Frederic Melton
Asiago and Parmesan are both hard Italian cheeses, but they have distinct characteristics. Asiago is made from cow's milk and can be semi-soft and mild-flavoured when fresh, or hard, dry, and sharp when aged. Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is also a hard cheese made from cow's milk, with a nutty, rich, and savoury flavour. While Asiago is commonly used as a substitute for Parmesan, their flavour profiles differ. Asiago is slightly more buttery, creamy, nutty, and bitter than Parmesan, which has a sharper, more robust, and earthy flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Asiago: Semi-soft to hard, smooth to crumbly, crystalline texture. Parmesan Reggiano: Hard, crumbly, flaky, dry, granular |
| Flavor | Asiago: Sweet, nutty, buttery, creamy, bitter. Parmesan Reggiano: Sharp, robust, nutty, fruity, savory, earthy, umami |
| Aging | Asiago: Fresh, 2 months, 3 months, 9 months, Vecchio, Stravecchio. Parmesan Reggiano: 12 months, 18 months |
| Substitutes | Asiago is a good substitute for Parmesan, especially in recipes with multiple ingredients |
| Visual Similarities | Asiago d'Allevo (aged over 9 months) and Parmesan have similar straw-yellow colors |
| Use Cases | Asiago: Pasta toppings, melting into sauces or dips, grated on flatbread, snacking. Parmesan Reggiano: Pasta, risotto, salads, standalone, grated on roasted or grilled vegetables |
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What You'll Learn
- Asiago cheese is commonly used as a substitute for Parmesan
- Parmesan is a hard, white cheese with a nutty, rich flavour
- Asiago is a semi-hard cheese with a nutty, buttery, creamy flavour
- Parmigiano Reggiano is a type of Parmesan with a complex, multi-layered flavour
- Asiago's flavour can range from mild to bitter, depending on its age
Asiago cheese is commonly used as a substitute for Parmesan
Firstly, Parmesan is a rich, nutty cheese with a flaky texture, while Asiago is slightly more buttery, creamy, and nutty. Asiago cheese is made with cow's milk and can be either semi-soft or hard, depending on its aging. Fresh Asiago cheese (Asiago Pressato) is semi-soft and mild-flavoured, whereas aged Asiago (Asiago D’Allevo) is hard and sharp. The longer Asiago is aged, the firmer, drier, and sharper it becomes. Parmesan, on the other hand, is typically aged for 12 months, resulting in a classic, mellow flavour.
In terms of appearance, Asiago D’Allevo that has been aged for more than nine months can look very similar to Parmesan. Parmesan is usually straw-yellow and becomes darker and more intense as it ages, while also developing a hard, dry, granular texture. Asiago, on the other hand, is not a Grana cheese and does not have the same crystalline texture as Parmesan. Instead, its texture can range from smooth to crumbly, depending on its age.
When it comes to taste, Asiago has a more well-pronounced bitterness, especially the Asiago Stravecchio variety. Parmesan, while also having a subtle bitterness, is sharper and more robust, with fruity and savoury notes, as well as a distinct earthiness. A well-aged Asiago can be comparable to moderately aged Parmesan in terms of flavour.
Both cheeses are commonly used in Italian dishes, such as pasta toppings, and can be grated or shaved onto salads, pasta, or roasted vegetables. Asiago is also a great snacking cheese, pairing well with nuts or fresh fruit. It melts well, making it suitable for sauces, dips, or flatbreads.
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Parmesan is a hard, white cheese with a nutty, rich flavour
Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is a hard, white cheese with a nutty, rich flavour. It is one of the most popular cheeses and is commonly used in Italian dishes, such as pasta and risotto. Its nutty, savoury, and earthy notes make it a versatile ingredient that can be shaved or grated onto salads, pasta, or roasted vegetables. It can also be baked into dishes like French cheese puffs. Parmesan is also a delicious standalone item on a cheese board.
Parmesan is typically aged for 12 months, giving it a classic and mellow flavour. However, Parmigiano Reggiano Vecchio, a type of Parmesan aged for over 18 months, offers a more robust flavour. The longer ageing process results in a darker and more intense colour, along with a harder, flakier texture.
When comparing Parmesan to Asiago cheese, both are hard Italian cheeses with similar appearances, but they have distinct flavour profiles. Asiago is slightly more buttery, creamy, and nutty than Parmesan. It has a more well-pronounced bitterness, especially in the Asiago Stravecchio variety. On the other hand, Parmesan tends to be sharper and more robust, with subtle bitterness that adds a pleasant layer to its flavour.
While Asiago is a good substitute for Parmesan in recipes with multiple ingredients, Parmesan stands out with its complex and multi-layered flavour. The fully aged Parmigiano Reggiano, in particular, exhibits traits characteristic of the umami flavour.
In terms of texture, Asiago can range from semi-soft to firm, depending on its ageing. Fresh Asiago (Asiago Pressato) is semi-soft with a mild flavour, making it a versatile cheese that pairs well with various ingredients. Aged Asiago (Asiago D'Allevo) becomes firmer, drier, and sharper with increased ageing. Despite their differences, both cheeses are beloved for their unique characteristics and are commonly used to enhance the flavour of Italian dishes.
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Asiago is a semi-hard cheese with a nutty, buttery, creamy flavour
Asiago is often used as a substitute for Parmesan, but the two cheeses have distinct characteristics. Asiago is a semi-hard cheese with a nutty, buttery, creamy flavour. It is made with cow's milk and is considered a mountain or Alpine cheese. The flavour of Asiago varies depending on its aging process. Fresh Asiago cheese (Asiago Pressato) is semi-soft and mild-flavoured, with a sweet and nutty taste. As it ages, Asiago becomes firmer, drier, and sharper.
On the other hand, Parmigiano Reggiano, or Parmesan, is a hard, white cheese with a nutty, rich, and intense flavour. It is perfect for grating on pasta, risotto, or salads, adding a burst of flavour to any dish. Parmesan is aged for 12 months or more, resulting in a classic and mellow flavour. While Asiago is slightly sweeter and more buttery than Parmesan, Parmesan tends to have a sharper, more robust flavour with fruity and savoury notes.
The similarities between Asiago and Parmesan primarily lie in their visual appearance, as both are hard Italian cheeses. However, Asiago has a smoother texture compared to the hard, dry, and granular texture of Parmesan. In terms of flavour, Asiago is nuttier, creamier, and slightly sweeter than Parmesan. Asiago also has a more pronounced bitterness, especially in the well-aged Asiago Stravecchio variety.
Despite their differences, Asiago and Parmesan can be used interchangeably in recipes, especially those with multiple ingredients where the cheese is used as a flavouring agent. For example, both cheeses are commonly used as toppings for pasta. Asiago's mellow flavour makes it a versatile cheese that pairs well with various ingredients, while Parmesan's nutty richness enhances the taste of pizza and pasta.
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Parmigiano Reggiano is a type of Parmesan with a complex, multi-layered flavour
Parmesan and Asiago are both hard Italian cheeses, but they have distinct flavour profiles. Asiago is commonly suggested as a substitute for Parmesan, but the two are not the same. The comparison is mainly due to their visual similarities. Asiago is slightly more buttery, creamy, and nutty than Parmesan. It also has a more well-pronounced bitterness. On the other hand, Parmesan tends to be sharper and more robust, with well-expressed fruity and savoury notes, as well as distinct earthiness.
Parmigiano Reggiano, a type of Parmesan, is considered the "'King of Cheeses'". It is a hard, dry, pale-golden cheese with a straw-coloured interior. It is made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. The cheese is aged for at least a year and up to three years, with the longer-aged varieties being more complex and intense in flavour. The complex, multi-layered flavour and granular texture of Parmigiano Reggiano are a result of the long ageing process. The cheese is rich and nutty, with a flaky texture, and is perfect for grating on pasta and risotto.
Parmigiano Reggiano is a protected designation of origin (PDO) product. Under Italian and European law, only cheese produced in specific provinces may be labelled "Parmigiano Reggiano". These include the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Mantua, Modena, and Bologna. The name "Parmesan" is used outside the EU for imitations, with only the full Italian name "Parmigiano Reggiano" referring unambiguously to PDO-compliant cheese.
Within the EU, Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are considered the same cheese. However, outside the EU, the term "Parmesan" can be used for any cheese that is similar to Parmigiano Reggiano. While all Parmigiano Reggiano is Parmesan, not all Parmesan is Parmigiano Reggiano. The latter is considered more premium due to its depth and complexity of flavour.
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Asiago's flavour can range from mild to bitter, depending on its age
Asiago and Parmesan Reggiano are both hard Italian cheeses, but their flavour profiles are quite different. Asiago's flavour can range from mild to bitter, depending on its age. Fresh Asiago cheese (Asiago Pressato) is semi-soft and mild-flavoured, with a mellow, nutty, and buttery taste. It is a good melting cheese, especially if it is young Asiago, making it perfect for sauces, dips, or flatbreads.
On the other hand, aged Asiago (Asiago D’Allevo) falls into categories of ageing at 2 months, 3 months, and at least 9 months. The longer it is aged, the more firm, dry, and sharp it becomes, and the more bitter it tastes. Well-aged Asiago, like Vecchio or Stravecchio, tends to be more bitter than Parmesan. However, the bitterness in Parmesan stays as an undertone, adding a pleasant layer of flavour to its nutty, rich, and fruity notes.
Parmesan Reggiano, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is a rich, nutty, and flaky cheese that has been aged for 1-2 years. It is perfect for pasta, risotto, and salads, and is heavenly when baked. The fully-aged Parmesan Reggiano contains more traits characteristic of what is known as umami flavour. A well-aged Asiago is comparable to a moderately-aged Parmesan.
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Frequently asked questions
Asiago is a semi-hard, smooth cheese with a nutty flavor, while Parmesan Reggiano is hard, crumbly, and pungent. Asiago is slightly more buttery, creamy, and nutty than Parmesan, but it also has a more well-pronounced bitterness. Parmesan, on the other hand, is sharper and more robust, with fruity and savory notes.
Yes, Asiago is commonly used as a substitute for Parmesan, and vice versa. However, they have distinct flavor profiles, so while they can be used interchangeably, it is important to note that they will impart different flavors to your dishes.
Fresh Asiago cheese is semi-soft and mild-flavored, while aged Asiago (Asiago D'Allevo) becomes firmer, drier, and sharper with increased aging. Parmesan Reggiano is typically aged for 12-24 months, and its flavor becomes more intense and robust as it ages.
