High protein cheese: 25 highest-protein picks from 3,320 labels
Of 3,320 cheeses with a current label in USDA FoodData Central, the highest in protein is Harris Teeter Parmesan Fancy Shredded Cheese, with 39.3 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), or 11 g per 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g). 5 other products tie with it. The typical cheese on the list has 23.8 g per 3.5 oz (100 g).
- 3,320 cheeses from 599 brands with a current U.S. label
- Range: 39.3 g to 0 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Median: 23.8 g per 3.5 oz (100 g). The top 5 have a median of 1.4 oz (39.3 g).
- Label dates on file: 2021-05-04 to 2025-11-24
The 25 highest in protein, per 3.5 oz (100 g)
| # | Product | Label serving | Protein per serving | % DV | Protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) | Protein per 100 calories | Calories per serving | Sugar per serving | Sodium per serving | Label date | FDC ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris Teeter Parmesan Fancy Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2022-12-08 | 2476401 |
| 2 | Harris Teeter Shaved Parmesan Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2023-07-22 | 2630353 |
| 3 | Lucerne Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2021-10-25 | 2461754 |
| 4 | Lucerne Parmesan Shaved Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2021-10-25 | 2460149 |
| 5 | Meijer Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 0.25 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2023-08-11 | 2637486 |
| 6 | O Organics Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 11 g | 22% | 39.3 g | 9.2 g | 120 | 0 g | 480 mg | 2022-12-23 | 2483453 |
| 7 | Private Selection Baby Swiss Cheese | 1 slice, 21 g | 8 g | 16% | 38.1 g | 10 g | 80 | 0 g | 40 mg | 2022-08-08 | 2479811 |
| 8 | Belgioioso Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz. (28g/about 1 inch cube), 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 260 mg | 2023-06-23 | 2615037 |
| 9 | Borden Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 380 mg | 2022-12-14 | 2449243 |
| 10 | Crystal Farms Wisconsin Parmesan Natural Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 210 mg | 2023-06-21 | 2603415 |
| 11 | Freedom's Choice Parmesan Fine-Cut Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2021-10-11 | 2486972 |
| 12 | Good & Gather Parmesan Fine Cut Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2023-06-27 | 2624688 |
| 13 | Great Value Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 1/3 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 340 mg | 2022-04-13 | 2462786 |
| 14 | Kroger Parmesan Shredded Natural Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 380 mg | 2023-04-03 | 2551698 |
| 15 | Lucerne Parmesan & Romano Finely Shredded Cheese Blend | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 420 mg | 2021-10-25 | 2460660 |
| 16 | Market Pantry Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 0.25 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 450 mg | 2023-09-14 | 2662133 |
| 17 | Meijer Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 220 mg | 2023-08-03 | 2637490 |
| 18 | Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 350 mg | 2022-01-28 | 2677352 |
| 19 | Publix Parmesan Fancy Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2021-08-25 | 2487551 |
| 20 | Rouses Markets Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2023-02-06 | 2495287 |
| 21 | Sargento 14-Month Aged Parmesan Shaved Natural Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 270 mg | 2023-05-02 | 2601662 |
| 22 | Sargento Shredded Parmesan Natural Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 260 mg | 2023-05-31 | 2601678 |
| 23 | Sunnyside Farms Parmesan Fancy Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2023-05-25 | 2608242 |
| 24 | Wegmans Parmesan Fancy Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 9.1 g | 110 | 0 g | 370 mg | 2021-10-11 | 2486848 |
| 25 | Good & Gather Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese | about 1 inch cube, 1 oz (28 g) | 10 g | 20% | 35.7 g | 8.3 g | 120 | 0 g | 200 mg | 2023-09-12 | 2659290 |
Values per serving use each label's own serving size. % DV is the FDA Daily Value for adults. At most 3 products per brand are shown. Source: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods.
Which kind of cheese is highest in protein?
The same products grouped by kind (from the product name), with the median per 3.5 oz (100 g). Kinds with fewer than 5 products are left out.
| Kind | Products | Median protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) | Middle half of products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parmesan | 128 | 32.1 g | 28.6 g to 32.1 g |
| Romano | 15 | 28.6 g | 26.7 g to 32.1 g |
| Swiss | 146 | 28.1 g | 25 g to 28.6 g |
| Asiago | 31 | 25 g | 25 g to 28.6 g |
| Colby jack | 239 | 25 g | 23.2 g to 25 g |
| Gouda | 129 | 25 g | 23.3 g to 25 g |
| Gruyere | 17 | 25 g | 25 g to 28.6 g |
| Monterey jack | 206 | 25 g | 21.4 g to 25 g |
| Provolone | 89 | 25 g | 23.8 g to 26.1 g |
| String cheese | 201 | 25 g | 23.8 g to 25 g |
| Pepper jack | 127 | 24 g | 21.4 g to 25 g |
| Mozzarella | 313 | 23.8 g | 21.4 g to 25 g |
| Muenster | 64 | 23.5 g | 21.4 g to 25 g |
| Cheddar | 742 | 23.3 g | 21.4 g to 25 g |
| Blue cheese | 70 | 21.4 g | 21.4 g to 21.4 g |
| Havarti | 40 | 21.4 g | 21.1 g to 21.7 g |
| Feta | 99 | 17.9 g | 14.3 g to 17.9 g |
| Brie and camembert | 41 | 16.7 g | 14.3 g to 17.9 g |
| American | 172 | 16.3 g | 15.8 g to 20 g |
| Farmer cheese | 12 | 16.1 g | 14.3 g to 21.4 g |
Which cheese brands rank best for protein?
Brands with at least 3 cheeses on file, ranked by the median protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) across their whole line, so one standout product does not carry the brand.
| # | Brand | Products | Median protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) | Best product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambrosi | 3 | 32.1 g | Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (32.1 g) |
| 2 | Digiorno | 4 | 32.1 g | Romano Shredded Cheese (32.1 g) |
| 3 | Mifroma | 3 | 32.1 g | Swiss Cheese (32.1 g) |
| 4 | Foodworks | 4 | 29.5 g | The Good Life Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese (31.8 g) |
| 5 | Emmi | 5 | 28.6 g | Gruyere Cheese (28.6 g) |
| 6 | Fiscalini Farmstead | 3 | 28.6 g | Truffle Cheddar (28.6 g) |
| 7 | Jarlsberg | 4 | 28.6 g | Mild, Mellow, Nutty Flavor Semi Soft Part-Skim Cheese (28.6 g) |
| 8 | Sincerely, Brigitte | 10 | 28.6 g | Garlic Basil Cheese (32.1 g) |
| 9 | Westby | 3 | 28.6 g | Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (28.6 g) |
| 10 | Kowalski's Markets | 4 | 26.8 g | Mozzarella Low-Moisture, Part-Skim Cheese (28.6 g) |
| 11 | Amstelvelder | 5 | 26.7 g | Premium Edam Sliced Cheese (30 g) |
| 12 | Stater Bros. Market | 4 | 25.5 g | Parmesan Shredded Cheese (32.1 g) |
| 13 | 365 Everyday Value | 7 | 25 g | Hickory Smoked Gouda Cheese (25 g) |
| 14 | Alpine Lace | 7 | 25 g | 25% Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese (28.6 g) |
| 15 | Always Save | 4 | 25 g | Italian Style Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Romano,… (25 g) |
What you trade for a top spot
Medians for the top quarter of this ranking (830 products) compared with the other 2490:
- The top quarter and the rest look alike on calories, sugar, sodium, saturated fat and fiber (medians within 20% of each other), so a top spot for protein comes with no trade-off on these measures.
More protein per serving can come with a bigger serving. Protein per 100 calories shows how much of each serving's energy comes from protein.
How we ranked
We took all cheeses in the USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods data (release of 2026-04-30) sold in the U.S., not marked discontinued, and with label data dated 2021-04-30 or later. Size and package variants of the same product count once, using the newest label. Products with a label serving under 1/2 oz (15 g) are left out because label rounding makes their per 3.5 oz (100 g) numbers unreliable (2 g of protein in a 5 g serving can mean anything from 30 to 50 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)). We dropped records whose calories do not add up from protein, carbs and fat, or whose nutrients weigh more than the food itself, signs of a data entry error. Products are ranked by protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), so a bigger serving size does not win by default. Ties go to the product with fewer calories. The main table shows at most 3 products per brand so one line cannot fill it.
Brands change recipes. Each row shows the date of the label USDA has on file, and the FDC ID opens the full record. This page does not show ingredients or allergens, so check the package for those. The package in your hand is the final word.
Keep exploring
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Branded Foods, release 2026-04-30 (downloaded from fdc.nal.usda.gov, accessed 2026-10-12). Nutrition values are as submitted by each brand from its label. The label date of every product is in the table.
- FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. fda.gov (page updated 2024-03-05, accessed 2026-09-15). Used for % DV.
Brand names are shown only to identify products. Bioma has no ties to any brand on this page. How we verify.