Grating cheese in a food processor is one of the easiest and fastest ways to produce fine or coarse cheese that can be frozen for future use. (BestReviews)

One of the most tedious tasks when it comes to prepping food for cooking is grating cheese. There are several ways to produce finely grated cheese, from hand grating to using a box grater or microplane, but the easiest by far is using a food processor.

Whether you’re grating parmesan cheese to top your favorite pizza or Romano cheese to add to mashed potatoes, here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to grate cheese using a food processor.

Grating fresh cheese using your food processor goes a much longer way than buying pre-grated cheese at the store. You can adjust the texture of the cheese to coarse or fine, depending on how you’re planning to use it.

Grating your own cheese is a fresher option than purchasing store-bought cheese that was grated some time prior to losing its freshness. A pre-grated bag of cheese also contains many preservatives that a block of cheese does not.

The best part about grating cheese is that it’s very easy to do using a food processor and the cleanup is a snap, as most parts are dishwasher-safe.

If you want to be sure your hard cheese doesn’t clump when grating it in the food processor, freeze it for a couple of hours beforehand. The frozen block of cheese can easily be grated into fine pieces and won’t end up mushy.

The best cheeses to grate in a food processor are hard ones like parmesan or Romano. If you try to grate softer cheeses like mozzarella, they’ll end up sticking together.

A half pound of cheese produces two cups of grated cheese using a food processor. While grating, you should stop about halfway through the process to be sure the texture and quantity is exactly what you need.

It’s easier to grate even amounts of hard cheese in the food processor if the cheese is cut into several pieces before placing it into the appliance. Cut the block of cheese into quarters and then insert each piece into the chute of the food processor for grating.

The best way to grate a small amount of cheese in a food processor is with a few quick pulses of the machine. This ensures the block of cheese is grated to your preference and not overprocessed.

If you’re looking to produce more than a cup of grated cheese, place the cut chunks from the block of cheese into the chute and blend until it reaches your desired texture.

The length of time to grate depends not only on the type of cheese but also the density. Keep in mind the edges of a block of cheese require more time to grate thoroughly. Typically, a pound of parmesan cheese will take approximately two minutes to reach a coarse texture, while three minutes will produce a fine texture.

Most food processors are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy. If you prefer to wash your appliance by hand, start by unplugging the unit. Remove the grating disc and bowl from the base and wipe down the base with a damp cloth. Next, take off the cover and add a few drops of dish soap and run it under warm water. The container should be filled with warm water along with a few more drops of dish soap. Add the disc to the container and let both soak for a few minutes. Scrub the container, disc (taking care not to cut your hands) and lid until all of the food has been removed. Rinse under cold water and dry completely before storing.

If you love roasting vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli, grated parmesan or Romano cheese is a delicious way to add some extra flavor.

While grated parmesan cheese is best known for topping favorite Italian classics like pizza, spaghetti and meatballs or eggplant parmesan, it can also be combined with mashed potatoes, added to the breading of chicken cutlets or combined with scrambled eggs for a delicious breakfast dish.

If you don't plan on using all the grated cheese in one serving, you can freeze and save it for later. Place the grated cheese into freezer-safe bags, taking care to remove any excess air and store it in your freezer. It's best to use the frozen grated cheese within three months of freezing. Freshly grated cheese should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor: available at Amazon Cuisinart's professional-style food processor has a large food chute, 720-watt motor and is dishwasher-safe.

Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 12-Cup Food Processor: available at Amazon This food processor comes with a large chute to accommodate big pieces of cheese while the 450-watt motor speeds up the grating process.

Ninja 400-Watt Master Prep: available at Amazon The Ninja food processor comes with a 48-ounce pitcher and 16-ounce bowl for grating both large and smaller quantities of cheese.

KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper: available at Amazon This compact appliance gets the job done with a pulse option and two speeds to produce coarse or finely grated cheese.

Black + Decker 8-Cup Food Processor: available at Amazon This compact appliance makes grating fast and easy while the eight-cup bowl accommodates large quantities of cheese.

Kellie Speed is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

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