How to Grate Semisoft Cheese on a Box Grater Easily

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Kitchen Tip

Semi-soft cheeses can easily cling to a box grater, creating quite a mess. Here’s how to prevent the holes from clogging:

A metal box grater and a can of PAM Original cooking spray are placed on a kitchen counter with a tiled backsplash in the background.

Lightly spray the side of the grater with nonstick cooking spray before you start shredding.

A box cheese grater stands on parchment paper next to a block of cheese and a small pile of grated cheese, with a tiled backsplash in the background.

This simple step will help the cheese slide off smoothly, making the process much cleaner and more efficient.

Can I use a food processor with the disk blade to grate semisoft cheese?

I don’t recommend it for semisoft cheese. The disk turns so quickly that it generates a little heat, and some of the cheese spreads around the edges. Save the food processor for grating hard cheese like Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Cotija, Aged Gouda, Manchego, or Gryuère.