10 Ways to Use the Mix ‘N Chop
At first glance, the Pampered Chef Mix ‘N Chop™ is an odd-looking tool. What can a pinwheel on a stick do?
Anyone who’s tried to crumble ground beef in a pan with a fork or spatula will tell you that this novel product is a game-changer. Its one-of-a-kind design with five beveled nylon blades breaks food into a nice consistency for even cooking.
When the Mix ‘N Chop launched in 2007, we sold over a million in the first year—and it’s still a best-seller today. Why? Because this funky little tool can do so much!
Here are 10 ways it can improve everyday cooking in your kitchen.
1. Crumble beef, chicken, turkey & sausage
Use the Mix ‘N Chop to break up blocks of ground meat as you brown it. When the meat is crumbled into uniform pieces, it will cook evenly. The Mix ‘N Chop is made from sturdy nylon so it won’t scratch any of your nonstick pans.
2. Turn stewed tomatoes into homemade pasta sauce
Break apart the tomato skins in the pot with the Mix ‘N Chop. Add pressed garlic, a dash of basil, and oregano. Presto!
3. Mash berries into a dessert sauce
Mix 1 cup (250 mL) of raspberries (thinly sliced strawberries are also great) and ¼ cup (60 mL) of honey in a small bowl. Combine well and then microwave them on HIGH for two minutes. Mash the mixture using the Mix ‘N Chop. Then, add 2 more cups (500 mL) of berries along with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of lime zest.
Mash the mixture a bit more to create a delicious sauce to pour over pancakes, pound cake, or ice cream.
4. Scramble eggs
Save a dish! Crack eggs directly into your pan and break them up there.
5. Cut pretty pinwheel pie vents
The unique shape of the Mix ‘N Chop can also inspire some creative baking designs. Look what it can do for pie crusts!
Create a pinwheel design by laying dough on a Pastry Mat and pressing down with the Mix ‘N Chop. Make as many or as few pinwheels as you want! Arrange over a filled pie, fold under excess crust, and pinch closed.
6. Mash avocados into a chunky guacamole
Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. Open a bag of tortilla chips, and you’re ready to party!
If you’re working with kids in the kitchen, try making Easy Peasy Guac-A-Mole. Our Test Kitchen wrote the recipe especially with kids in mind! The directions are clear and easy to read, and the flavor is just right for developing palates.
7. Cook up rustic mashed potatoes
Mash small boiled potatoes right in the pot. Add in garlic, sour cream, milk, and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Make homemade refried beans
Who knew you could make refried beans at home? It’s easy and a great way to reduce salt.
Boil pinto beans in a covered pot for 1½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Once the beans are soft, remove the lid and cook until the water is absorbed. Mash the beans to desired consistency and add salt to taste.
9. Create neat cookie designs
Use kitchen tools to create unique designs on your cookies! The Mix ‘N Chop makes a whimsical pinwheel shape, but your options are endless.
10. Make Homemade Applesauce
Peel, core, and slice six Golden Delicious apples. Boil them in 1 cup (250 ml) of apple juice and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of lemon juice. Once the apples are soft (you guessed it), mash the mixture into delicious, chunky applesauce.
Love, Love, LOVE!! Best tool I have ever bought
I love it for crushing graham crackers.
Really Love this works great!!
I always use the mix-n-chop to mash bananas for banana bread.
I never thought of that. Great suggestion. I love making Banana Bread. Thanks
Me too!!! It’s great for mashing bananas for banana bread, and cookies for cookie balls.
Great idea! I never thought of using it for bananas! Thank you for sharing!
Great for chopping up hard boiled eggs for egg salad
I use mine to chop eggs when making tuna or chicken salad also
I use it to cut up noodles or spaghetti for my daycare kids. Also chop up my beef stew so the veggies are smaller for the kiddos. It is the most used Pampered Chef tool I own!!
That is an awesome idea! I have been doing it the hard way for my kids all these years!
I LOVE my Mix N Chop! Use it ALL the time!!
Jennifer, I will be placing an order very soon
Best tool in my kitchen, and I have a lot of tools ! It’s the bomb digity !
I use it doing mash potatoes. Love it!
I use it to chop nuts and dried fruit.
So how much is the price?
$12 – if you buy the pink Help Whip Cancer one $1 goes to the American Cancer Society
I just used mine for the first tim for hamburg. Amazing. I love this thing!
I love love love my Mix N Chop and use it often. Love how it is safe in my non stick pans which I protect with my life. The examples given above are excellent – think I would’ve thought of some of them sooner or later!! Gave out several for Christmas gifts this past year as I wanted to share such a grrreat cooking tool.
After cooking a pork butt roast, it is great to make pulled pork much faster than shredding with forks!
Aside from taco beef, shredding pot roast or machaca for enchiladas and sausage for biscuits and gravy-maybe my favorite use is turning steamer bag whole potatoes into eight minute mashed potatoes! Also superb at scraping fond from pan bottoms!!
Had one for years and never thought of these great ideas! Thanks
I love this tool even more with these additional ideas. TYVM!!
The Mix N Chop is one of the handiest tools that Pampered Chef ever came out with.
I didn’t know you could use it for so many things! I was only using it for frying ground meats, but I will certainly try it on the rest of the list!
Thank you for letting me
know about the tool I too love… I grab it and use it..forget all I’ve invented..
It works great for tuna salad too!
.Love the idea to use the Mix N Chop on bananas and for scrambled eggs , one less dirty dish. All of the ideas were great.
I love mine for my mashed potatoes!
I asked hubby if our all black one was done-for because I so want this colorway. but alas, even after 10+ years of HEAVY use, it’s still going strong! It’s such a fantastic tool.
I also wanted the pink and gray one so I regifted my black one to a friend who didn’t want a pink one. My daughter is doing the same thing.
Can also use it to mix sausage balls up, then scoop balls with SS medium scoop. Never have to touch the mixture.
Awesome idea! I HATE mixing up sausage balls but love serving them.
I use mine to cut cold butter in to crust.
You forgot – Crack fresh crab in the shell
I have 2 and I have to say I can’t live without them. And I just saw more ways that I can use this tool!!! A must have.
The best kitchen tool to have especially if you suffer from arthritis
Makes chopping hamburger meat a breeze
I use my mix ‘n chop to clean out pumpkins at Halloween and to chunk up half cooked potatoes for potato soup.
I also like to use it to cream butter or shortening and sugar when I make cookies
I make and freeze punch in large containers and use this to help break it up once it sits out a few minutes.
I just love my Mix-N -Chop .Makes my cooking so much easier.With arthritis in my hand it really helps.
My favorite tool! Burger and Strawberries are my most often used.
I use my Mix and chop all the time. It is one of my most favorites!
Thanks for the great suggestions! I’ll be sure to pull it out more often now!!
I love mine
I found this tool absolutely essential for mixing natural peanut butter so the oil gets incorporated throughout. Then I refrigerate so it stays mixed. Have to be careful starting with all the oil that sits on the top, but once begun… it really gets the job done.
I bought it to mix together meat for Swedish meatballs and meatloaf. But also like it for mashing bananas. Like the suggestions for piecrust vents and cookie designs.
I love my mini one from a few years ago. It works the same when you don’t have a big job.
Ever get home from the grocery store with that bag of sugar that has large hard clumps in it, the Mix’n Chop breaks them up with ease and the sugar is back to granules ready for baking.
While I use my Chop and Mix, I never liked cleaning it. Someone suggested spraying it with Pam before using. I did and now it is so easy to clean. Love all of my Pampered Chef products.
I love my mix and chop. It works good when i want to make my hamburger chop up fine
I like egg salad with my mix n chop
All of the above! Such a versatile tool!
During harvest time we go through a lot of bagged ice. This is the perfect tool to break the chunks of ice apart. II LOVE the Mix & Chop.
Wow – lots of great ideas! It sits in my drawer a lot, but now I will be using it more!
I use my mix and chop to tenderize my Round Steak? This tool is so versatile.
Love these new (to me) ideas. A handy kitchen tool just got better!
I use it to mix up concentrated orange juice.
Makes frying large amounts of hamburger so much easier. I really like it. Also, the scoop is great for getting the cooked hamburger into freezer bags.
Owned mine a year. It sat in drawer till recently. Lovin it now. Thanks for suggestions
Love my new Mix n Chop tool. Wanted one for years and absolutely love all the things it can do!
I love this kitchen tool! I use it often for ground meat, eggs, and deglazing pans. There are so many ways to use this tool! The options are only limited by your imagination! It is a great frappe maker, if you don’t own a blender or one is not handy, just put the ice cream in a plastic cup, add a splash of milk, and mix.
How did I cook without it? It is so great for meats. Looking forward to trying the ideas on here. Going to try it for mixing up some of the Christmas candy that has always been so hard to squish together. I am thinking this will be awesome.
This is the only too I grab when making anything with ground beef , ground turkey or ground chicken. I use it when making my stuffing at thanksgiving it is great for chopping the bulk sausage. It is a great tool!
I have been searching for a tool like this for years! Perfect for getting ground beef fine while cooking. Love, Love, LOVE it. Won’t scratch the pans. So glad I finally found this!
I love this tool! It is so versatile!
I agree
It is the best tool for making chilli but is great for chopping up many foods.
Works great to crumble a block of feta cheese!
I love this wish they made this year’s ago