for nut milk, and follow its recipe for soaking the nuts and adding water. For example, Kuvings gives a soaked-nut method for its vertical slow juicers. Use the specified ratio when feeding the juicer with water; this method does not apply to every extractor.

Process the soaked nuts and measured water using the approved method. Do not run dry nuts through a standard juice extractor to improvise nut milk.

You can transfer the nut milk into a bottle or container and refrigerate it for later use.

10. Purees with an Approved Attachment

Some multifunction juicers have an approved puree or baby-food attachment; Omega lists suitable models. Check the exact model instructions. A standard juice extractor is not a substitute for one; use age-appropriate ingredients and texture, and follow safe preparation guidance.

Prepare ingredients using a suitable baby-food recipe; extracting juice alone does not establish the right texture or nutritional balance.

If the manual permits cooked ingredients, let them cool to its specified temperature before processing. Never feed hot food into a juicer unless that use is explicitly allowed.

If your juicer lacks a suitable puree attachment, use a blender or food processor designed for that task instead.

11. Frozen Desserts with a Suitable Attachment

Some juicers come with a special ice cream attachment. In this case, you can use it to make homemade sorbets and ice cream.

Follow the dessert attachment’s instructions for fruit preparation and thawing. Standard juicing screens may not accept frozen fruit.

Add it to the juicer and let it blend into a smooth, creamy consistency.

Serve or store the result as the recipe directs. Fruit processed through a dessert attachment is not automatically a dairy ice cream.

12. Fruit Pops

To make fruit pops in a juicer, simply transfer the fresh fruit juice into fruit pop molds or icicle trays.

Place them in the freezer for a few hours. The best thing about it is that you can customize the recipe to suit your taste.

13. Use Pulp in Vegetable Burgers

A juicer does not form or cook a vegetable burger, but its leftover pulp can be an ingredient in one.

You can use vegetables like carrots, beets, and spinach in the base.

After juicing, switch off, unplug and wait for all parts to stop before removing pulp as the manual directs. Mix the collected pulp with ingredients such as cooked beans according to a suitable patty recipe.

You can also add seasonings like salt, pepper, and paprika or herbs for flavor. Shape the patties into the desired shape and thickness, and cook on the stove or grill as you like.