What to use in place of a food processor

What is a food processor?

A food processor is a powerful yet versatile kitchen tool that can chop, shred, mix and knead ingredients with just the touch of a button. Designed with adjustable discs and blades, food processors can finely dice vegetables, grind meat and knead dough consistently – saving you valuable time in the kitchen.

This versatile appliance is your best friend in the kitchen, designed to handle various tasks quickly and efficiently. Whether prepping veggies for a stir-fry or blending ingredients for a smooth and creamy soup, using a food processor makes it easy.

They come with a range of attachments, each tailored for specific tasks. The main workhorse is the S-shaped blade, perfect for chopping and pureeing. Then, there are shredding discs for cheese and vegetables, slicing discs for uniform cuts, and even dough blades for baking.

Learn more in our article: What is a food processor?

Now, this article will take you through 11 tools and appliances to use in place of a food processor:

• Blender

• Hand blender

• Stand mixer

• Food chopper

• Grinder

• Hand Mixer

• Food mill

• Knife

• Mortar and pestle

• Grater

• Masher

Let’s look more closely at each of those.

Using a blender in place of a food processor

A blender is an excellent stand-in for tasks that require silky-smooth results. You know the type – that warm pumpkin soup that glides onto the tongue, or the velvety bechamel sauce oozing out of your piping hot lasagne. 

Your blender’s high speed creates an ultra-smooth texture, breaking down everything from vegetables to ice in seconds. Blend in short bursts or use the pulse button for the best result. You’ll have more control over consistency and prevent overheating.

Blenders are great for liquids but may struggle with drier ingredients like breadcrumbs or finely chopped herbs. Consider a higher-powered blender for these tasks, like our K400, or add a splash of liquid to keep the blades moving. 

A blender also doesn't handle dough or chunky, textured ingredients well. So, there are better choices for chopping or kneading. 

Learn more tips and tricks with our guide to using a blender as a food processor.

What about a hand blender?

A hand blender, also called a stick or immersion blender, is another helpful alternative – especially for sauces, soups and small-batch purees. Use it to blend directly in the pot or bowl, minimising cleanup (yes, please!). Because of its smaller blade, a hand blender is most effective with softer or liquid ingredients.

Hand blenders won’t slice, shred, or knead, so they’re best suited to lighter tasks and small quantities.

Using a stand mixer in place of a food processor

A stand mixer isn’t just for mixing dough. If you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, adding the right attachments turns it into a kitchen powerhouse. 

With our Food Processor Attachment, your mixer can slice veggies to perfection or shred cheese for a homemade pizza. But unlike a food processor, your stand mixer may not handle chopping or pureeing as efficiently. 

It’s a fantastic tool for recipes that require you to knead, whip, or grate, but for finely chopping or pureeing, you might need another tool.

Eight other food processor substitutes

Here are some other tools and appliances you can use in place of a food processor.

If you’re unsure how to dismantle it, your instruction manual is your friend. Breaking it down like this makes reaching those sneaky spots where residue tends to hide much easier.

1. Food chopper

2. Grinder

3. Hand mixer

4. Food mill

5. Knives

6. Mortar & pestle

7. Grater

8. Cooking/mashing

There are six appliances you can use instead of a food processor.

*With separate KitchenAid attachments or as a separate model.

Here are some of our favourite food processor recipes and how to cook them without a food processor.

Pair this vibrant, herbaceous sauce with grilled meats or salad. Your food processor effortlessly combines parsley, coriander, oregano, and garlic into a finely chopped mixture, ready in just 20 seconds.

But a few other tools would work well if you don't have a food processor on hand.

• Blender. A blender can process the herbs and garlic effectively, although it may require scraping down the sides to achieve an even consistency.

• Hand blender. This can work well if you use a tall container to keep everything contained while blending.

• Knife and cutting board. For a more rustic chimichurri, simply chop all the ingredients finely with a sharp knife. This may take a little longer but still creates delicious little flavour bombs.

Ditch the preservatives and additives and craft your own butter – you can transform thickened cream into fresh butter in minutes. Enhance it with flavours like thyme, parmesan, or even a touch of Vegemite for a unique twist.

The recipe calls for a food processor to whip thickened cream until it turns to butter, and then to separate it from the buttermilk. But these alternatives could work, too.

• Stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, a stand mixer can whip cream to butter. This method provides similar control and allows you to adjust speed easily.

• Hand mixer. A hand mixer can also whip cream into butter, although it may take longer and require more hands-on attention.

Prepare a zesty, fresh salsa perfect for dipping or as a condiment. Your food processor dices tomatillos, tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno to the perfect consistency, blending flavours seamlessly.

Our Pico de Gallo recipe uses a food processor for a finely chopped consistency. Here’s what to use in place of a food processor.

• Blender. Use the pulse function to roughly chop ingredients, but be careful not to over-process to avoid a pureed texture.

• Sharp knife. A good chef's knife and cutting board can also work well, though it requires more time and effort. This approach allows for more control over texture.

Bake savoury scones easily. The food processor swiftly chops herbs and incorporates chilled cheeses into the dough, ensuring a tender, flaky result every time.

Our Cheese and Chive Scones recipe uses a food processor to mix the ingredients and efficiently incorporate the cheese and herbs into the dough. Here are some things to use instead of a food processor.

• Stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to combine the ingredients, which provides similar control for mixing dough and distributing ingredients evenly.

• Hand mixer with dough hooks. A hand mixer with dough hooks can work well, especially if making a small batch, though it may require a bit more care to avoid over-mixing.

• Pastry cutter and mixing bowl. For a more hands-on approach, mix butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, and then gently fold in cheese and herbs with a spoon.

Create a classic dessert. Shred carrots and mix batter seamlessly in your food processor, resulting in this moist, spiced cake that's sure to impress.

Our Moist Carrot Cake recipe uses a food processor to shred carrots and mix the batter smoothly. Try these tools to make it without a food processor.

• Box grater. Shred carrots manually using the large holes of a box grater for a similar texture.

• Stand mixer. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment can mix the batter to a smooth, uniform consistency.

• Hand mixer. Use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients after grating the carrots, which should work for smaller batches and ensure even mixing.

Even though you know it will ultimately save time, mastering the use of your food processor (and all the other great kitchen appliances that sit in most Aussie kitchen cupboards) can feel like an effort. 

But is it worthwhile? Absolutely.

They make it simple and fast to make recipes from scratch – using fresh, whole ingredients and avoiding the additives and preservatives in most store-bought staples. Look after your family’s health with food that packs a nutritional punch and often tastes better, too. 

Yes, some blenders, like our K400, can tackle tougher jobs like nut butters and frozen treats with the included tamper, which helps push tough ingredients into the blades for that perfectly smooth consistency.

Absolutely! With a whisk attachment, a KitchenAid hand mixer can whip cream to stiff peaks in minutes.

A food chopper can work well for pesto, especially for small batches. Just watch the consistency as it may not be as smooth as a food processor.