Parmesan is a hard, pale yellow cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a rich creamy flavor and takes nearly 12 months to prepare.
The parmesan rind is a layer that forms on the top of the cheese as it ages. Although the rind is edible, it is really hard to eat raw. You can cook it to add the rich flavor of the rich to various dishes.
However, if you threw away the rind when your parmesan cheese is finished, or you are not ready to invest in store-bought rind, there are quite a few parmesan rind substitutes that you can choose from.
There are many uses for parmesan rind. Adding it to your favorite dish will enhance the taste and make it richer. The rind won’t melt and generally tends to stay firm.
Ever heard of a parmesan broth? You can make some using the rind. You can try something different by throwing in some rind in tomato sauce and stews.
It can give a nice punch to ravioli or risotto as well. If the rind is pure cheese, you need to soften it before you can use it with bread. Add parmesan to olive oil to make a parmesan-infused oil.
There are just so many uses for the rind that many chefs around the world come up with their own unique recipes.
Furthermore, as a major part of Italian dishes, parmesan rind works well with pasta sauces.
Parmesan cheese has numerous health benefits since it is a source of proteins and fats. Furthermore, it also provides vitamin A and B12 along with calcium, so it’s generally a fantastic addition to most dishes.
Now, if you can’t find parmesan rind at your local store, it might be a wise idea to know a few substitutes, especially if you’re making a particular recipe.
It’s always bad when you have to rush at the last minute. Thankfully, there are quite a few options out there that you can use instead of parmesan rind, as shown below.
The Best Substitutes for Parmesan Rind
1. Pecorino Romano rind
When we talk about the best substitutes for parmesan rind, people always think of the rind from Pecorina Romano. It is a distinctly flavored cheese that is commonly used in many dishes.
Another difference is that pecorino is made from sheep’s milk rather than cow’s milk. It has a sharp, nutty, and buttery flavor so it might not always be a direct substitute in most recipes.
It is also a hard cheese and is great for adding pasta, casseroles, and bread. The Pecorino Romano rind can be used as a parmesan rind substitute for any dish you want to add it to.
2. Grated parmesan
In case you can’t get your hands on parmesan rind or you do not use enough parmesan to have extra rinds, you can add freshly grated parmesan too.
You might be wondering if it can change the whole idea behind using the rind. That’s not the case because we are looking for the right balance and taste. Parmesan lovers would take it any way they get.
Some say adding grated parmesan will not infuse the flavor as strong as the rind. The rind typically stays in the soups and stews till you have cooked it. You then remove the rind. Hence, the flavor is stronger and well blended.
3. Gruyère rind
This is an expensive cheese, so you wouldn’t want to throw away its rind.
It is sweet but has a saltier aftertaste too. It is a firm, pale yellow cheese and takes more than six months to form. The cheese itself has holes giving it a grainy texture.
Gruyere cheese is a good melting cheese and is extensively used in baking. Some cheese’s rind is not fit for consumption but gruyere rind, like parmesan, is quite edible. You can use this substitute in soups, broth, or risotto.
The color of the gruyere cheese rind is dark brown, so it may change the color of the dish once you add it in. That is one of the main reasons why you need to be careful about adding it to different dishes.
4. Grana Padano
This Italian cheese has a salty and nutty flavor. The rind is golden and thick, making it a wonderful addition to any dish you want.
The best way to use it is in soups or stews, as it is hard when you consume it without heating it up. The protective layer starts developing within a day of its production.
However, the maturing process and the excessive salt in cheese, while it is kept in brine, extend the time to nearly 9 months. The rind will protect the cheese inside so it comes out fresh.
Many people love Padano owing to its strong flavor, so it’s generally a great addition to different dishes.
5. Parmigiano Rinds
Another fantastic option is to use Parmigiano rinds. Parmigiano adds great flavor to any dish it’s used on, though you have to be careful to remove the outer black layersince it generally has a bitter flavor.
If you are looking for a decent alternative that you can use for soup or sauce, you should consider using Parmigiano rind. Just like you would grate any other cheese, you should just grate the Parmigiano rind – or you can also cut it and add it to your recipe.
Another fantastic option is to let the cheese simmer for a while before you add it to the soup or sauce. The rinds generally add excellent flavor to your dish.
You can even freeze the rinds and use them later. Just cut them up and add them to any recipe of your choosing
6. Cheddar Rind
A fantastic option available is cheddar rind. Widely regarded as one of the most popular cheeses in the world, many chefs actively look for different ways in which they can incorporate cheddar into their dishes.
However, most people generally don’t consume the cheddar rind, opting to cut it up and compost it instead. The orange cheese rinds are quite edible, and they also taste fantastic.
They have a nutty, sweet flavor, and it’s fantastic for use in grilled cheese sandwiches. You can add the rind either when it’s on the grill pan, or when you place the toast on the grate
You will want to grill the cheddar rinds all the way until they turn slightly dark and develop a crispier texture. Then, you can just crumble them and use them in salads too.
Thus, we can say that there are quite a few alternatives for the sharp, flavorful parmesan rind. You should never throw away the rind from your parmesan as there are multiple ways to use it.
If you don’t want anything other than parmesan on the recipe, then it’s best to just stick with grated parmesan.
Pecorino Romano is a close substitute owing to its familiar flavor and texture. Gruyere, although a decent alternative, is generally expensive and not everyone can afford it.
There are a number of local businesses that offer artisanal cheese and rinds, so you may want to get in touch with them to get the parmesan rind.