How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?

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How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?

“When a recipe calls for grated cheese, you might not always know how big a block you should buy. The texture of the cheese makes all the difference, but as a general rule

3 to 4 ounces whole yields 1 cup grated.

To measure grated cheese, put it in a dry measuring cup and tap it against the counter; don’t pack it firmly.”  — Food NetworkGood to know…although, sometimes it’s nice to have a little extra left over :)

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
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Cheese Measurement Conversions

When your recipe calls for grated cheese measured in cups or grams, but the supermarket only sells the cheese you need as a wedge labeled in pounds, it can be challenging to figure out exactly how much to buy. First, take a quick look at this simple conversion table:

  • 1 pound = 16 ounces
  • 1 pound = 453 grams
  • 1 ounce = 28 grams

Knowing these standards can help you when buying cheese that comes packaged in Europe or other countries using the metric system. Once you know those basics, there is a general guideline to make cooking with cheese easier. Before overbuying expensive cheese remember that:

  • 1/4 pound cheese = 1 cup grated
  • 1/3 pound cheese = 1 1/2 cups grated
  • 1/2 pound cheese = 2 cups grated

This simple conversion chart works for most cheeses, including Blue cheese and Feta, which are normally crumbled, not grated or cubed.

Parmesan cheese, however, is slightly different. One pound of this cheese equals about 4 1/2 cups grated which makes 1/4 pound come out to about 1 1/4 cups grated. The same goes for cheeses of similar texture, like Pecorino.

Coarse Versus Finely Grating

If you are measuring by weight, remember that coarsely grated cheese is much heavier than finely grated cheese. In other words, 1 cup of coarsely grated cheese will contain less cheese than 1 cup of finely grated cheese. Most well-written recipes will specify what grating size is used.

No Need to be Exact

Don't worry too much about having the exact amount of cheese in recipes calling for cup (volume) measurements—a little more or less is not going to make much of a difference. If you only had 7 ounces of cheese, it probably wouldn't negatively affect the overall outcome of a recipe calling for 1 cup (8 ounces) of shredded cheese.

But when in doubt, always buy more than you think you'll need.

Grating Your Own Cheese

Although it seems obvious and convenient to grab a bag of shredded cheese at the supermarket, grating your own is not as difficult or time-consuming as you might think. Besides, it's likely that you're paying more for grated cheese compared to the whole wedge, and that the pre-packaged shredded cheese includes additives to keep it from clumping together and becoming moldy.

A little extra effort can save you money and additives in your food.

If you use a lot of cheese and prefer to grate your own, you should consider getting a good box grater for basic cheese shredding—1 cup of shredded cheese will take under two minutes. If you use the food processor, you'll have grated cheese in 10 seconds. In addition, a Microplane (most often used for zesting) makes quick work of fine grated Parmesan cheese.

For Best Results

There are a few tricks to making grating cheese even easier and with quicker cleanup:

  • Use cold cheese. Room temperature cheese will stick to the shredder and your hands.
  • If you are shredding a large block of cheese, cut it in half before starting so it doesn't break apart.
  • Place the grater over waxed paper to make pouring the cheese into the measuring cup clean and simple.

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It can be hard to figure out how much cheese you need to buy to meet some recipe's requirements. If a recipe calls for a cup of shredded cheese or a cup or cubed cheese how much cheese do you need to buy? It all comes down to how much in a pound of cheese shredded or cubed.

To determine how much is a pound of cheese cubed or shredded we selected a 1/4 pound block of cheese for our test sample. These measurements are the same for cheddar, mozzarella, American, Swiss, jack, and other processed block cheeses.

We found that our 1/4 pound block in our sample size equals 2/3 cup of cubed cheese. If you have a full 1 pound block equals 2.67 cups of cubes. When grated, our 1/4 pound block of cheese yielded 1 cup of shredded cheese, or 4 cups from a 1 pound block of cheese.

Bleu cheese is normally crumbled, not grated or cubed but we found that 1/4 pound still equaled 1 cup. Parmesan cheese is slightly different than the previously mentioned cheeses. One pound of this cheese equals about 4.5 cups grated which makes 1/4 pound come in at 1 to 1.25 cups grated.

If you are measuring by weight, remember that coarsely grated cheese is much heavier than finely grated cheese. In other words 1 cup of coarsely grated cheese will contain less cheese than 1 cup of finely grated cheese. Most good recipes will specify what grating size they used.

Did you know that it takes about 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese. Cheese can be produced using cow, buffalo, goat, horse and even camel milk. Moose milk cheese that is made on a farm in Sweden is super rare, super expensive; it sells for about $400 per pound. However, the most expensive cheese in the world is called Pule, a Balkan donkey milk variety from Serbia that cost $600 per pound. Since cheese is most flavorful when eaten at room temperature, remove it from the refrigerator about 1 to 1.5 hours before serving.

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?

So now whether you need shredded or cubed cheese you'll be able to easily figure out how much is in a 1/4 pound of cheese. You can also use our conversion tool below for any custom how many cups in a... measurements you need. If you use a lot of cheese you should consider getting a good box grater, and microplane. I often use a box grater for basic cheese shredding. There are several inexpensive models that do the trick OXO Good Grips and the iCooker Stainless Steel Cheese Grater are 2 good examples to consider. In addition to zesting, a microplane makes quick work of producing very fine grated Parmesan cheese. For many years I have used the Microplane Classic Zester/Grater at home. If you are looking for a great gift for a cheese lover? Consider the Victorinox Swiss Army 3-Piece Gourmet Cheese Knife that includes a one for each type of cheese.

Custom Conversions for ¼ Pound Cheese Block

One ¼ Pound Cheese Block Equals

  • There is ⅔ Cup (158 mls) of Cubed Cheese in a ¼ Pound Cheese Block
  • There is 1 Cup (237 mls) of Shredded Cheese in a ¼ Pound Cheese Block

I need:

of

You need 1.5 ¼ Pound Cheese Blocks

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How to Store ¼ Pound Cheese Block

General How to Store Cheese Info

Cheese is usually categorized into four types: soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard. The designation refers to the amount of moisture in the cheese, which directly affects its texture.

Soft cheese includes cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta, brie, bleu, roquefort, mozzarella, meunster and similar cheeses. American, Colby, co-jack and similar cheeses are in the semi-soft category.

Semi-hard cheeses include cheddar, provolone, gouda, Jarlsberg, etc. Hard cheeses include parmesan, romano, asiago, Swiss, Gruyere and others.

General Cheese Info

Cheese is usually categorized into four types: soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard. The designation refers to the amount of moisture in the cheese, which directly affects its texture.

Soft cheese includes cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta, brie, bleu, roquefort, mozzarella, meunster and similar cheeses. American, Colby, co-jack and similar cheeses are in the semi-soft category.

Semi-hard cheeses include cheddar, provolone, gouda, Jarlsberg, etc. Hard cheeses include parmesan, romano, asiago, Swiss, Gruyere and others.

Short Term Cheese Storage

Cheese should be refrigerated. Unopened packaged cheese can be left in the original wrapping, but bulk cheese should be wrapped in wax paper, and then placed in a plastic bag. Cheese stored with this method will remain good for 5 to 8 days.

And hard aged cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Gruyere, asiago, and Manchego, can be stored longer in the refrigerator as they simply continue their aging process.

Cheese Long Term Storage

Thaw frozen cheese in the refrigerator, never thaw cheese on the counter top!

Freeze fresh, soft cheeses, such as mozzarella and goat cheese, in their original packaging, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a ziplock bag before storing it in the freezer. The soft cheeses will maintain their flavor for about 2 months.

Brie, Camembert, and Ricotta cheeses will not freeze very successfully.

Semi-soft cheeses, like Monterey Jack, Munster, Havarti, and Gorgonzola, tend to become crumbly after freezing.

Cream-style cottage cheese can be frozen for 2 to 3 months; however, the taste and texture will be partly affected.

¼ Pound Cheese Block Recipes

Sous Vide Ricotta Cheese Recipe

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
This sous vide whipped ricotta cheese recipe doesn't use the whey but uses whole milk. It offers a richer and higher yield than its whey counterpart.

Sous Vide Butternut Squash Salad

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
Butternut squash is a fun winter squash that is often made into a soup or puree. For variety I like to combine the sous vided squash with walnuts, goat cheese, sage and a drizzle of maple syrup for a chunky savory and sweet salad.

Sous Vide Shredded Chicken Thigh Enchiladas

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
This recipe takes sous vide cooked chicken thighs and combines it with a tomatillo-based verde sauce for excellent enchiladas. These enchiladas are also convenient to prepare because each step can be done ahead of time.

Homemade Lox and Cream Cheese Noodles Recipe

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
This crostini recipe moves the traditional deli food of lox and cream cheese on a bagel into fancy modernist bites. The cream cheese is turned into gelled noodles that are served on toasted bagel rounds with pickled red onion. An easy to pick up and deliciously flavorful party food!

Purple Pickled Beet and Goat Cheese Recipe

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
These tangy reddish-purple deviled eggs are made with pickled beet brine. This recipe aims for some color without an overpowering flavor so the eggs are only soaked for 12 to 18 hours. Topped with a dab of goat cheese, a pecan and a slice of pickled beet - they are always a crowd pleaser!

Bacon Cheddar Broccoli Soup Recipe

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
This classic bacon cheddar broccoli soup recipe uses the modernist ingredient of sodium citrate to help it stay together without diluting the flavor of the cheese with flour and other starches. The result is a super smooth, super cheesy soup.

Shrimp and Chile Queso Recipe with Sodium Citrate

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
This shrimp and chile queso recipe adds sodium citrate to a cheddar and Gouda cheeses to give it a modernist twist treat for any party. This dish combines sweet shrimp, rich melted cheese and spicy peppers into a a decadent sauce that can be served with tortilla chips, bread chunks or on fajitas or tacos!

Honey Goat Cheese Recipe with Port-Infused Figs

How many ounces of block cheese makes a cup of shredded?
Honey goat cheese is already light and airy but in this recipe it gets a modernist cooking twist by using a whipping siphon to turn it into creamy clouds. I serve it on small flatbreads with port-infused figs for a fun texture and taste combination!

Looking for Something a Little Different?

Full Recipe: Citrus Cured Salmon Sous Vide

What is the Produce Converter?

One of the biggest hassles when cooking and working in the kitchen is when a recipe calls for "the juice of 1 lime" or a similar measurement. Often times when cooking people use bottled juices, pre-sliced vegetables and other convenient cooking time savers. Produce Converter will help you convert the "juice of 1 lime" and other similar recipe instructions into tablespoons, cups and other concrete measurements.

Produce Converter can also be used to figure out how many vegetables to buy when you need, for instance, "A cup of diced onion." You can use our easy conversion tool to figure out exactly how many onions you need to buy at the store in order to end up with the amount you need for your cooking.

We hope you enjoy Produce Converter and if you have any suggestions for how we can improve it and make your cooking easier please let us know.

How much of a block of cheese is 1 cup shredded?

1/4 pound cheese = 1 cup grated. 1/3 pound cheese = 1 1/2 cups grated. 1/2 pound cheese = 2 cups grated.

Is 8 oz block of cheese 1 cup?

Cheddar cheese commonly comes in 8-ounce blocks. This will be equivalent to about 2 cups when grated.

How many cups is in a 16 oz block of cheese?

I am a bit confused as to whether this means a 16 oz block of cheese shredded, or 16 oz (2 cups) of shredded cheese.

Is 8oz shredded cheese the same as a block?

Update: After much searching and math figuring (not always strong at conversions) y'all are right that the 8 oz by volume and 8 oz by weight are the same.