Kamil Perry
Parmesan cheese rinds are often thrown away, but they can be used to add flavour to dishes. The rind is edible, but it can be too tough to chew. It can be added to sauces, soups, stews, stocks, and risottos to impart a subtle burst of rich, salty, cheesy flavour. It can also be grilled until soft and placed on bread, or used to make infused olive oil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Throwing Away | Don't throw away the rind |
| Storage | Store in the freezer for up to 6 months |
| Edibility | Edible, but can be too tough to chew |
| Use Cases | Add to risotto, soups, stews, sauces, stocks, pasta, olive oil, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, au gratin, marinara sauce, broth, and more |
| Flavor | Rich, salty, umami |
| Preparation | Cut into small pieces, grate, grill, or microwave |
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Add to risotto
Parmesan rinds can be used to add flavour to risottos. Here's how to do it:
Firstly, store your leftover Parmesan rinds in a zip-top bag in the freezer. They will keep for up to 6 months and can be added straight to your cooking from frozen.
When making a risotto, add the rind to the pot after the rice is halfway cooked. Allow the risotto to simmer as you continue to stir and add more broth. The rind should be left in the pot for at least 30 minutes, and up to several hours to really unlock its flavour. Remember to stir the risotto occasionally to prevent the rind from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to ensure the flavour is evenly distributed.
Once the risotto is cooked, simply remove the rind and serve. You could also try grating the rind and adding it to the risotto, or even eating the rind as a snack while you cook!
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Use in broth
Parmesan rinds can be used to add flavour to broths and stocks. The rind is edible, but it can be too hard and tough to chew, so it is often used to enrich sauces, soups, stews, and more.
To use a Parmesan rind in a broth, simply add the rind to your broth and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours to fully infuse the broth with flavour. The longer you let the rind cook, the more flavour it will impart to the broth. Make sure to stir the broth occasionally to ensure that the flavour is evenly distributed and that the rind is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
You can use Parmesan broth as a base for soup or ladle it over cooked pasta, such as tortellini or ravioli. It pairs especially well with cheese-filled pastas. For a simple dish, you can cook your pasta of choice, drain it, and then top it with grated Parmesan and a ladle of the Parmesan broth.
If you have leftover Parmesan broth, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for later use.
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Infuse olive oil
Infusing olive oil with parmesan cheese rind is a great way to add flavour to your dishes. Here's how you can do it:
Firstly, take a parmesan cheese rind and give it a quick rinse. Dry it off with a paper towel, then place it in a jar or container. Add enough olive oil to cover the rind and let the mixture sit for a few days. The longer you leave it, the more flavour will be infused into the oil. If you want to enhance the flavour even more, you can add some garlic cloves or other herbs and aromatics like thyme or rosemary. Just be sure to refrigerate the oil if you're adding fresh ingredients like garlic.
Once the oil has infused to your liking, remove the rind and use the flavoured oil in a variety of ways. It can be used as a dipping oil for crusty bread, as a base for a vinaigrette, or emulsified with pasta water to create a simple sauce for your pasta. You can also drizzle it over grilled vegetables, meats, or rice to add a salty, cheesy kick to your dish. If you're feeling creative, try using the infused oil to pop some popcorn and then grate some extra parmesan on top for an indulgent snack.
If you want a quicker method, you can combine two cups of olive oil and grated parmesan cheese in a small pan over low heat. Stir the mixture for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt and clump together. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool before straining the oil into a sterilized bottle. You can even add some shaved parmesan cheese to the bottle for extra flavour. Store your infused oil in a cool, dark place, and it will last for up to six months.
With these methods, you can easily infuse olive oil with parmesan cheese rind, adding a unique and tasty twist to your cooking.
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Enrich sauces
Parmesan rinds can be used to enrich a variety of sauces. The rind is packed with flavour and can be used to add a subtle burst of rich, salty, umami cheesiness to your dish. Here are some ways you can use Parmesan rinds to enrich sauces:
Tomato-based sauces
Add Parmesan rinds to your tomato-based sauces, such as marinara sauce. You can also add them to soups, such as tomato soup, or a creamy, spicy orecchiette, sausage, and broccoli rabe. Leave the rind in the sauce for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours to unleash as much flavour as possible.
Cream-based sauces
Parmesan rinds can be used to enrich cream-based sauces, such as a white sauce or a béchamel. Simply steep the rind in milk or cream to form the base of the sauce. You can also add them to mashed potatoes; scald the milk or cream with the Parm rind, smashed garlic cloves, cracked peppercorns, and herbs, then keep warm and let it steep.
Broths and stocks
Make a light Parmesan broth by simmering Parmesan rinds in a pot of broth. This can be ladled over cooked pasta, such as tortellini or ravioli. You can also add Parmesan rinds to your vegetable or chicken stocks.
Infused olive oil
If you have a lot of rinds, you can add them to an airtight jar or bottle and cover them with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Let it infuse for a few days, then store the oil in a cool, dark place. This infused oil can be used as a finishing oil for salads or pasta.
Remember, the rind is edible but can be too hard and tough to chew. The flavour of the rind will not overpower your dish, so don't worry about adding too much. You can fish out the rind once your dish is done cooking.
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Eat as a snack
While Parmesan rinds are commonly used to add flavour to dishes like risottos, soups, sauces, and stews, they can also be eaten as a snack.
Parmesan rinds are edible, but they can be too hard and tough to chew. If you want to eat the rind as a snack, you can try grilling it until it becomes soft and chewy, and then placing it on a piece of crusty bread.
You can also cut the rind into small pieces and pop them in the microwave. It is recommended to trim off any waxy coating before microwaving.
Another option is to put the rind in water for about half an hour to soften it, and then chop it finely to be eaten as a snack or added to dishes.
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Frequently asked questions
You can add Parmesan rinds to soups, sauces, stews, stocks, and risottos to infuse a subtle burst of rich, salty, cheesy flavor. You can also grill the rind until soft and chewy and eat it as a snack. If you have a lot of rinds, you can also infuse them in extra virgin olive oil and use the oil in salads or as a finishing oil for pasta.
It is recommended to let the rind cook for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours to get the most flavor out of it. However, some people suggest that anything past 2 hours gives diminishing returns.
While you can technically eat Parmesan rinds, the primary purpose of adding them to a dish is for the flavor they impart. You can remove the rinds from the dish once soft and gooey and toss them in the trash after they have served their purpose.
