How to use an electric food chopper

What is a food chopper?

Made up of an electric base, small work bowl and a multipurpose blade, a food chopper is a compact appliance that can quickly chop, mix, puree, mince or emulsify ingredients. They typically feature a 1–5 cup bowl and pulse ingredients at the touch of a button to add precision to the process. Select KitchenAid^® food choppers include a whisk accessory so you can also whisk, whip and stir.

Using a food chopper: step by step

Walk through the steps below to learn how to assemble your food chopper, prepare ingredients, operate a food chopper and properly clean and store it for next time. Be sure to consult the owner’s manual for information specific to your food chopper model.

Step 1. Wash food chopper parts

Prior to using your food chopper for the first time, be sure to wash the work bowl, lid and blade in hot, soapy water. Some models feature dishwasher safe parts for added convenience. You can also place all parts in the top rack of your dishwasher for cleaning.

Step 2. Reassemble

Dry all food chopper parts, then attach the work bowl to the base. Secure the multipurpose blade inside the work bowl by rotating it and pressing down until it drops into place. If using an additional accessory like the whip attachment on KitchenAid^® 5 Cup Food Choppers, be sure to place the drive adapter into the center of the work bowl before securing the whip attachment or multipurpose blade.

Step 3. Prep ingredients

Prepare raw or cooked fruits or vegetables by cutting them into 1-inch pieces before evenly distributing them throughout the work bowl. Break bread, cookies or crackers into pieces that fit into the bowl, and be sure to shell any nuts before processing. Prepare raw meat for the work bowl by cutting it into 1-inch pieces and deboning. Avoid adding hard spices or coffee beans, as these could cause permanent damage to your food chopper.

Step 4. Secure the lid

Place the lid on top of the work bowl and rotate it until the lid and work bowl handles line up.

Step 5. Select setting

If applicable, slide the lever of your food chopper to “chop” or “purée,” depending on your desired setting.

Step 6. Pulse food chopper

Press down on the “pulse on” button. Let up on the button frequently for optimal control over ingredient consistency. Some food choppers—like KitchenAid^® 3.5 and 5 Cup Food Choppers—come with a drizzle basin located on top of the lid so you can add liquid ingredients for salad dressings, sauces and more.

Step 7. Disassemble and clean

Twist to remove the lid, then twist the work bowl to detach it from the base and remove ingredients, or serve liquids like dressings and sauces directly from the work bowl using the pour spout. Wash the work bowl, blade or whip accessory and lid in warm soapy water or on the top rack of the dishwasher. Dry completely before reassembly and storage.

What is a food chopper used for?

Food choppers can streamline ingredient prep for your favorite recipes. Keep reading to learn more about the big possibilities this small appliance sparks, and discover food chopper recipes guests will love.

1. Chop

Food choppers can quickly transform raw fruit, vegetables and nuts into toppings and fillers for mouth watering salads, side dishes and more. Take advantage of this versatile tool and use a food chopper to stun guests when you whip up a fresh and colorful layered chopped salad.

2. Purée

From baby food and guacamole to fresh pesto or marinade, food choppers can transform soft ingredients into smooth, silky textures for sweet or savory dishes. Try your hand at creating creamy curry paste to use as a marinade for meats or to spice up a salad dressing or soup.

3. Whip

Some food choppers—like KitchenAid^® 5 Cup Food Choppers—include a whisk accessory that makes it possible to quickly whip butter or create a silky batch of vanilla bean whipped cream.

4. Mince

Turn up the flavor on your favorite recipes when you use a food chopper to mince savory ingredients like garlic, onions or jalapeños for fresh tomatillo salsa, or prepare fresh minced herbs for garlic herb pork tenderloin with roasted onions and mustard wine sauce.

5. Emulsify

Seamlessly create light and flavorful vinaigrettes—like herbed citrus vinaigrette dressing—with a food chopper like the KitchenAid^® 3.5 Cup Food Chopper that includes a drizzle basin for adding and emulsifying liquid ingredients.

6. Grind

Prepare homemade dishes like jalapeño cheddar stuffed burgers with chipotle guacamole when you use your food chopper to grind small batches of raw meat.

Is a food chopper the same as a food processor?

Food choppers and food processors both chop, mince, purée, mix and emulsify, but food processors typically include an expanded set of features. With larger work bowls, food processors can handle bigger batches and often come with multiple blade accessories that enable slicing, shredding and dicing. Food processors also feature feed tubes that allow the slice, shred and grate discs to process ingredients at the top of the bowl.

Can you use a food chopper as a blender?

Food choppers and blenders can tackle several of the same tasks—like mixing and puréeing—but some tasks are best left to a blender. Food choppers are ideal for small batches and coarser ingredient prep like chopping fresh fruits and vegetables, mincing garlic or puréeing sauces. Blenders are best suited to larger batches or wetter recipes, and feature powerful motors and blades designed to pulverize, blend and even liquify. Some models, like select KitchenAid^® blenders are designed for crushing ice and other tough ingredients.