10 Things to Make with a Mandoline

This is a mandoline.

This is a mandolin.

Today, we're talking about the former.

I have an inexpensive mandoline slicer, and I use it all the time. It's another one of those tools that spends most of its time in the dishwasher, waiting to be cleaned.

There are mandolines on the market for upwards of $200. You don't need a fancy one, just one with a thick blade and a thin blade. A grating blade is nice, too.

The idea of a mandoline is that it makes slicing firm foods easier and faster. I can slice a whole zucchini or onion in about ten seconds.

Another benefit of a mandoline is that the slices are all perfect and uniform, and they cook evenly.

Mommy's Martini asked what she could do with her mandoline beyond potatoes au gratin and cucumber salad.

Get your own mandoline here.

10 Recipes to Make with a Mandoline

Onion rings. How many times do you need thin slices of onion? Hamburgers, deli sandwiches, onion soup, batter-dipped onion rings, onions for salad. Onions are so much easier to slice using a mandolin.
Tomato slices. Whether you're using the tomatoes to top a burger or sandwich, toss into a salad, layer in a dish like lasagna, or top a margherita pizza, a mandoline will give you perfectly even slices without crushing the delicate flesh.
Vegetable slices. Whether you want to thin slices of zucchini or eggplant for vegetable lasagna, slices of cucumber for vegetarian sandwiches or cucumber pasta salad, or slices of radish or red pepper for a salad, a mandoline is the best way to get them evenly thin.
Fruit slices. As with the veggies above, if you want thin slices of apples or pears for sandwiches or apple ring stuffed pancakes, a dessert like apple crisp or pear crisp, or even just for something different in fruit salad, a mandoline is the way to go.
Carrot slices. I hate to slice carrots without a mandoline. Even though my knives are very sharp, it's tough to slice through the whole carrot and even tougher to get the slices even. A mandoline makes quick work of carrots whether you want to cut them into rounds, ovals, or long, thin slices. (See here for garlic parmesan roasted carrots - a perfect kid-pleasing side dish for any meal!) I use mine to cut the carrots I'll use to make carrot soufflé.
Shred cabbage and lettuce. Shredded cabbage is perfect for homemade sauerkraut or coleslaw. Shredded lettuce is essential for tacos.
Grated vegetables. Our mandoline has a grating blade attachment, and we use it for grating ingredients like carrots for carrot pancakes, cucumbers for tzatziki sauce, and zucchini for zucchini bake.
Potato chips. You need the thinnest slices of potato for chips, and a mandoline is perfect. You can use beets, sweet potatoes, even turnips in basically the same way and then throw them in the air fryer for perfect chips every single time. (Air fryer potato chips recipe here.)
Citrus garnish. If you need perfect slices of orange, lemon, or lime to put in a pitcher of water, make sparkling pink lemonade, or to top of a cake, the mandoline is the best way to cut them. (Orange creamsicle cake here.) Lemon chicken is easier with even lemon slices. I had water with thin slices of cucumber in a spa this past spring, and that was divine, too.
Cheese. A mandoline isn't just for fruits and vegetables. You can use it to slice or grate any firm cheese for dishes like garlic-roasted asparagus. Freshly shredded cheeses melt much more quickly and evenly than the powdery stuff you buy pre-shredded.
Chocolate. I've also used mine for chocolate to garnish things like my mini bundt cakes.

Please be extra careful when using a mandoline. The blades are very, very sharp, and can easily slice the tip of a finger or knuckle cleanly off. I've done that a time or two, and it hurts worse than the worst paper cut and bleeds profusely. Be careful, and use always use finger guard or food holder.

Storage can be tricky for this super sharp kitchen tool. Ours hangs at the very top of a peg board in our kitchen, almost out of my reach. We don't want our kids to ever accidentally cut themselves on it.

Be careful, and always use the finger guard or food holder.

Get your own mandoline here.