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Eating a big salad can ensure that you get several vegetable servings at once. You can top greens with protein-packed lean meat, nuts and seeds to meet your daily requirement of heart-healthy fats. But dousing lettuce with an unhealthy dressing can defeat the purpose, loading the meal with saturated fat, added sugars and sodium.
Have you ever wondered how restaurants achieve that silky, creamy salad dressing texture without adding in copious amounts of dairy or mayonnaise? Well, I’m here to let you in on a little secret. To transform nearly any salad dressing into a creamy masterpiece, you simply need an immersion blender.
Of course, you could whisk until your arms feel like they’ll fall off, but a stick blender will create a delightful satin texture with hardly any physical labor. Think of these kinds of blenders as a newfound way to vigorously shake a salad dressing bottle, rendering ingredients into a velvety liquid in a matter of seconds. After blending with the immersion stick, your dressing should stay blended for a short time, but may need to re-blended if you plan on reusing it later.
Another perk to these kinds of blenders is that they can create creamy soups, sauces, juices and milkshakes.
If you’re looking to try this salad dressing hack yourself, you’re in luck. Several low-priced immersion blenders are available on Amazon or Walmart. Here are a few of our top picks.
Hand Blender, 5-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender
For only $36.99, this 5-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender from Gped will have you covered for all sorts of kitchen mixing. This highly-rated blender comes with 12 adjustable speeds so you can create buttery salad dressings or chop nuts in a flash. You can even froth milk or make mashed potatoes. It’s easy to grip and the anti-splash design keeps foods right where they’re intended. Clean with tap water and hang with the hook to dry and store.
Mueller Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender
Rated as Amazon’s Choice for Immersion Blenders, this one from Mueller comes with whisk and milk frother attachments for just $34.97. There’s also a $2-off coupon available to clip. The company claims its copper motor lasts 3x longer than competitor brands’ motors. Equipped with nine speeds, this dishwasher-friendly stick blender is small enough to stash in a drawer when it’s not in use. We like that it comes with a one-year warranty.
This blender averages 4.5 out of 5 stars and has more than 44,000 global ratings. One woman called it a “strong, reliable workhorse” while another person claimed it’s the best immersion blender she’s ever had.
MegaWise Pro Titanium Reinforced 3-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender
Make creamy homemade sauces and dressings almost instantly with this 1000W MegaWise immersion blender that features 12 speeds and a turbo boost setting. With more than 4,000 global ratings, this product sports a high average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. It’s currently on sale and available for $26.99.
Reviewer Lori purchased her MegaWise Pro Hand Blender after seeing how much her daughter-in-law liked hers.
“It was powerful enough to grind ginger with just a few short pulses, and it is perfect for making small amounts of dressing. I love the fact that I can remove the blade and clean the plastic container easily.”
Having a creamy burst of honey mustard or vinaigrette flavor drizzled on top can make any dish more enticing. Try this dressing hack today to make dream-worthy salads.
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