You Can (and Should) Eat Your Parmesan Rinds — Just Do This One Thing First

published Jan 24, 2023
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Parmesan cheese with knife on wooden board
Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock

Parmesan cheese comes in quite a few different forms at the store. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese is super convenient and helps save a lot of time, but freshly grating a block of Parmesan goes a long way. If you love freshly grating cheese, and you’ve gotten down to the last bit, however, don’t throw out the rind!

Yes, in case you didn’t know, Parmesan cheese rinds are absolutely edible! Although the rinds tend to get quite dry and hard, most Parmesan cheese rinds are simply just a firm layer that is created as it ages. Cheese rind that is covered in wax or bandage is not edible, however.

So, what do you do with your leftover cheese rind? Instead of just nibbling on it or using it to flavor a pomodoro sauce (a trick from Giada DeLaurentiis), cut the Parmesan cheese rind into small, bite-size pieces and microwave them until they turn into puffed crisps! Yup, in less than a minute you can turn those rock-hard rinds into a salty snack.

I was reminded of this simple trick from a TikTok video I came across from user gray.davis. In the video, Davis removed the wax from on top of the rind, cuts the rind into small squares and then microwaves them for just a minute. The pieces of rind puffed up and turned into a crunchy snack in almost no time!

How to Microwave Parmesan Rinds

I tried out this hack for myself and, in the process, found out that you can actually buy cheese rinds by themselves at some stores. I simply cut the rind into small squares (an inch or less) and placed them on a small plate. I microwaved them for about one minute, checked on them, and then microwaved for a little less than 30 seconds. Lastly, I let them rest for about 10 minutes.

Parmesan rind chopped

My Honest Review of Microwaved Parmesan Rinds

The trick totally worked! They were crisp by not burnt and, in a way, they were not as bitter-tasting as a rind tends to be. One tip I’d offer, however, is to definitely let them dry out for at least 10 minutes. I found that the longer they sit, they crunchier they will be. While most of the pieces were crispy, some larger pieces I tried first were a bit chewier in texture.

Overall, however, I’d say that this simple trick is a good way to reduce some waste in your food and get a neat little snack at the same time! The best part is, though, you don’t need a dehydrator or some fancy kitchen gadget to get the job done.