No food mill? Don’t worry because you might have some kitchen equipment that can be a good food mill substitute for straining and pureeing foods. The problem with food mills is that they are bulky and they take up a big space in your kitchen.
I experienced quite an ordeal when my food mill got broken at the time I needed to make mashed potatoes. After searching online for some possible food mill alternatives, my dinner was saved. If you’re curious to know what you can substitute food mill with, keep reading.
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What Is A Food Mill?
A food mill is a classic food preparation tool used primarily for making mashed potatoes, tomato sauce, and other food purees. Usually, a food mill is composed of a bowl, a crank to crush food, and a bottom plate with holes where crushed food passes through.
Watch the basic mechanism of a food mill in this video.
This classic kitchen tool also separates out any core, seed, or skin from foods like tomatoes, apples, and potatoes. Although a food mill is a great investment, it can take a large space in your kitchen because of its bulky size. You also need to spend more on some good models.
Food Processor + Sieve
Via cookingclassy.com
A great food mill substitute is a food processor plus a sieve. You can puree anything in a food processor and achieve a similar texture as you would accomplish with a real food mill because it has a sharp blade and fast pulsating motion.
To make sure that you don’t include any seeds and peel of vegetables, run the processed food through a sieve or a fine-mesh strainer.
Watch how to make mashed potatoes using a food processor in this video.
In the absence of a food processor, you can also use a blender. Simply pulse the food on high, and you can get them mashed in no time. If you have no sieve, you can also peel the vegetable or fruit first before mashing it in a food processor or blender.
Strainer + Wooden Spoon
Via seriouseats.com
Yes, you can use a fine mesh strainer to serve as a substitute for a food mill as it has bottom holes for a fine-textured output. When making a fresh tomato sauce, try pressing the tomatoes through a strainer using a wooden spoon. This alternative might be slower than a food mill, but the output may still be the same.
To make sure that you don’t include any skin of the tomatoes, blanch them first in boiling water for about one minute then immediately transfer them into a bowl of cold water for 60 seconds.
Notice that the skin will slip right off easily. After your tomatoes are peeled, you can press them through a strainer to make a fine-textured tomato sauce.
Potato Ricer
Via buzzfeed.com
If you’re working on a small batch of potatoes, you can use a potato ricer. With this food mill substitute, you can create fluffy mashed potatoes and vegetable purees. Its mechanism is simple - just load several cuts of potatoes and vegetables into the hopper and press using the handles.
After you have boiled the potatoes, you can watch how to use the potato ricer in this video.
The beauty of this kitchen equipment is you can leave the skin of potatoes when boiling them because the ricer leaves the skin behind when you mash them. To mash conveniently, look for a large hopper so you don’t have to cut the potatoes into smaller chunks.
Cheese Grater + Hand Mixer
Via mennonitegirlscancook.ca
A cheese grater can substitute a food mill even a potato ricer, especially if you’re working on potatoes and tomatoes. To use, just grate the boiled potatoes or tomatoes into the coarse side of the grater. For a finer consistency, puree the grated vegetable with a whisk or an electric mixer, like this one.
To make the potatoes fluffier, avoid crushing the potatoes too much. If you’re thinking of buying a new grater, consider choosing a commercial grade one because it’s less likely to rust.
Final Thought
Having no food mill is no longer a problem because you can replace it with any of the food mill substitute mentioned above. Possible substitutes for a food mill include a food processor, strainer, and potato ricer. Thanks to these substitutes, I don’t need to buy a new food mill to replace the broken one here.
If you have some questions or anything you want to suggest as some other great substitutes for a food mill, please let us know in the comments section. Don’t forget to share this article if you find it informative!
