The Difference Between Grating and Shredding Cheese

In the test kitchen, we consider grated cheese to be the delicate, tiny gratings of a hard cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano made with a rasp-style grater. The fluffy flecks deliver cheesy flavor while easily incorporating into or dispersing on top of foods.We consider shredded cheese to be the larger strands of generally semisoft block cheeses such as mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and cheddar made with the large holes of a box grater. The large shreds are easy to sprinkle evenly, which promotes even melting.

THE BOTTOM LINE: We consider grated cheese to be the fine gratings of a hard cheese such as Parmesan made with a rasp-style grater. The larger strands of shredded cheese are made on a box grater, often from soft cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella.