Can you grate an onion with a cheese grater?

Quick Answer

Yes, you can grate an onion with a cheese grater. While cheese graters are designed for grating hard cheeses, they can also be used to grate vegetables like onions. Using a cheese grater to grate onions results in fine, minced onion pieces that are perfect for recipes that call for grated or minced onions. However, grating onions on a cheese grater requires some precautions – you’ll need to be careful of the onion juice spraying out and grating your fingers on the sharp blades. Overall, a cheese grater is a quick and convenient tool for mincing onions when you don’t have much time or just need a small amount.

Grating Onions on a Cheese Grater

Grating onions on a box or rotary cheese grater is a simple process:

• Peel the onion first. Leave the dry outer paper-like layers on for easier handling.
• Trim off the stem and root ends.
• Cut the onion in half from root to stem.
• Place one half of the onion flat side down on the grater surface.
• Holding the onion by the outer skin/layers, grate in downward motions.
• Rotate and flip the onion half as needed to grate all sides.
• Discard the skin when done grating.

Be sure to grate perpendicular to the blades, not parallel, for optimal grating. Go slowly and gently to control the grating and avoid grating your fingers on the sharp metal.

Tips for Grating Onions

Here are some tips for grating onions easily and safely on a cheese grater:

• Use a box or rotary grater with larger holes – the small grated holes are more suited for hard cheeses than onions.
• Chill the onions in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before grating. This firms them up for easier grating.
• Grate over a plate or bowl to catch the onion pieces as they come off the grater.
• Wear goggles to protect eyes from onion spray.
• Work near a vent or fan to direct onion vapors away from your face.
• Use a food pusher tool or fork handles to press the onion against the grater if needed.

Take precautions not to grate your fingers by paying attention and using the onion skin/outer layers to hold the onion safely. Go slow and apply even, light pressure when grating.

Benefits of Grating Onions

There are a few advantages to grating onions versus chopping them:

• It’s faster and requires less prep work.
• Produces very fine, minced onion pieces perfect for recipes calling for grated or minced onion.
• Results in more onion juice being released for recipes where that flavor is desired.
• Easier to handle small onion quantities versus chopping.
• No need towash and store a cutting board and knife after mincing.

So when a recipe calls for minced, grated, or finely chopped onion in small amounts, consider grating it on a cheese grater instead for speed and convenience.

Best Cheese Graters for Onions

Here are the best types of cheese graters to use for grating onions:

• Box graters – Choose a box grater with larger holes, at least 1/8 inch or more, to allow onion pieces to pass through easily.
• Rotary or paddle graters – Rotary graters work well for grating round onion halves. Look for larger grating holes.
• Mandolines – Adjustable mandoline slicers can also work for grating onions when the slicing blade is removed.

Avoid using fine microplane or zester style graters designed for grating hard cheeses and citrus zest. The tiny grating holes are not suited for grating onion pieces.

Disadvantages of Grating Onions

While grating onions on a cheese grater has its advantages, there are a few downsides to note as well:

• Onion juice sprays out and can irritate eyes.
• Risk of grating your fingers on the sharp metal grater blades.
• Not as uniform in size as finely diced onions.
• Unable to grate large batches of onions this way.
• Can bend or damage softer cheese graters not designed for hard vegetables.

So grated onion is not ideal for every application, especially recipes that need precisely and uniformly chopped onions versus grated.

Other Vegetable Grating Uses

In addition to onions, many other types of vegetables can also be grated on a cheese grater:

• Carrots – For grated carrot salads, baked goods, slaws
• Cabbage – Grated raw for slaws and garnishes
• Potatoes – When a recipe calls for shredded potatoes like for hashbrowns or latkes
• Zucchini or summer squash – For adding to baked goods or casseroles
• Beets – For salads and garnishes
• Ginger root – For grated ginger spice
• Garlic – When minced garlic is needed

So explore using your cheese grater beyond just cheese and onions! It can be a handy tool for grating small amounts of many vegetables.

Storing Grated Onions

If you end up grating more onions than you need:

• Place grated onions in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days maximum.
• For longer storage, spread grated onions in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags or containers.
• Frozen grated onions can be stored for 4-6 months.

Properly stored, grated onions retain their flavor and texture to use later on.

Onion Grating Safety Tips

When grating onions, keep these safety practices in mind:

• Work carefully to avoid grating your fingers on the sharp metal grater blades.
• Wear goggles to protect eyes from onion spray.
• Avoid leaning directly over the grater so onion vapors don’t waft into your eyes.
• Use a fork or pusher tool if needed to securely hold the onion half when grating.
• Hand wash graters carefully after use as the blades can harbor bacteria.

Paying attention and taking precautions when grating onions prevents accidents and injuries.

Conclusion

While cheese graters are designed for their namesake purpose of grating hard cheeses, they can also be used to quickly and conveniently grate onions. Grating onions results in fine, minced pieces perfect for recipes calling for grated or minced onions in small amounts. While quick and easy, grating onions does require care and safety practices like wearing goggles, working near a fan, and cautious grating to avoid cuts. But with the right precautions, a cheese grater can be a handy kitchen tool for achieving grated onions or other vegetables when you don’t want to labor through precise chopping.