Food

Best Ever: Parmigiano Reggiano The Delicious King of Cheese

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Cheese. It’s one of our favorite foods. And it’s one of the easiest ways to bring the taste of travel home. It’s in so many of our recipes and dishes and it’s perfect all on its own. Parmigiano Reggiano, known as the “King of Cheese,” is one of our absolute favorites.

 

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

 

When you see the pinholes on the rind you know that you have the authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. Three simple ingredients – milk, salt, and rennet are in every single wheel of this nutty, buttery, delicious cheese. It’s produced only in the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio, Emilia, Modena, and parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bologna. For over eight centuries this cheese has been a way of life for generations of artisans cheesemakers.

It’s also fun to note that Thomas Jefferson, not only a founding father but America’s original “foodie,” discovered Parmigiano Reggiano cheese even before he became the U.S. Ambassador to France. He was fascinated by a “steam-powered grater” that was used to turn parmesan cheese into a pile of grated cheese in no time.

Little did he know that years later as convenience foods made housewives’ lives easier, a powdered cheese bearing no resemblance to the cheese he loved found its way into a shaker can. While this cheese was shelf-stable it was not the Parmigiano Reggiano he knew. It is loaded with sodium and preservatives. Bleh!

Spaghetti and Meatballs with Parmigiano Reggiano
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Parmigiano Reggiano

 

High Protein Food

What you might not know about Parmigiano Reggiano is that it has many healthy values. It’s naturally lactose-free making it great even for those who are lactose intolerant. It has a long aging process that makes it easy to digest. Providing a great source of protein, calcium, and vitamins, and minerals it’s also relatively low in sodium compared to most cheeses. That’s great news for those looking to keep to a lower sodium diet. It’s a perfect cheese for babies (8 to 10 months), children, seniors, athletes, and anyone looking for a great source of protein. Sounds like cheese heaven to us!

Here are just some of the many ways we serve Parmigiano Reggiano:

  • On our charcuterie boards
  • Sprinkled over pasta
  • Caesar salads
  • Tasty crisps for soups and salads
  • Pizza topping
  • Chicken Parmesan
Parmigiano Reggiana Crisps on salad
Parmigiano Reggiano Crisps on salad

 

Parmigiano Reggiano Crisps are one of my favorite treats. They are so easy to make that even I can do it. Everyone knows that I’m an eater, not a cook. But you just need to know how to turn the oven on and shred some cheese for this simple recipe. I guarantee that you’ll be everyone’s new best friend when you bring these out at a dinner party.

Parmigiano Reggiano Crisp

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Shred 1 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in a bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Create small piles of cheese on the baking sheet using about 2 tablespoons of cheese for each pile. These will make approximately 4-5 inch round crisps. You can reduce the amount of cheese in each pile if you’d like smaller crisps.

Bake in oven 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let them cool off and place on salads or soups. If you have leftovers (you probably won’t) store them in a plastic bag with parchment between each crisp so they won’t stick together. They will stay fresh and crispy for 2-3 days.

Whether you’ll be trying one of our suggestions or including Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in your favorite recipe be sure to treat your guests to the best. To learn more about Parmigiano Reggiano visit their website parmesan.com.

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Thank you Parmesan.com for providing us the samples of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to test for this sponsored post.  All opinions we provide are our unique views and reflect our experiences. We pledge to provide our audience with truthful and honest reviews.


Co-founder of Food Travelist. I love to cook for family and friends. Share your best recipes with me.

16 Comments

  1. I do love Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It is so very delicious. And I have had those cheese crisps and these are delicious.

  2. Isn’t it sad, I haven’t ever tried Parmigiano Reggiano! 🙁 I know it’d be a big hit on a few of our traditional Meals … where.. we use the Canned stuff! 🙁

  3. This looks amazing. I’m certainly a cheese lover. My whole family actually is. We sure love all kinds of cheeses.

  4. suereddel

    Put it on your next shopping list, you won’t regret it.

  5. suereddel

    They are the best!! And so easy to make, even I can do it. 🙂

  6. I am so in love with Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s totally the best cheese. I love to put it on and in lots of different dishes.

  7. Nothing like fresh Parmigiano Reggiano. It has a little bite to it but it’s so good. One of my favorite restaurants tops salads and dishes with Parmesan crisps and I’ve always wondered how to make them so thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.

  8. suereddel

    It’s is a cheese lovers cheese! Thanks for stopping by Stacie.

  9. Some of the tastiest dishes and snacks I’ve ever had have involved parmigiano reggiano. It’s so good, and I love the smokiness.

  10. Parmigiano reggiano really is the undisputed king of cheese. It’s so good in an on pretty much everything. I use it whenever possible. I love to just eat it in chunks.