The best shredded cheese for you might be cheddar or it might be mozzarella or it might even be a four cheese blend, but whichever type of cheese you choose, it should be in your fridge at all times. Shredded cheese is endlessly useful—it’s necessary for homemade pizza, for pasta, for quesadillas, for quick grilled cheese sandwiches, for topping salads, for snacking by the handful, for gosh sakes. But what truly is the best shredded cheese to buy? Well, we’ve done a ton of taste testing, so we can tell you.
In this list, you’ll find the top performers from six different cheese rankings, including the best shredded cheddar, the best shredded mozzarella, the best shredded parmesan, and more. Read on to get shredded in the Sporked-approved method (by eating so much shredded cheese).
Best for Grilled Cheese
Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Shreds
Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar is a standby, and these shreds are equally as good. They’re so creamy and they taste really fresh. They’re rich and a little funky and so much more flavorful than you’d expect from a shredded cheese, which makes this the best shredded cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches. You’ll get a beautiful, even melt, as well as so much sophisticated flavor.
If you think shredded mozzarella doesn’t taste like anything, then you need to try Tillamook’s Farmstyle Thick Cut Mozz. It’s creamy and savory and so, so rich. And it melts perfectly. Look no further for the best shredded cheese for pizza—you’ll get an Insta-ready cheese pull for sure. It’s also some of the best shredded cheese for baked pastas or baked potatoes. But it’s substantial enough that you can easily snack on it, too.
Kraft is good at cheese—specifically when it’s the kind of cheese that requires a little more science than other cheese, such as American cheese slices and shredded cheese. This shredded cheddar is so finely shredded but it still doesn’t clump. That’s science. And there’s so much flavor in these shreds. To me, it’s the best shredded cheese for chili because it will immediately melt into a gooey topping. And it’s also the best shredded cheese for tacos—as in, taco kit tacos with those crispy shells and some sliced black olives.
Here’s the best shredded cheese for quesadillas—another excellent execution by the cheese experts at Kraft. It’s a blend of Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and queso quesadilla cheese (a unique Mexican cheese known for its meltability). The blend is designed specifically to melt into a gooey, delicious mess, so pile it onto a flour tortilla, heat it in a pan, and you’ll have a quesadilla in no time. It’s also some of the best shredded cheese for nachos—just make sure you use a lot of it.
This shredded parm is the best shredded cheese for weeknight pasta night. Break out the jarred marinara sauce and boil up a big pot of fusilli, then serve with this extremely salty, savory shredded cheese. Seriously, it tastes like it was shredded fresh off a block of parmesan. Its powerful flavor also makes it the best shredded cheese for salad topping. Try it on a caesar (with the best caesar dressing) or even an old-school house salad. It’ll add just the right punch of umami flavor.
You might not fool a cheesemonger with this dairy-free shredded cheese, but you’ll definitely please a vegan. While the “cheese” isn’t quite as flavorful as our pick for the best shredded parm, it is still nutty and salty, and it finishes creamy. Sprinkle it onto some noodles along with some melted vegan butter for a cozy meal that will make you feel like a kid again.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Makenna Stark
Gwynedd Stuart
Jessica Block
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!