Grated Carrots vs Shredded Carrots

Grated carrots vs shredded carrots

When looking through recipe books, we tend to encounter differently worded ingredients with names that can mean different things.

For instance, today I was looking through a recipe book that asked for the use of shredded carrots.

I usually grate my carrots but I wondered, whats the difference between grated and shredded carrots? Is there one or does it simply mean the same thing?

What are Grated Carrots?

Grated carrots are carrots that have been grated using a grater. The carrots are washed and peeled before being grated and then put through the process of grating to make micro carrot portions that can easily be used in recipes requiring carrots.

What are shredded carrots?

Shredded and grated carrots can be used interchangeably though shredded carrots can be shredded with a knife or any other appliance used for shredding vegetables.

The difference is shredded carrots will typically be longer and stringier than grated carrots as most graters have short grating holes.

Uses for grated and shredded carrots

There are many uses for shredded carrots shredded carrots can come in handy when making dishes such as macaroni and cheese, omelets, mashed potatoes, even Pizza! One of the best ways to use shredded carrots is for making quiche.

As mentioned above grated carrots and shredded carrots can be used interchangeably! One of the best uses for grated carrots is for carrot salad being although such a versatile vegetable, it can be used in many a dish only limited to your imagination. 

 Is it better to grate my carrots or shred them?

This will always depend on the type of tools you can use what you have at your disposal in your kitchen. For example, it’s far more labor-intensive to grate the carrots manually than it would be to use a food processor to shred your carrots.

Another dependent factor would be the amount of carrot that is needed for the said recipe, but once again if you don’t have a food processor or shredding machine you have to do it manually but this can be done rather quickly with the right technique.

Always remember to keep your fingers safe when using a grater as when you get down to the smaller part of the carrot it’s quite easy to hurt your fingers on the grater. 

Can you buy grated carrots?

 Yes you can buy grated carrots there are many stores online and offline that offer grated carrots for purchase.

However, it’s important to note that fresh carrots are always going to be the better option.

it’s just one of those things I just can’t imagine buying grated carrots would provide the freshness needed for a fantastic dish especially when eating raw for a salad or other recipes that require fresh raw carrot. 

Conclusion

Grated carrots and shredded carrots can be used interchangeably. Grated carrots tend to be small little pieces of carrot while shredded carrots tend to be longer stringer pieces however they both can be used in similar dishes. Don’t sweat it if you have one and not the other.