The truth about cheese rinds is that they are not trash. Nope, sorry to tell you, but if you scraped these parmesan rinds, you have been doing it wrong. Parmigiano Reggiano is a dry aged cheese, which means the exterior will become a hard, waxy shell as the wheel ages.
However, this exterior shell is perfectly edible and salty. Perfect for flavoring tons of foods to give it that rich depth and that all day cooking feel. I wouldn’t necessarily start gnawing on the rind of parmesan right now, but below I have listed the best ways to use your leftover rinds. Just as a note, the rind will still be hard after it is cooked, so remember to discard it prior to serving. Also, you can store unused cheese rinds for months in an airtight container. So start saving and savoring these delicious parmesan rinds!
- Soups – drop in the rind with the broth and allow it to marinate the flavors; similar to the way a bay leaf would.
- Risottos – I am a huge fan of risottos! Try my green pea and lemon risotto and throw a cheese rind right in there.
- Add in the rind to a tomato sauce and impart that richness into the sauce right from the beginning.
- Make an infused olive oil by adding the rind and covering with olive oil. Add some garlic or even some chilis to give it even more of a kick!
- Throw you parmesan rind next time you are steaming vegetables. Broccoli, green beans, whatever it is will benefit from this extra flavor.
So next time, hang on to that parmesan rind! Reduce waste, layer some flavors, and enjoy the fruits of your kitchen labor even more!
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