Learning to use your KitchenAid food processor
KitchenAid food processors stand out for their ease of use and variety of functions, but their versatility means there are many functions to learn about.
Founded over 100 years ago, KitchenAid produces food processors capable of tasks from kneading dough to producing delicious vinaigrettes. Their food processors include attachments capable of slicing, blending, pureeing and mixing.
We’ll take you through how KitchenAid food processors work and all you need to know to operate and optimize this classic countertop appliance.
How to set up a KitchenAid food processor
Before you can use your KitchenAid food processor, be sure it is properly set up.
Set the base on the counter or other flat, stable surface where it can access a power outlet.
Attach the plastic work bowl to the base. Depending on the model, the bowl may easily and quickly click in or require you to align the bowl with the base and then turn to lock into place, as is the case with the UltraTight seal system.
Next, attach your accessory of choice.
On many newer models, the lid is hinged to the bowl and easily locks in place.
Note that if all the components aren’t properly locked into place, the food processor won’t turn on.
Choosing KitchenAid food processor blades
The most important step when preparing food in your food processor is choosing the proper blade for your recipe.
A multipurpose blade is the accessory you’ll likely use the most. It can be used for chopping and blending a variety of solid and liquid ingredients.
A slicer disc can be used to slice or shred ingredients like cheese or zucchini, often in conjunction with a feed tube.
A dough blade has dulled edges for quickly kneading dough.
Other less common accessories, like whisking attachments, can be used for more specific functions.
Adding food to the work bowl
While it’s important not to overfill the work bowl, KitchenAid food processors have very high capacities. Knowing how much to fill the bowl depends on the type of ingredients you are working with.
KitchenAid food processors are available in 3-, 5-, 7-, 9-, 11- and 14-cup sizes. Smaller processors incorporate a drizzle basin on the lid that allows you to easily add liquids while the machine is operating, while large models allow you to add liquid through the feed tube.
Liquid ingredients can get messy if too much liquid is added at once. Fortunately, most mixers have a “liquid level” line that should not be exceeded.
Most KitchenAid work bowls do not have fill lines for solid food. Instead, follow the fill line on the food pusher to avoid overwhelming the blades. The tight seal of most models means you may be able to fill the work bowl to capacity.
Using the feed tube and food pusher
Many KitchenAid food processors include a feed tube and a food pusher to add solid foods to the work bowl during processing. This allows the processor to create an even texture or chop thoroughly, as adding all of your solid ingredients at once could create an uneven texture.
After attaching the feed tube, fill it with the desired ingredients up to the “max fill” line. Then, press the food into the work bowl while the processor is on until the food is completely pushed into the bowl. Continue adding ingredients as necessary.
The drizzle hole in the feed tube can be used to add liquid ingredients slowly, ensuring they are mixed in properly. Simply pour liquids into the drizzle hole, which produces a flow rate so you can blend liquids in easily.
Using KitchenAid food processor functions
Chop
This basic function allows you to process vegetables including carrots, celery, garlic and onions, as well as nuts and legumes. You can also grind or mince items like meat, oats, grits, stale bread and cauliflower. Chopping these items creates fine powders, crumbs and mashed ingredients.
Avoid filling the work bowl more than halfway when using the chop function. Holding the button for too long will lead to our next function, puree. KitchenAid’s smallest food processor is primarily a chopper and makes for a useful accessory for quick tasks.
Pulse
This function allows you to precisely chop or blend ingredients to your desired consistency by chopping in short bursts.
Puree
Like chop, the puree function is standard on KitchenAid models and uses a multipurpose blade. This is a continuous operation where the appliance breaks down ingredients into a sauce or paste. Pureeing can create butters, salsa, mayo and even baby food.
While the blade and motor can tackle large amounts of food, it’s best to avoid filling up the bowl and instead slowly add more ingredients with the feed tube as a puree develops.
Mix
This function is available on all KitchenAid models and is essentially the chop function at a lower speed. Use this when you’re combining various ingredients of different consistencies and want a thicker consistency, such as when mixing chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice to make hummus.
Whip
This function is only available on the 5-cup food processor, which includes a whisk attachment. Using the same button as puree, this function can be used to whisk or whip frostings and creams and also enhance some sauces.
Slice and shred
With the slicing disc, you can shred hard and soft cheeses as well as potatoes, cabbages and carrots. We recommend cutting down any pieces to an inch or two inches in size. Insert the items through the food tube and turn on, and use the food pusher to move food towards the blade.
To switch from the shredding function to the slice option, simply reverse the disc. Similar to shredding, use the feed tube and pusher when slicing items. The 7-cup model includes the reversible plate, while the 9-cup processor comes with an additional slicing disc for thicker results.
Some larger food processors by KitchenAid include their proprietary ExactSlice feature, which allows you to adjust the thickness of slicing.
Knead
This function utilizes a dough blade in place of the multipurpose blade and is included with the KitchenAid 11-cup processor.
Dice
This function is only available on the professional-grade 14-cup processor, which includes all the aforementioned accessories needed to perform every function, as well as a separate dicing kit. A dicing attachment can also be purchased for other models.
Anthony Marcusa is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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