How to Mash Vegetables

Mashed vegetables are a great ingredient in countless delicious soups, like pumpkin soup. They can also add a lot of nutrition to pasta sauces. Mashed vegetables can also be used as snacks for children. In order to have a smooth mash of vegetables, a key factor is to cook the vegetables properly before cooking.

Table of Contents

Choosing and Preparing Vegetables

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Choose fresh, ripe vegetables. The most nutritious and delicious vegetable puree is made from the most ripe vegetables. Choose vegetables with firm flesh and bright colors. Avoid bruised or bruised vegetables.

Although canned and frozen vegetables can be used for mashing, they will not offer as much nutritional value and taste less than fresh vegetables.
Any vegetable can be mashed (although fibrous greens are difficult to make a smooth blend). Try carrots, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, green beans, broccoli, and any other root vegetable that will soften when cooked.

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Wash vegetables. Thoroughly wash away dirt by rinsing the vegetables under cold running water. You can use vegetable wash if you use pesticides sprayed on vegetables.

Peel the vegetables if necessary. Cut off the 2 ends with a knife and cut off the bruised parts too. Use a paring knife or a hard peeler from sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, squash, and other skinned vegetables. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Slice the vegetables into thin slices. Slicing vegetables into thin slices instead of cubes will save cooking time and the finished product will be softer.

Processing Vegetables

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Pour some water into the pot to bring to a boil. No need to fill the pot with water; Just pour water a few centimeters high to stew vegetables. About 2 to 4 cups of water should be enough, depending on the size of the pot you use.

Vegetable stew is the best way to retain the nutritional ingredients. Boiling vegetables is another option for tenderizing vegetables, but boiling has been shown to lose some nutrients.

Stew vegetables for 15-20 minutes. Put the sliced vegetables in the basket to stew and then put in the pot. Close the lid and start stewing. Avoid putting too many vegetables in the basket; You can steam vegetables in different batches. Vegetables will be completely soft after stewing for 15-20 minutes.

If you don’t have a steamer basket, put the vegetable slices in the boiling water. Boil for about 15 minutes or until pierced. Avoid putting too many vegetables in the pot.

Place the cooked vegetables in a large bowl. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to drain the juices from the vegetables and place them in a bowl. Continue simmering the rest of the vegetables until all are tender and ready to mash.

Puree Vegetables

Use a food processor or blender. Scoop about a cup of cooked vegetables from the bowl and place in a blender or food processor. Mash the vegetables in batches, adding a little water if needed to get a smooth mixture. ^{[2] X Research Source}

For best results, don’t try to grind more than 1 cup at a time.
Scoop out the puree from a food processor or blender and place the vegetables in a separate bowl. Save the vegetable puree for later or use in recipes as directed.

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Try using a food processor. A food processor is a large metal bowl that is perforated and fitted with a blade. When you turn the handle, the cooked vegetables are mashed and pushed through the filter tray and become mashed vegetables. You don’t need to peel the vegetables if you use this method because the food processor will separate the flesh and the skin on its own. You’ll have a chance to do this when you’re going through the process of removing the skins and seeds.

Place a large bowl on the worktop. You will need this bowl to store the pureed vegetables that come out of the food processor.
Put 1 cup of grated vegetables in the blender.
Twist the handle clockwise with the dominant hand while holding the body with the non-dominant hand. The mashed vegetables will be pressed through the filter tray and then dropped into the bowl.

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Use a hand blender with little water. A detachable blender, also known as a hand blender, can be used to puree vegetables in a bowl or pot if you add a little water. Place the blender in the bowl so that the blade is about 2.5cm below the vegetables. Turn on the blender and run the blender through the vegetable pieces in a circular motion. Continue grinding until all pieces are mashed.

If you leave the blade above the vegetables, the blade will splash the vegetables and dirty fins around. Turn off the blender while the blade is still under the vegetables to avoid splashing.
Once the blade has stopped spinning, lift it up and set it aside.

Using and Storing Mashed Vegetables

Season with grated vegetables if desired. If using them to make baby food, you don’t need to add seasoning. In contrast, with children and adults, mashed vegetables will taste delicious when seasoned. Try adding a pinch of salt and pepper with a little butter or a spoonful of cream. This will enhance the flavor of the vegetables and help create a smoother blend.

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Mashed vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Place the mashed vegetables in an airtight container (such as a sterilized glass jar) and refrigerate for later use, within a week. You can label by dish name and expiration date. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Frozen vegetables can be stored for several months. Place the mashed vegetables in a freezer-safe container, making sure there is as little air inside as possible. Freeze mashed vegetables for several months. You can label containers by item name and expiration date.

Advice

Do not put potatoes or starchy vegetables in the food processor or blender. Mashed potatoes are often sticky. Grind them with a manual grinder or grind with a mixer.

Warning

Hot vegetables produce a lot of steam when grinding with a blender. If you are using a blender to mash vegetables, be sure to let the blender cool completely. The pressure from the steam can dent the top of the blender.
When preparing mashed vegetables for baby food, use pesticide-free organic vegetables whenever possible. Also, keep hands and processing areas as clean as possible to avoid foodborne illnesses.

Things you need

Vegetables for mashed
Large sauce pot or cast iron pot
Chopping board
Vegetable pruning knife
Vegetable peeler tool
Steaming basket, if needed
2 large bowls (1 for vegetables after stewing, and 1 for vegetables after mashed)
Blender or food processor
Food grinder
Hand blender

Steps