À La Carte: A food processor PSA

Lentil patties, cabbage pancakes, borscht + more 💚

Hi friends,

The food processor is, hands down, my favorite kitchen appliance.

One of the first things I did upon moving into my own apartment after leaving my parents’ home is take a trip down to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy my own Cuisinart. It cost less than $100 at the time, I think, and it is the same machine I use to this day. I keep it out on the kitchen counter at all times, right next to the water pitcher, which speaks to the essential role it plays in my cooking life.

It’s particularly indispensable for plant-forward cooking because it is excellent for prepping certain vegetables. It can finely shred a head of cabbage in seconds, for example, as well as save you from the absolute agony of grating hard veg (like, say, potatoes for latkes) on a primitive box grater.

Basically, you get fast, thin, uniform cuts with little to no effort; the kind of cuts that would otherwise require the knife skills of a professional chef, or interaction with the medieval torture device known as a mandolin.

But wait, there’s more!

A food processor also makes purées, dips, and nut butters, and turns things like beans and lentils into veggie burgers.

And for just three easy payments of…

Before this turns into a full infomercial, let’s get to the recipes. Below, a sampling of my favorites that showcase some of the magical things this appliance can do…

1. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Thanks to flavorings like cilantro, cumin, and smoky chili powder, these veggie burgers have a Tex-Mex vibe. They work great on a bun with the usual suspects, but you can also plop them on a salad or grain bowl.

2. Lemon-Garlic White Bean Dip

A creamy 10-minute dip to rival store-bought hummus. An easy party appetizer, or meal prep-able snack to stash in the fridge for the week.

3. Lentil Patties

Made with green lentils, brown rice, cremini mushrooms, and walnuts, these patties have a “meaty” texture and are great for tucking into lunch boxes.

4. Ukrainian Borscht

Traditional borscht (tangy beet soup) calls for a large volume of grated vegetables, which can be exhausting and time-consuming. A food processor, on the other hand, makes the prep a breeze.

5. Savory Cabbage Pancakes

Shredded green cabbage is the star ingredient in these savory chickpea flour pancakes. While you could certainly chop it with a sharp knife, a food processor with the slicing disc does the job in mere seconds and with minimal mess.

Planning to make one of these? Tell me how it goes in the comments section or tag me with your creation on Instagram.