How to Freeze Cheese

Freezing cheese extends its shelf life and is easy to thaw for future recipes. This guide explains how to freeze cheese, how long frozen cheese lasts in the freezer, and which cheeses can actually be frozen. 

Can You Freeze Cheese? 

Freezing cheese is a great idea … most of the time. Most cheeses freeze and thaw well, but a select few — mostly soft cheeses — should not be frozen. 

Freezing cheese is a great way to limit your food waste. Whether you bought too much cheese by accident or purposely stocked up on your favorite cheeses while they were on sale, it’s important that you know how to freeze cheese to extend its shelf life. 

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to freeze cheese a few different ways, depending on your needs. 

How to Freeze Cheese 

You actually have a few options when it comes to freezing cheese. You can freeze cheese in slices, in a block, or after it’s been shredded. 

Here’s an overview of each of the three cheese freezing methods. 

Freezing a Block of Cheese 

1. If possible, freeze blocks of cheese in their original zip-top packaging. 
2. If you lost the packaging or the cheese didn’t come in a zip-top bag, place the block of cheese into a zip-top freezer bag. 
3. Squeeze as much excess air out of the bag as possible. 
4. Label the bag and store for up to 3 months. 

Freezing Sliced Cheese 

1. If needed, place squares of parchment paper between each slice of cheese. This will prevent the cheese from sticking together once frozen. 
2. Carefully arrange the cheese slices in a zip-top freezer bag. 
3. Label the bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Freezing Shredded Cheese 

1. If you haven’t yet opened the bag of shredded cheese, you can place it directly into the freezer to freeze.
2. If you’ve opened the bag, transfer the cheese to a zip-top freezer bag. Press out any excess air. 
3. Label the bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

You can also shred your own cheese for freezing by using a box grater and buying a block of cheese. Often large blocks of cheese are less expensive than pre-shredded cheese.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Best Way to Store Frozen Cheese 

The best way to store frozen cheese is in a zip-top freezer bag or in an airtight container that’s intended for freezer storage.

No matter what type of storage container you use, press out as much excess air as possible to prevent the cheese from developing freezer burn. 

Tip: Believe it or not, buying good-quality freezer bags — like Ziploc brand — actually does extend the shelf life of your frozen foods. So, it’s worth paying the extra money if you know you’ll be freezing cheese! 

How Long Does Cheese Last in the Freezer? 

If stored properly, frozen cheese will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Use bags or containers that are specifically meant to be used as freezer storage, and squeeze out as much air from the container as possible beforehand. 

How to Thaw Frozen Cheese 

The best way to thaw frozen cheese is to place it in the fridge overnight. Do NOT set frozen cheese on the counter to thaw, as that could encourage bacterial growth. 

You can also stir frozen cheese directly into soups. It’s best to do so with frozen shredded cheese as stirring an entire block of frozen cheese into a pot of soup would take a long time to thaw. 

The Best & Worst Cheeses to Freeze 

As a rule of thumb, hard cheeses freeze well and soft cheeses do not. 

Soft cheeses like paneer and queso fresco are best stored in the fridge.

Conversely, heartier cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan, and pepper jack freeze well. Also, cheeses that are intended for melting (i.e. mozzarella for a pizza) freeze well. 

Just keep in mind that even if you freeze a cheese correctly, it still may change texture slightly once thawed. 

• Can you freeze cream cheese? Yes, you can freeze cream cheese in its original packaging. Note that it will likely lose its creaminess and be more crumbly once thawed. 
• Can you freeze ricotta cheese? No, ricotta is one of the worst cheeses to freeze. Much of the liquid releases from the cheese once thawed, and the ricotta itself develops a squidgy texture. 
• Can you freeze feta cheese? Yes, feta can be frozen. 
• Can you freeze Brie cheese? No, frozen Brie will change texture considerably once thawed. 
• Can you freeze string cheese? Yes! In fact, you can freeze string cheese in the vacuum sealed packaging it came in. 
• Can you freeze Parmesan cheese? Yes, Parmesan freezes very well. It’s best to freeze Parmesan in a block, but pre-shredded Parm may be frozen too. 

More Freezing Tutorials:

Now that you know everything there is to know about freezing cheese, here are some more helpful freezer tutorials:

This guide explains How to Freeze Raspberries, plus it answers the most commonly asked questions about thawing frozen raspberries and using them in recipes. 

Frozen grapes make for great snacks on hot days, and they can be thrown into smoothies. Here’s How to Freeze Grapes the easy way!

Next time you make a batch pancakes or waffles, make some extra and follow this quick and easy tutorial for How to Freeze Pancakes and Waffles. I’ve also given instructions on how to reheat them!

No matter what season it is, you need to know How to Freeze Cookie Dough. Spoiler: it’s super easy to do!

Did you know that smoothies can easily be prepped in advance and frozen. So easy and delicious! Check out How to Make Freezer Smoothies.

Yep, you can freeze spinach too. Here’s How to Freeze Spinach, plus a yummy smoothie you can make with it.

Who doesn’t love a good kitchen tip? Looking for more kitchen tutorials? Check out the entire Kitchen Tips and Tricks archive for lots of great ideas!