Parmesan Prices Are About to Rise — Try These Substitutes Instead (2024)

FAQs

Parmesan Prices Are About to Rise — Try These Substitutes Instead? ›

Pecorino Romano is likely the first potential substitute to come to mind, and it's sharp, salty, and acidic — so if you like those qualities in your Parm, the Pecorino Romano route is a good one. Morillo particularly recommends Fiore Sardo, an aged raw sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia.

According to Wise Living Magazine, Grana Padano has a similar taste and texture to Parmigiano Reggiano but is significantly less expensive. This may have to do with the fact that Grana Padano comes from a larger Italian region, so more people are allowed to make it (via Bon Appétit).

Why is Parmesan cheese at least three times as expensive as any other cheese? PARMESAN needs significantly more milk than other cheese (16 litres to make one kilogram). As with any product that matures slowly, the price is commensurate with the stage of its maturity.

Pecorino Romano

This is the cheese that most people will reach for when Parmesan isn't in the cards. Pecorino's base flavor and texture are similar to Parmesan's, but it has a couple key differences. Pecorino is made from sheep's milk, which contains more fat than cow's milk.

Parmesan is made in the midwestern region of Italy, made to strict specifications, and aged for an average of two years. It tends to have a slightly sweeter flavor than aged Asiago. The two can typically be used interchangeably in recipes.

Though you can theoretically substitute Parmigiano Reggiano with parmesan cheese, it's important to understand that parmesan is not genuine Parmigiano Reggiano. If a recipe calls for Parmigiano Reggiano, it's worth getting the real stuff.

Kefalotyri. Kefalotyri, which means “head cheese,” is a salty cheese made with sheep's milk, goat's milk, or both. Resembling Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese, this dry cheese is sharp and spicy (and becomes more robust as it ages).

Duration of storage in refrigerator

Parmigiano Reggiano with a maturation of 12-18 months and a higher moisture content can be kept for about 15 days. Parmigiano Reggiano with a maturation of 24 months or more can be kept for about 1 month.

That honor goes to pule cheese (or magareći sir), a rare cheese produced in Zasavica Donkey Reserve in west central Serbia. The price? Around $600 a pound. To put this in perspective, a pound of Parmigiano Reggiano costs $15 to $25 per pound and up, depending on the producer and how many months the cheese is aged.

High-quality milk and years of aging give expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano an earthier, nuttier, sharper flavor than other Parmesan. It also has a crumbly, almost crunchy texture, as the milk fat in the cheese crystallizes over time. Less-expensive Parmesan has a duller flavor and waxier texture.

What cheese tastes closest to Parmesan? ›

Asiago cheese is closest to Parmesan, but this cheese is actually a bit sweeter. It's a semi-hard yet smooth cheese with a slightly nutty flavor. Asiago offers a mild sharpness that doesn't overwhelm, but rather accents a mellow vegetable or meat dish.

Specially Selected Italian Parmigiano Reggiano 200g | ALDI.

Because Parmesan is aged longer, it is harder, drier, and has more of a nutty, sweeter flavor profile; some long-aged Parmesans also have mellow caramel notes. Pecorino, which is younger, tends to be softer and creamier, and tastes brighter, grassier and tangier. It also has a pronounced saltiness.

Piave is another Italian cow's milk cheese similar to parmesan and is known as parmesan's cousin. It's aged cheese, nearly 12 months, mostly known for its umami flavors and toasty nuttiness. It is creamier than parmesan tends to be on the sweeter side.

If you'd like a little more kick in flavor, you can enjoy some pecorino Romano as an alternative to Parmesan, but make sure to use pecorino carefully because the flavor is more intense and will make more of a statement.

Fresh asiago has a thin cheese rind that you can eat, but aged Asiagos' rind is too hard. Save Aged Asiago cheese rinds and toss them into soups or stews for a rich, savory flavor.

While an Asiago rind made the soup taste unappealingly gamey, tasters agreed that rinds from both Pecorino Romano and Gruyère added a savory flavor comparable to that of the Parmesan rind. If you don't have a rind, any one of these cheeses is also an acceptable substitute.