The 10 Best Parmesan Cheeses for Making Spaghetti Great!

A plate of spaghetti can never be great spaghetti without a sprinkling of parmesan! Added to pasta, risottos, soups and so much more, its versatility makes parmesan a favorite for many of us.

However, parmesan made in the US and Italian parmesan are two different types of cheese. In this article we look at the differences between the two, as well as reviewing some of the best parmesan cheese available from both. We also consider the nutritional content of parmesan and offer some great ways to use up the rind leftover from a block of parmesan.

Things to Consider Before Buying Parmesan Cheese

Italian parmesan production actually dates back around 900 years, when Cistercian and Benedictine monks produced the cheese in Parma and Reggio Emilia.

Parmesan is one of the few foods rich in umami or the ‘first taste’ that our taste buds can distinguish alongside salt, sweet, bitter and sour.

The Difference Between US Parmesan Cheese and Italian Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan is often the name we give to any hard grated cheese. The FDA says that a hard cheese does not have to come from Italy to be a parmesan. A parmesan in the US needs to be from fresh whole milk, cream, skim milk or even reconstituted dry milk. The cheese also needs to have a granular texture, a brittle and hard rind and be able to grate easily. It does not need to be made in Italy; it can be made in the US.

However, within the European Union, parmesan is a little more complicated than that.

A number of cheeses (as well as other foods) have what is known as ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ or PDO status under European law. This means that the producers of these cheese have strict guidelines to follow around manufacture, aging of the product and its geographical boundaries.

When most of us think of Italian hard cheese or parmesan, we are actually thinking of the cheese called Parmigiano Reggiano, or its translation - ‘parmesan’. European law also classifies this parmesan translation as a PDO; parmesan actually received its Italian PDO back in 1955.

Buying Italian parmesan also means that there is a premium to pay as the cheese has to be imported from Italy. Unfortunately, this does mean Italian parmesan is more of a luxury item which will not fit into everyone’s budget.

Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano Cheeses

Parmigiano Reggiano is the high quality Italian hard cheese often known as ‘The King of Cheeses’. Parmigiano Reggiano can only be made in one of the two northern Italy regions of Emilia-Romagna or Lombardy.

This cheese is made from pure and unpasteurized cow's milk from a herd fed on grass and hay as this diet gives a more complexly flavored milk and the lack of pasteurization allows the microorganisms that add flavor to remain in the milk.

The cheese must age for at least one year, as much as three or even more. If an Italian parmesan has the name Vecchio with it, it has been aged for between 18 and 24 months and if it is named Stravecchio; it is aged for two to three years.

There are currently around 490 dairies in Italy which produce Parmigiano Reggiano. It takes around 600 liters of milk to produce a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano which weighs at least 66 lb. The milk is partly skimmed and combined with starter culture to commence the curdling. Animal-origin rennet is added to help further curd formation and the mixture is stirred to allow some of the moisture to evaporate. The curds are then formed into wheels and are moved into salt baths for flavor and preservation. No other ingredients can be added to a PDO Parmigiano Reggiano.

After the salt bath, the cheese is set onto a rack in a climate-controlled room to age. As the cheese begins to age, it forms lactic acid, which forces the cheese’s proteins to come together and push out the moisture. As these proteins are then broken down into amino acids, these give the cheese its nutty flavor.

The fats are broken down into free fatty acids which give flavor to the cheese and also convert to esters (when combined with the cheese’s natural alcohol) to give some fruitiness to the cheese.

These chemical reactions also give the crunchy crystals found in Italian hard cheeses. These crystals are actually the amino acid tyrosine, which you see as crystals and the amino acid leucine which appears as larger white crystals or pearls.

Once a Parmigiano Reggiano has aged it is then inspected and if it passes its inspection, the name of the cheese, when it was made and the PDO seal are stamped onto its rind. Usually only Parmigiano Reggiano which has been aged for at least 24 months is exported. An unpasteurized cheese can be imported into the US as long as it is over the age of 60 days.

Like the Parmigiano Reggiano, the Grana Padano parmesan is made from cows' milk and only needs to age for a minimum of nine months. Grana Padano is also made in a much larger production region, has a less concentrated flavor and more sweetness than a Parmigiano Reggiano. It also costs less.

A Pecorino Romano is made from sheep’s milk and is aged for between five and eight months in Sardinia, Lazio or Grosseto in Tuscany. Pecorino Romano has more tang and saltiness and a stronger flavor than Parmigiano Reggiano. Its color is also lighter with a black rind.

Vegetarian/Vegan Parmesan

Although parmesans made with non-animal rennet are available; in the European Union, these cannot be legally called parmesan as they have not been made from calf rennet.

Using up Parmesan Rinds

There’s no need for you to throw parmesan rinds away. The rind develops as the cheese is matured. Although completely edible, its hardness makes it difficult to eat, but, you can cook with it as it has the full flavor of the cheese.

The rind will not melt when you cook it, rather it just softens. Add it to sauces, risottos or soups for extra umami or you can even simmer it up with herbs to make a parmesan broth. The rinds will also keep well in the fridge for months or you can even freeze them.

Nutritional Content

US parmesan tend to have more salt than Italian hard cheeses. As they are made as smaller wheels their larger surface area means they draw the salt in faster than Italian wheels which can be as much as three times the size.

A one ounce serving of Italian parmesan will contain around 18% of our sodium %DV (% Daily Value) and contains:

Protein	11 g
Fat	8 g
Saturated fat	5 g
Carbs	1 g
Sugar	zero
Fiber	zero

Italian parmesan also contains 31% of our calcium %DV, 20% of phosphorous %DV and 11% of vitamin B12 %DV.

Storing Parmesan

Although there are several ways to store parmesan, the easiest way is to add it to a zipper bag, push all the air out and zip it up; or you can just use plastic wrap. Parmesan exposed to the air will begin to turn white and its rind thicken. You can resolve this by placing the parmesan in a damp cheesecloth and plastic wrap overnight in the refrigerator. The refreshed cheese can then be used and re-wrapped in plastic wrap or a zipper bag the next day.

Conclusion

Whether you want grated parmesan to finish off your pasta, or a block to serve with appetizers, there is a parmesan for it. Parmesans made in the US are budget-friendly, readily available and do not always need refrigerating until they are opened. Italian parmesans are harder to source and cost more as they must be imported and usually shipped cold.

Whether you are a cheese aficionado or a regular cook, we hope you have enjoyed our article on parmesan cheese and found it informative. We also hope that this article will help you to choose the best parmesan cheese for spaghetti and so much more.