7 surprising ways to use Parmesan cheese
When you think of Parmesan cheese, do you automatically picture a steaming plate of pasta? So do I. Until I discovered that you can do so much more with this little Italian goldmine. From rind to tip and from flavoring your soup to adding it to your cocktail (yes, really), the possibilities are endless. We’ve listed the tastiest and most surprising ways to use Parmesan cheese.
Oh, and if you really can’t live without your pasta with Parmesan… Try this fried ravioli with Parmesan cheese. Now that’s a plate of pasta!
On your Espresso Martini
It took us a moment to get used to this rather striking TikTok trend. But we tried it a few times and yes: it really does have something. Parmesan cheese on your Espresso Martini. A delicious counterpoint to your sweet, bitter ‘esma’. And a real showstopper. Because believe me, nobody at your party expects cheese in their cocktail.
Parmesan cheese rind snack
The rind? You just throw it straight in the bin when you get to the edge, right?! No! Never do that. You can simply eat those rinds, and they’re incredibly delicious too. Just clean them well and you can put them to good use. For example, turn them into a Parmesan cheese rind snack in the microwave. Add your favorite dipping sauce and you’ve got an insanely tasty snack for tonight.
As a flavor enhancer in broth
Genius idea: let your Parmesan cheese rinds steep in vegetable or chicken broth for a few hours. This gives your broth a delicious umami flavor. It’s not difficult: simply add 7 or 8 large pieces of Parmesan cheese rind to your vegetable or chicken broth recipe. The longer you let the broth steep, the stronger the flavor. You don’t need many additional herbs or much salt. The cheese pieces and the rest of the broth ingredients already release plenty of flavor.
Make croutons from your rinds
You can also use the same microwave trick to make cheese croutons very easily. The only difference is that you don’t cut the cheese rinds into thin slices, but into crouton shapes. So, roughly square pieces. The microwave heat makes the cheese bubble nicely and transform into a cube. And just like that, you have delicious umami-rich, salty cheese croutons for your soup!
@ainttooproudtomeg Replying to @ren_9174 . Thought I was going to break a tooth. Any tips? Ive been meaning try try for years. @ainttooproudtomeg ps- this video talks about the rind being edible. #foodtok #cheesetok #learnfromme #foodnetwork ♬ ALIEN SUPERSTAR – Beyoncé
Fondue it
Try making your cheese fondue with Parmesan cheese too. Because why not?! They’ve been doing this in Italy for much longer, and it’s actually a great mystery why we don’t do it here yet. Just make sure to use real Parmesan cheese, not an imitation. Fake Parmesan won’t do your fondue night any favors, believe me. The flavor of real Parmesan cheese simply can’t be matched. We already have the ultimate recipe for cheese fondue with Parmesan cheese ready for you.
Turn it into chips
Making chips from Parmesan cheese: it’s possible. And it’s incredibly simple. All you need is an oven, a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and Parmesan cheese. Make little piles of cheese on your baking sheet, flatten them, and bake for about 5 minutes at 200 degrees. Let the cheese chips cool completely before eating them. That’s it! In no time at all, you’ll have delicious, crunchy, homemade Parmesan cheese chips.
Crispy vegetables
Parmesan cheese is perfect for giving your usually boring vegetables an exciting twist. It forms a crispy, savory, cheesy crust around the vegetables, giving them much more flavor and bite. Zucchini, broccoli: you can perk up almost any type of vegetable with Parmesan cheese. The crispy crust stays on better if you whisk an egg into the grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the vegetables well and bake them in the oven at around 200 degrees. The vegetables are usually ready in 20 to 30 minutes. Bon appétit!
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