How to Make a Smoothie With a Food Processor

The blender is king when it comes to making smoothies -- its blade was made to puree fruits and easily blend them with liquids. But you can call on your trusty food processor too. Although better at chopping and pulverizing, a food processor can get the job done when it comes to blending smoothies. You'll need to make a few tweaks and adjustments, however, for smoothie success in a food processor.

Put the fruit in the food processor bowl. Add just about any fruit you would like, using one, two or more. Common fruits for smoothies include bananas, apples, mangoes, pineapples and all berries.

Add vegetables to the mix, if you like. Small amounts of vegetables, such as a handful of spinach, chopped kale or even chopped carrots, boost the nutritional value of the smoothie without overpowering the sweet fruit flavors.


Add extra ingredients to enhance your smoothie. You could add 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, flax seed, cinnamon, ginger or crushed nuts to the food processor. For a big protein boost, add a few tablespoons of protein powder.

Pour in your liquid or semi-liquid base, adding no more than a 1/2 cup to start. Food processors don't work well with liquids and leak if you add too much at one time. You can use regular milk, fruit juice or non-dairy options, such as soy or almond milk. Yogurt creates creamy, thick smoothies; you can add it all at once, up to 1 cup per serving.

Put the lid on the food processor and blend the smoothie. Gradually add more liquid through the food processor chute as needed until the smoothie is well-blended and has reached the consistency you want. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula to get everything mixed well.

Transfer the smoothie into a glass. Food processors usually do not have spouts like blenders do, so you may have to use the spatula to guide smoothie mixture out without making a mess.