Grating Parmesan in the Thermomix® takes 15 seconds at speed 10. This is the official Vorwerk method. In one go, 100 g of Parmesan block becomes 100 g of freshly grated Parmesan that puts every pre-grated cheese from a bag firmly in the shade.
We have grated Parmesan exclusively in the Thermomix® ever since we got one. A traditional box grater requires manual effort, takes about 5 minutes for 100 g and often causes grazed knuckles. The Thermomix® does it in 15 seconds with no risk at all.
Grating Parmesan in the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 1 ✓
- 100 g Parmesan
Instructions 0 / 1
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1
Grate the Parmesan.
Remove the rind, cut Parmesan into pieces, place in the mixing bowl and grate for 15 sec / speed 10.
Tip: If you want to grate more Parmesan, please bear in mind that Parmesan is very hard. Always place no more than 100 g at a time into the mixing bowl.
Nutrition per serving
Four points for a perfect result
1. Always remove the rind. The hard Parmesan rind (often 1 to 2 cm thick) is edible, but when chopped in the mixing bowl it breaks down into small, hard lumps. Cut the rind off with a sharp knife and keep it for other uses (for example as a flavour booster for soups).
2. Cubes no larger than 4 cm. Larger pieces are chopped unevenly by the blade: fine on the outside but still coarse in the middle. 4 cm cubes are ideal. Halve or cut supermarket pieces into thirds with a knife beforehand.
3. Maximum 100 g per batch. Parmesan is very hard and puts a strain on the motor. More than 100 g at once makes the Thermomix® work hard, which can cause overloading on older models (TM31, TM5). The TM6 and TM7 can handle 200 g, but they run louder.
4. 15 seconds at speed 10, no longer. Grinding for longer turns the Parmesan into cheese dust (finer than wanted), and the friction warms the cheese slightly. For a very fine result: 10 seconds at speed 10 plus 5 seconds at speed 6. For a coarser result: just 8 seconds at speed 10.
Freshly grated vs. from a bag: the difference in flavour
Pre-grated Parmesan from a bag contains anti-caking agents (usually cellulose) and is often several weeks old. That keeps it lump-free, but the flavour is noticeably flatter. Freshly grated Parmesan tastes more intense, melts better on hot pasta and costs roughly half as much per kilo.
For example: pre-grated Parmesan costs around 35 to 45 euros per kg, while a Parmesan block costs 20 to 30 euros per kg. On top of that, the block version keeps in the fridge for weeks, whereas the bag must be used up quickly because it dries out once opened.
Pecorino, Grana Padano, mountain cheese: same method
The 15-second speed 10 method works equally well for all hard cheeses. Pecorino (Italian sheep’s milk cheese) comes out slightly saltier than Parmesan, Grana Padano milder. Mountain cheese from southern Germany or Austria is a more affordable alternative with a similar melting behaviour.
Hard cheeses with holes (Emmental) tend to clump more easily when grated. These are better at 6 seconds at speed 8 rather than 15 seconds at speed 10. Softer cheeses (Gouda, Edam) only work when semi-chilled, otherwise they get too warm and smear.
Storing grated Parmesan in the fridge for 3 weeks
Store freshly grated Parmesan in an airtight container in the fridge. In a screw-top jar or sealed tin it keeps for 3 weeks without any loss of flavour. In the freezer it keeps for 6 months (scatter directly onto hot pasta straight from frozen without thawing). No anti-caking agents are needed because the cheese is fresh.
If the grated Parmesan starts to clump, moisture has got in. Loosen it with a fork and use it up quickly. In the freezer this is not a problem, as no moisture can form there.
What to use it for
Classic on pasta (spaghetti, penne, tortelloni). Also as a base for pesto, cheese sauce, gratin topping, baked gnocchi crust, risotto mantecatura and carbonara sauce. In our Tomato Pesto with the Thermomix®, freshly grated Parmesan is processed as the very first step.
For risotto: fold in 50 g Parmesan plus 20 g butter at the end (mantecatura technique). For our Minced Beef Risotto with the Thermomix® we have described this in detail.
