Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

One US cup of shredded mozzarella cheese weighs between 86 and 113 grams, depending on how the cup is filled and which source measured it. That range is the answer; a single number would not be. Every figure behind it is below, with the method each source used.

Also called mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, shredded mozzarella cheese, low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, LMPS mozzarella, pizza cheese, shredded mozz, grated mozzarella.

Shredded mozzarella cup weight depends on which variety and how it is measured. USDA measures low-moisture part-skim (LMPS) shreds at 86 g/cup and whole milk shreds at 112 g/cup — a 30% gap. Retail bags predominantly contain LMPS (pizza cheese) but their nutrition labels report the FDA convention of 28g per 1/4 cup, implying 112 g/cup density regardless of variety.\n\nMozzarella (Italian mozzare, to cut) is a soft cow's-milk or water-buffalo cheese made by the pasta filata process — stretching and kneading fresh curds in hot water.

Three retail forms differ substantially in composition and behavior. Fresh mozzarella (packed in water or brine, ~52% moisture) is very soft and rarely shredded. Low-moisture part-skim (LMPS) is the standard pizza cheese in US retail, made from partially skimmed milk and dried to ~48% moisture, firm enough to shred cleanly on a box grater or commercial machine.

Whole milk mozzarella (low-moisture) has higher fat, moderate firmness, and is common in premium shredded blends.\n\nUSDA SR Legacy publishes distinct records for both retail-shred forms. "Cheese, mozzarella, low moisture, part-skim, shredded" (FDC 170900) shows 1 cup shredded = 86 g, density 0.363 g/mL. "Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk" (FDC 170845) shows 1 cup shredded = 112 g, density 0.473 g/mL. The 30% density gap reflects physical differences: LMPS shreds are drier and stringier, packing with substantially more air space than whole-milk shreds which are moister and tackier.\n\nRetail producer labels all report the FDA nutrition-label convention: 1 oz = 28 g = 1/4 cup, which extrapolates to 112 g/cup. This figure holds regardless of whether the product inside is LMPS, whole milk, or a blend — Sargento LMPS, Great Value LMPS, Wegmans LMPS, Happy Farms LMPS, Lidl LMPS, Kraft LMPS, and Costco LMPS all use this exact serving convention.

Whether this reflects real packed-cup density or a legal serving-size approximation is not documented publicly. Home cooks measuring 1 cup of LMPS shreds by loose scooping typically get closer to 85-90 g, matching USDA's laboratory measurement.\n\nKing Arthur's ingredient weight chart groups mozzarella with cheddar, jack, and Swiss at 1 cup = 4 oz = 113 g. This figure is accurate for cheddar (USDA agrees at 113) and whole milk mozzarella (USDA at 112) but overstates LMPS shredded mozzarella by 30%.

It is a scope error — KA generalizes a shredded semi-hard cheese density that fits some cheeses and not others. Extends S15 correction pattern #2 (KA scope error grouping distinct products under one figure) with a new dairy example.\n\nFor validation and internal consistency, this entry withholds a single figure and publishes the observed range 86-112 g/cup. The 31% spread reflects real variance between LMPS and whole milk shredded mozzarella, both sold under the shredded mozzarella name.\n\nPractical guidance: for pizza applications (topping, blends, calzones, stuffed crust), the LMPS density of ~86 g/cup is closest to reality — retail pizza cheese behaves this way.

For baking and pasta applications where whole milk mozzarella is preferred (lasagna, baked ziti, fresh pizza on artisan crusts), the whole milk density of ~112 g/cup applies. When a recipe simply says "shredded mozzarella" without specifying, LMPS is the default in US kitchens; use ~90 g/cup as a working estimate. When comparing to shredded cheddar cheese entry (113 g/cup, high-confidence single figure), note that mozzarella is genuinely lighter per cup due to moisture and fat differences that affect shred packing behavior.