If you're making Italian-style meatballs , cheese is one of the crucial ingredients you shouldn't skip or worse, cheap out on. Whether it's parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella, even a little bit of cheese mixed into the ground beef can add incredible flavor and depth to your meatballs. Unfortunately, not all cheeses — even if they're made from the same type — are created equal, and the kind you choose can make or break those delicious spaghetti and meatballs you're planning for dinner.
While pre-shredded or canned cheeses might seem like a convenient option, they're not your best bet for mouthwatering meatballs. These processed products often contain preservatives that can mute their flavor and dull out the distinct sharpness of their component cheese. For the tastiest results, opt for a block of cheese from your local deli or cheese shop and grate it yourself — trust us when we say that it's very much worth it to go the extra mile for this.
Why canned and pre-grated cheeses taste awful Let's get the most important thing out of the way first: the canned and pre-grated cheeses that you find in supermarkets are made from real cheese. If the label says "parmesan," you're getting genuine parmesan. The only exception is when it's labeled as "processed" or "prepared cheese" – these products might contain some non-cheese ingredients, but at least half still has to be real cheese.
Now, even high-quality pre-shredded cheeses contain some additives. They use harmless preservatives.