Not really — a blender chops unevenly, and soft cheese turns to paste. Hard cheese like Parmesan works in short pulses; for real shreds, use a food processor’s disc, a mixer attachment or a box grater.
Why a blender cannot grate
A blade at the bottom of a jar cuts whatever the vortex brings to it, for as long as it runs. Pieces that reach it early are cut again and again; pieces that arrive late are barely touched. The result is uneven by design, not by mistake — and soft cheese, warmed by the blade, smears.
The exception: hard cheese
Parmesan, Pecorino and other hard, dry cheeses grate well in a blender: 1-inch cubes, room temperature, short pulses until it looks like coarse sand. The same works for breadcrumbs from dry bread. Both end fine and even because everything ends up small.
What grating actually needs
A disc with fixed openings, and food pushed against it. Every piece passes the same edge once, so every shred comes out the same size. That is a different mechanism from a blade in a jar.
What does it on this site
Food processors with a shredding disc: BLACK+DECKER 8-cup, $37.49, and Hamilton Beach 10-cup, $69.95 — both with a reversible slice-and-shred disc. See the food processors page.
A stand mixer attachment: the KitchenAid KSMVSA slicer and shredder, $49.99, on the hub of any KitchenAid stand mixer.
What a blender does well instead
Purées, soups, smoothies, sauces and crushed ice — anything where the finished state is uniform because everything ends up fine. See can I blend cooked vegetables into a sauce.
Tips for shredding cheese, whatever the tool
Cold, firm cheese shreds cleaner — 15 minutes in the freezer helps for cheddar or mozzarella. A light spray of oil on the disc stops sticking. Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother than bagged, which is coated to stop clumping.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 2026-10-18. The live price is at the top of the page.
What readers want to know
Can I grate Parmesan in a blender?
Yes — hard, dry cheese is the exception. Cut it into 1-inch cubes, use it at room temperature, and pulse in short bursts until it looks like coarse sand. It comes out finely grated rather than in strands. Soft and semi-soft cheeses such as cheddar or mozzarella smear into a paste instead.
What is the best appliance for shredding cheese?
A food processor with a shredding disc. Every piece passes the same blade once, so the shreds come out even — a block of cheddar in seconds. On this site the BLACK+DECKER 8-cup at $37.49 and the Hamilton Beach 10-cup at $69.95 both have a reversible slicing and shredding disc.
Can I shred with a stand mixer?
With a hub attachment, yes. The KitchenAid KSMVSA slicer and shredder at $49.99 fits any KitchenAid stand mixer's hub, with a slicing blade and two shredding blades.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026