Prepackaged shredded or sliced cheese can easily be frozen, too. Just make sure it’s within its expiration date and doesn’t show any signs of mold.
If necessary, place the bag into a second freezer bag for an airtight seal.
Once your stack is ready, seal it up in an airtight packaging as you would with a block of cheese. When you want to retrieve a few slices of cheese from the frozen stack, pull up on the parchment paper to separate as many slices as you want.
This will enable the cheese to freeze and thaw out thoroughly.
Be sure to use moisture-resistant packaging. [7] X Research source If the block of cheese already weighs 1⁄2 lb (0. 23 kg) or less, leave it in its original packaging and add an extra layer of protection with a freezer bag.
Keep the freezer door closed so that the cheese has the chance to freeze quickly and completely.
Keep in mind that shredded cheese and any cheese produced with holes like Swiss or fissures like blue cheese may be more prone to freezer burn. Check in on them from time to time so they don’t go bad.
Take out only as much cheese as you plan to use in the next few days. If you’re using shredded cheese, open the bag and shake or break off the amount you’ll need. Or peel off a few slices by pulling on the parchment paper. Then reseal the packaging and return the rest to the freezer. If you’ve frozen a block of cheese, you’ll need to defrost the whole thing.
After a 3-day period, discard any remaining thawed-out cheese that you haven’t used. [11] X Research source
These varieties tend to melt easily, so try using them in a cooked dish once thawed.
You can even freeze hard cheese rinds (like parmigiano reggiano) to add to your soups later. Since many aged cheeses can last for up to 4 months in the refrigerator, freezing may not be necessary. [14] X Research source If you’re planning to freeze blue cheese for 6 months and plan to use it as a crumbled salad topping, freezing should be no problem.
If you want to spread a soft cheese on crackers, keep it in the fridge to retain its flavor and texture. It’s typically okay to freeze soft natural cheeses as part of a prepared dish, since they’ll melt during the cooking or reheating process.
Freezing will disrupt the delicate textures and flavors. Depending on the type of cheese, it will either become dry and chunky or weepy and watery once defrosted. It’s usually fine to freeze these cheeses as part of a dish, such as lasagna or casserole. Cheesecake can be successfully frozen as the cream cheese has been baked.
