Ninja has become one of the trendiest brands in the fitness and well-being spheres. The high-quality blenders can turn raw ingredients into protein-rich smoothies in just 55 seconds, thanks to the Smoothie Auto-iQ feature. But can a Ninja blender be used as a food processor?
Some Ninja blender models come with a mode for chopping fruits and vegetables and kneading dough, similar to what a food processor can do. There is also a Ninja Kitchen System that comes with a food processor that accommodates up to 8 cups of ingredients per batch.
So, what can a Ninja blender do, and what is the fabled Ninja Kitchen System? I’ll address these questions and much more in this guide.
What Makes Ninja Blenders So Great?
For those that are out of the loop, you probably have no idea what makes Ninja blenders so great. Believe it or not, the success of Ninja blenders can be attributed to the simplicity of their design.
Despite being made almost entirely of plastic, Ninja blenders offer a level of stability that is unmatched by same-level competitors in the blender world. Best of all, the pitchers don’t have tiny pockets that make it impossible to wash. Disassembling the pitchers and putting the pieces back together can be done in under 30 seconds.
With all that said, don’t expect whisper-quiet blending capabilities with a Ninja blender. These appliances can get pretty loud (around 80 decibels), but with great loudness comes great blending prowess. If your previous blenders have struggled to turn frozen fruits into semi-chunky smoothies, it might be worth making the switch to Ninja.
What Can a Ninja Blender Do?
Ninja blenders are like any ordinary blender. There are multiple blender pitcher sizes, but they all come with high-speed rotating blades that instantly and effortlessly turn raw, solid ingredients into sauces, salsas, smoothies, and any other liquified concoction you could dream of.
Many Ninja blenders have the following blending modes:
Smoothie—This mode is specifically used for making smoothies. Just drop your ingredients into the pitcher and activate this mode. The blender will run for 55 seconds to produce a smoothie to your desired chunkiness or smoothness level.
Ice Crush—Do you have a craving for snow cones? If so, you should make use of the Ice Crush mode on the Ninja blender. The blades work at ultra-high speeds to break down large ice chunks into ice shavings. Be warned—your Ninja blender will make a ton of noise when Ice Crush mode is activated.
Extract—Oftentimes, we end up discarding stems and seeds before popping an ingredient into a blender. However, Ninja’s Extract mode eliminates the need to get rid of fibrous objects that would interfere with the blending process. Using Extract mode, you can liquify almost any ingredient into a nutritious blend without the bothersome pulp.
Can a Ninja Blender Be Used as a Food Processor?
Many Ninja blender owners out there will know that I neglected to mention two blending modes, which are chopping and kneading. So, if you’re wondering whether a Ninja blender can be used as a food processor, the answer is a resounding yes.
The Chop function on a Ninja blender allows you to break down large chunks of solid food items into tiny, fast-cooking chunks. The longer you allow the blender to pulse the ingredients, the finer they will turn out. Just be careful not to go overboard, or you’ll end up with mush, which is perfect for baby food.
Some Ninja blenders will also come with a Knead mode that, as you already guessed, can knead the dough. Simply drop your flour, leavening agents, and seasonings into the bowl and let the blender do all the hard work for you.
However, it’s important to note that the standard Ninja blender pitcher is not compatible with the Knead mode. This is due to the fact that the blades of a blender pitcher are mainly used for liquifying ingredients. So, how do you make use of this function? You get the Ninja Kitchen System.
What Is the Ninja Kitchen System?
The Ninja BL770 Kitchen System is a multi-kitchen appliance kit. It comes with all of the necessary equipment for making smoothies and crushing ice, as well as chopping vegetables and kneading dough.
Inside the box, you’ll find a food processor bowl that fits on the blender’s base. It comes with the same blade style you would find in most traditional food processors, with the exception that the attachments are dual-tiered—i.e., there are blades on the bottom and in the middle of the swappable attachment. This means more efficient chopping, mincing, and kneading.
In addition to the 8-cup food processor bowl and its attachments, you’ll also get two 16-ounce Ninja cups. They come with their own blender attachment that fits inside the narrow opening, allowing you to make smoothies directly inside the cup.
Is a Ninja Blender a Direct Substitute for a Food Processor?
As versatile as a Ninja blender is, it is not a perfect substitute for a food processor. It comes with the chop function, which is the primary function most home cooks would want from a food processor. However, unless you pick up the Ninja Kitchen System, you won’t enjoy the full range of cutting modes that a standalone food processor offers.
The following table will compare a standard Ninja blender (not the Kitchen System) to a standard food processor.
| Function | Food Processor | Ninja Blender |
| Slicing | Yes | No |
| Shredding | Yes | Yes |
| Kneading Dough | Yes | No |
| Mixing | Yes | No |
| Whisking | Yes | No |
| Juicing | No | Yes (Extract mode) |
| Chopping | Yes | Yes |
| Grinding | Yes | No |
| Blending | Yes | Yes |
As you can see, a Ninja blender cannot do half of what a standalone food processor can do.
Do I Need a Food Processor If I Have a Ninja Blender?
It really depends on what you need a food processor for.
Here is the primary difference between a food processor and a blender. A food processor is mainly used for slicing, dicing, mincing, and chopping ingredients into fine chunks. It does in five minutes what a home cook with basic knife skills does in 30 minutes. Blenders, on the other hand, are usually used for blending solid ingredients into a liquid, which is something a food processor can inherently do.
With all that said, if you already have a Ninja blender and are considering picking up a food processor, I highly suggest you consider picking up Ninja’s stand-alone food processor bowl. You will have to purchase the specialty attachments separately, but if it fits on your Ninja blender’s base, you won’t have to pick up another space-taking kitchen appliance.
Ninja Food Processor Attachments
Here’s where things get pretty exciting. There is a plethora of attachments that fit inside a Ninja food processor bowl. You can find them all here, but I’ll explain some of the most interesting accessories down below.
Total Crushing Blades—This is a triple-tier accessory that chops ice and other hard ingredients into fine shavings or chunks.
Professional Prep System—This is a kit that includes the food processor bowl alongside a standard chopping tool, a grating disc (want shredded cheese?), and a slicing disc.
Angel Hair Blade Disc—This is a disc that can cut solid ingredients, such as carrots, into long strings that resemble angel hair pasta. If you want spaghetti without the carb-induced guilt, you can prepare healthy pasta using this disc attachment. There is also a Fettucine Blade Disc.
Auto-Spiralizer Kit—To make vegetable-based pasta with a Ninja food processor, you will first need the Auto-Spiralizer Kit. This kit already includes angel hair and fettuccine blade discs.
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