Parmesan Crisps

The one cheese my refrigerator is always stocked with is Parmesan. This magical cheese makes everything it touches that much tastier and it’s also pretty delicious on its own — especially when baked up into lacy Parmesan crisps. These elegant crisps call for just one ingredient and are so easy to make — as long as you have the right kind of Parmesan and use the right technique.

I made tray after tray of Parmesan crisps, using various kinds of Parmesan and trying different ways of grating the cheese, in order to perfect this recipe. Here is what I discovered.

I am an equal opportunist when it comes to Parmesan. In my fridge, you’ll find fancy Parmigiano-Reggiano, full of yummy salty crystals, as well as pre-grated or shredded domestic Parmesan for my Parm-loving daughter. But when it comes to crisps, I’ve found that the type of Parmesan you use makes a huge difference between a delicate crisp that snaps easily and one that’s chewy and a bit tough.

Shredding Parmigiano-Reggiano directly off the block makes for the best crisps, and it’s worth the extra effort. You don’t have to buy the most expensive Parm out there, but grating it yourself means the cheese isn’t dried out and will melt beautifully and into a thin, delicate layer.

In a pinch, you can use store-bought shredded Parmesan, which still bakes up crisp, just not as delicate in nature. But stay far, far away from pre-grated Parmesan, which clumps up and bakes up chewy.

You’ll also want to grate the Parmesan into shreds that are just the right size to melt into crispy deliciousness. Don’t use the grating holes that you would use for potatoes or zucchini or the really small, spiky hole section on the box grater that’s meant for zesting citrus or grating cheese really finely. Do use the shredding side of a box grater, which produces shreds that are not too big and not too small.

To keep Parmesan crisps from sticking to the baking sheet in the oven, line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat first. You can just reuse the paper or baking mat if you’re making multiple batches of crisps.

Let the Parmesan crisps cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container, where they can keep for up to 5 days. Honestly though, these are so tasty they never last that long in my house!

I think I first had Parmesan crisps on a Caesar salad, and I thought they were such an ingenious gluten-free alternative to croutons. Amp up the Parmesan factor in this kale Caesar salad by garnishing it with the crisps, or just have them with a cold glass of crisp white wine for an easy-yet-fancy happy hour pairing.