Shredded Parmesan Cheese
One US cup of shredded parmesan cheese weighs between 80 and 112 grams (2.8 to 4 ounces), 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 shredded parmesan, parmesan shreds, shredded parmigiano, shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, parmesan shredded.
Most sites print one number for a cup of shredded parmesan cheese. This page prints 80 to 112 grams, because that is what USDA SR Legacy "Cheese, parmesan, shredded" (FDC 173431), Private Selection Shredded Parmesan (producer label), H-E-B Copper Kettle Shredded Parmesan (producer label), Sargento Shredded Parmesan (producer label), Kraft Shredded Parmesan (producer label) and Tillamook Shredded Parmesan (producer label) actually measured, and it names the method behind every figure rather than picking a favourite.
Two or more sources describe the same way of filling the cup and still disagree, by 40.0%. That is more than this site will average over, so all the figures stand and none is chosen. Sources split 80-112 g per cup, a 40% gap, far over the 10% tolerance. USDA and the brands that label by the tablespoon give 80 g; the brands that label by the quarter cup give 112 g, the same 28 g they print for every cheese. No single figure is published.
| Volume | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 80–112 g | 2.8–4 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 60–84 g | 2.1–3 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 53.3–74.7 g | 1.9–2.6 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 40–56 g | 1.4–2 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 26.7–37.3 g | 0.94–1.3 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 20–28 g | 0.71–0.99 oz |
| 1 tablespoon | 5–7 g | 0.18–0.25 oz |
| 1 teaspoon | 1.7–2.3 g | 0.06–0.08 oz |
| Filling the cup | 1 cup | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 80 g2.8 oz | USDA SR Legacy "Cheese, parmesan, shredded" (FDC 173431) |
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 80 g2.8 oz | Private Selection Shredded Parmesan (producer label) |
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 80 g2.8 oz | H-E-B Copper Kettle Shredded Parmesan (producer label) |
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 112 g4 oz | Sargento Shredded Parmesan (producer label) |
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 112 g4 oz | Kraft Shredded Parmesan (producer label) |
| Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled | 112 g4 oz | Tillamook Shredded Parmesan (producer label) |
Shredded Parmesan Cheese ounces to grams and cups
| Weight | Grams | US cups |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | 28.3 g | 0.25–0.35 |
| 4 oz | 113.4 g | 1.01–1.42 |
| 8 oz | 226.8 g | 2.02–2.84 |
| 16 oz (1 lb) | 453.6 g | 4.05–5.67 |
Compared side by side
Shredded, grated and crumbled cheese compared: cup weights side by side, the source behind each, and why they differ.
Why this page publishes a range
Shredded parmesan weighs 80 to 112 g per US cup (2.8 to 4 oz). USDA and the brands that label by the tablespoon put it at 80 g; the brands that label by the quarter cup put it at 112 g. The gap is 40%, far over tolerance, so this entry publishes the range rather than picking one.
Shredded parmesan is a different product from grated parmesan, which has its own entry. Shreds are short, stiff strands cut on a shredder; grated parmesan is a fine, sandy powder. Parmesan is a hard aged cheese with only about 25% water, so its shreds are stiff and do not compact: they bridge across each other and leave a lot of air in the cup, more than the softer shreds of cheddar or Jack.
USDA SR Legacy "Cheese, parmesan, shredded" (FDC 173431) has no cup portion, only 1 tablespoon at 5 g, which is 80 g per cup. Two store-brand labels, Kroger's Private Selection and H-E-B's Copper Kettle, list the same 1 tablespoon at 5 g. Sargento, Kraft and Tillamook list 1/4 cup at 28 g instead, which is 112 g per cup.
The two groups are not measuring the same thing. Every shredded-cheese bag that labels by the quarter cup prints 28 g, whether the cheese is feta at 55% water or parmesan at 25%, because 28 g is the one-ounce serving written as a volume. The tablespoon labels are smaller servings that match USDA's measurement exactly. The physics favours the lower figure too: stiff, dry shreds should fill a cup more loosely than cheddar does, and cheddar is 113 g. Following this site's precedent for labels of this kind, both groups are recorded and the range is published, but for a loosely filled cup 80 g is the better working figure.
King Arthur's chart has a row for grated parmesan only, 1/2 cup = 50 g, which belongs to the grated product and is not used here. America's Test Kitchen's grating chart makes the same point from the other side: one ounce of hard cheese fills anything from a quarter cup to half a cup depending on the grater, so cut and shred size decide the weight more than the cheese does.
Practical guidance: a 5-oz bag holds 142 g, somewhere between 1 1/4 and 1 3/4 cups depending on which figure your bag follows. For pasta, salads and gratins, weigh it: 1/2 cup is 40-56 g. When a recipe written by weight calls for 50 g of parmesan, shredded and grated cheese are interchangeable by weight but not by volume.
The shredded cheese comparison page shows shredded and grated parmesan side by side with the softer cheeses.
Sources
Standard, shredded, spooned and leveled — no single figure published
Sources split 80-112 g per cup, a 40% gap, far over the 10% tolerance. USDA and the brands that label by the tablespoon give 80 g; the brands that label by the quarter cup give 112 g, the same 28 g they print for every cheese. No single figure is published.
- USDA SR Legacy "Cheese, parmesan, shredded" (FDC 173431)80 g per cup2.8 ozUSDA Standard Release lists 1 tbsp = 5 g (no cup portion), extrapolating to 80 g per cup and density 0.338 g/mL. Water 25.0 g per 100 g.
- Private Selection Shredded Parmesan (producer label)80 g per cup2.8 ozRetail nutrition label: 1 tbsp (5 g), extrapolating to 80 g per cup. Matches USDA.
- H-E-B Copper Kettle Shredded Parmesan (producer label)80 g per cup2.8 ozRetail nutrition label: 1 Tbsp (5 g), about 28 servings per 5-oz bag, extrapolating to 80 g per cup. Matches USDA.
- Sargento Shredded Parmesan (producer label)112 g per cup4 ozBrand nutrition panel: 1/4 cup (28 g), 5 servings per bag, extrapolating to 112 g per cup (density 0.473 g/mL).
- Kraft Shredded Parmesan (producer label)112 g per cup4 ozRetail nutrition label, 5-oz and finely shredded 6-oz bags: 1/4 cup (28 g), extrapolating to 112 g per cup.
- Tillamook Shredded Parmesan (producer label)112 g per cup4 ozRetail nutrition label: 1/4 cup (28 g), 5 servings per 5.5-oz bag, extrapolating to 112 g per cup.
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