Ever grate a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, or pecorino Romano, and are left with a hefty cheese rind? Before you toss it, use it to enhance another recipe. The texture of a cheese rind is too hard to eat on its own, but it makes for a great flavoring in soups and pasta sauces. Upcycling rinds is a great way to create something new with excess food waste, leading to a more sustainable way to cook with cheese. Before cooking with cheese rinds, be sure to clean them. To do this, rinse the rinds in water and pat dry with a cloth. Next, remove any excess wax on the exterior with a cheese planer or knife. Now, it’s time to put this technique to use—here are our favorite ways to reuse cheese rinds.
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Storing Cheese Rinds
First things first: If you’re not ready to use your cheese rinds right away, seal them in an airtight plastic bag and store in the freezer until a recipe calls for one. Surprisingly enough, they’ll last indefinitely. Cheese rinds are the only type of cheese you should store in the freezer. Never freeze cheese that you intend to eat at room temperature—the cold temperatures will affect the flavor and texture.
Soup
One of the most popular methods for using cheese rinds is soup. If a soup tasted better with grated cheese on top, there’s a good chance that the cheese rinds will enhance the flavor of the crock! This Parmesan Broth is a perfect example. The broth calls for 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds, sautéed with herbs and vegetables and simmered in water. The cheese rinds soften the flavor and liquid, adding subtle nutty and slightly fruity notes. From here, you can customize the soup however you want!
This Minestrone Soup is a cozy winter staple that calls for a 2” rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Here, it’s simmered with vegetables including tomatoes and green beens, two varieties of legumes, fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, and water to create a zesty and flavorful soup. The rind is removed just before serving but grate even more cheese on top because why not?
Pasta
Rinds are sometimes added to homemade pasta sauce, such as a classic marinara. Add a few rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano and simmer with the tomatoes, mirepoix, and basil. This adds a slightly salty flavor to the sauce while thickening the consistency. Remember to remove the rind before serving.
Risotto
Unless it’s totally dairy-free, Parmesan cheese is usually folded into silky risotto just before serving. But don’t wait until the end to add it—use cheese rinds in risotto, too. Normally you’d heat up stock or water before stirring it into the rice, right? While the liquid heats up, add the rind, along with thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, and bring to a light simmer for a more flavorful base. The rice will be enhanced by the cheesy notes in the broth and the result is a deliciously creamy, nutty dish.
Olive Oil
If you’re a fan of infused olive oil, you’ll love this trick! Take a pecorino Romano cheese rind and add it to a jar of extra-virgin olive oil. Let this mixture sit for a few days so the flavor of the cheese infuses the oil. You can also add other herbs and aromatics such as thyme, rosemary, and garlic for an extra kick. Serve alongside crusty bread as the perfect aperitivo snack!
What are your favorite ways to reuse cheese rinds? Share your ideas in the comments below! Written by: Marissa Mullen
Marissa Mullen is a Brooklyn-based food stylist, recipe developer, photographer and cheese lover. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of the Cheese By Numbers method. She is also the author of the best-selling cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, a step-by-step styling guide for crafting beautiful and delicious cheese plates as a form of creative expression. Featured on The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Business Insider, Vox among others, Marissa is dedicated to bringing people together through creativity, food and entertainment.
FAQs
It's really as simple as throwing a rind into the pot while something is simmering. Whether you're making a broth or stock, or cooking up a big batch of pasta sauce, throw a couple rinds in while it's bubbling away.
How long to leave cheese rind in soup? ›
Simmer the sauce:
Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the parmesan rind and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the sauce reduces and begins to thicken.
Can you freeze cheese rind? ›
You can keep a stash of Parmesan rinds in a ziplock bag in your freezer for up to 1 year. The rinds can be used straight from the freezer, no need to thaw before dropping in a pot of simmering soup or tomato sauce.
What to do with a bunch of parmesan rinds? ›
Once you've managed to hold onto this unsuspecting flavor jackpot, there are plenty of tasty ways to put the rind to good use. You can throw it into simmering soups, stews, beans, and pasta dishes for an extra kick of salty, cheesy, funky flavor.
How long does cheese rind last? ›
Save your cheese rinds!
I keep a zippered plastic bag of any sizable pieces of grating-cheese rind in a drawer in the refrigerator. Stored air tight, they will last indefinitely, or you can plop them in the freezer.
Can you put Parmesan rind in stock? ›
Just as you might save chicken bones or vegetable trimmings to turn into chicken or vegetable broth, I hoard Parmesan rinds. When I have enough, I simmer the rinds and a few curated aromatics to create an intensely flavorful, luxurious broth.
When should you not eat cheese rind? ›
In fact, the question here shouldn't be “can” I eat the rind, more like “should” I eat the rind, because (unless the cheese is coated with an inedible substance like wax or cloth), rinds are totally safe to eat. At the end of the day, it really comes down to your personal preference.
What are cheese rinds good for? ›
Natural rinds on young cheeses, like the Bayley Hazen Blue pictured, are delicious and musty, a taste that has the power to transport you into the cave in which it was aged. The rinds on older cheeses like Parmigiano are very waxy and unpalatable, but make great broth and dog chew toys.
How to store cheese rinds? ›
Simply store the rinds in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use them. You'll never think twice about throwing them away again!
Why is freezing not recommended for cheese? ›
Before freezing, the moisture in a cheese is distributed evenly throughout its interior, along with fat, protein, and minerals. Freezing turns that moisture into ice crystals, which damages the cheese's structure and can affect whether its texture is crumbly or pliable, firm or pasty after thawing.
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.
Can you boil pasta with Parmesan rind? ›
Why settle for ordinary pasta when you can take it to flavor paradise? Add a few cheese rinds to a pot of boiling water, then toss in your pasta and salt.
What is the white stuff on Parmesan cheese rinds? ›
No need to worry - these tiny white specks are actually a good thing. They're most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged.
Can I shred Parmesan rind? ›
Even though the rind is edible, it is very hard and sometimes gritty. It doesn't grate well, but the Parmesan rind has other uses, particularly in soup or sauce recipes. When the rest of the cheese is gone, you can use the rind right away in another dish, or keep it in the freezer to use later.
Can I put cheese rind in soup? ›
Parmesan rind is a protective layer that forms on the cheese as it ages. While it's safe to eat, its commonly discarded because it's hard and difficult to chew. That doesn't mean it isn't full of flavor though! The rinds can be simmered in sauces, soups, and broths, imparting its flavor as it slowly breaks down.
When should you throw away cheese? ›
After opening, you can safely store most soft cheeses in the fridge for at least 7 days and most hard cheeses for 3–4 weeks. Carefully inspect hard cheeses for mold and cut off any spots, but toss soft cheeses and crumbled, shredded, or sliced cheeses (whether hard or soft) if you see mold.
Will Parmesan cheese thicken soup? ›
First, a quick and easy way to thicken soup is to add cheese. While any cheese will work, you can also effortlessly upgrade your soup's flavor and thickness by adding a leftover frozen parmesan rind.
How do you add Parmesan to soup? ›
I throw in leftover Parmesan cheese rinds—usually two of them—before the 30- to 40-minute simmer time. The soup gets topped with shredded Parm when serving, but adding the rind to the pot while the soup is simmering gives it an additional depth of nutty flavor that takes the already-excellent soup up a notch.
Can I put a Parmesan rind in the pressure cooker? ›
Stir in the beans, wheat berries and Parmesan rind. Cover and set steam valve to sealed position. Pressure cook on high for 70 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes then release the remaining pressure manually.
Should you eat the brie rind? ›
The mold used to make these cheeses is safe to eat. The firm, white rind forms when the mold blooms and is then patted down. This process happens over and over until the Brie is ready. Not only is the rind on Brie safe to eat but it may even keep out harmful organisms that could contaminate the cheese.
In short, the answer is yes, cheese rind is edible, but there are a lot of intricacies. "I know die hard turophiles who eat the rind no matter what—and there are those who mostly avoid them," says Serino.
How do you use washed rind cheese? ›
Like bloomy rind cheeses, we enjoy washed rind cheeses best when ripened to room temperature or melted. On a board, their flavors pair beautifully with dark breads, cured meats, and fruits (fresh and dried).
