How to Shred Carrots and Other Nonleafy Vegetables
Use the following steps to learn how to shred carrots, potatoes, beets, and other root vegetables. You’ll also be able to shred cucumbers, asparagus, zucchini squash, yellow summer squash, and other nonleafy vegetables.
How to Shred Kale and Other Leafy Greens
Yes, you can shred lettuce at home and there’s no need for a grater. Here’s how to shred lettuces that have loose (rather than tightly packed) leaves; these include romaine, butterhead, red lettuce, and green leaf lettuce. These instructions also apply to other leafy greens, such as kale, napa cabbage, Savoy cabbage, Swiss chard, escarole, turnip greens, and other sturdy leafy greens:
How to Shred Cabbage and Iceberg Lettuce
Leave your grater in the drawer—the best way to shred cabbage and iceberg lettuce (round vegetables with tightly packed leaves) is with your trusty chef’s knife. Get the step-by-step instructions for shredding cabbage and lettuce here.
Tools for Shredding
Box Graters: This simple, inexpensive piece of equipment is four tools in one. It usually has a grating surface, a shredding surface with large holes, a shredding surface with small holes, and a slicing surface.Plane Graters: These are composed of one shredding surface (such as a fine-hole or large-hole surface) attached to a handle.
Shredding Vegetables in a Food Processor
You can also use a food processor (Target) fitted with a shredding blade. Follow the directions given by the manufacturer. Our Test Kitchen does not recommend shredding vegetables in a blender, as blenders chop the food into short, small, uneven pieces rather than shredding them into long, narrow, uniform strips.
Shredded Vegetable Math
Carrots, cabbage, and other greens are often used by the cupful in recipes. Here’s a guide to estimate how much of each vegetable you’ll need to shred for each cup:
Carrots: 1 medium carrot equals ½ cup shredded carrot.Potatoes: 1 medium potato equals about 1 cup shredded potato.Round Cabbage: One 2-pound head equals 12 cups shredded cabbage.Napa Cabbage: One 2-pound head equals 12 cups shredded leaves and sliced stems.Savoy Cabbage: One 1¾-pound head equals 12 cups coarsely shredded cabbage.Iceberg Lettuce: One 1¼-pound head equals 12 cups shredded lettuce.
Best Vegetables for Shredding
Here are some of the most common ways in which shredded vegetables are used in recipes:
Raw Vegetables for Salads: Some vegetables, such as carrots, jicama, turnips, celery root, cucumbers, and zucchini, can be tough to eat in their raw form unless they’re cut into small pieces. Shredding them breaks them into softer bits that are easier to eat. Lettuce for Sandwiches and Tacos: Shredded spinach, leaf lettuce, and iceberg lettuce add great texture to tacos and sandwiches. Sturdy Greens for Salads: Raw hefty greens, such as Swiss chard, turnip greens, and escarole, are usually too coarse to eat in large pieces. Shred them before adding to other salad greens. Carrots and Zucchini for Baking: Carrots and zucchini are often made into baked treats, such as carrot cake or zucchini bread. You’ll need to shred these vegetables before adding them to the recipe. Cabbage for Coleslaw: Cabbage is the quintessential ingredient in a traditional coleslaw, though other shredded veggies, such as carrots, onions, jicama, and asparagus, can also be used. Use a sprinkling of finely shredded raw radishes and other colorful veggies to garnish dishes such as party dips. Potatoes for hash browns: If you’re craving hash browns with your bacon and eggs, get out the shredder, or try a creative take on latkes with this mochi version (pictured above).
After you’ve shredded all the vegetables to your heart’s desire, move on to veggie noodles. Spiralize some zucchini for lasagna or some butternut squash noodles for a low-carb pasta night.
