Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Parmigiano Reggiano

The ultimate guide to Italy’s most famous cheese.

Italy is home to hundreds of incredible cheeses that are unique to every corner of the country, made with cow, goat, and sheep’s milk alike. But when you think of Italian formaggio, there’s one name that almost certainly leaps to mind first: Parmigiano Reggiano.

With its massive wheels and distinctive crumbly, crystalline interior, Parmigiano Reggiano is instantly recognizable thanks to its ubiquitous use as a pasta topper and has been a favorite in the U.S. since the 1950s. In fact, it was the first Italian cheese to be marketed to American consumers!

Even though it’s so well-known, there are a lot of questions about just what Parmigiano Reggiano is and—more importantly—what it isn’t. Never fear! We’ve got answers to all of your questions right here.

What is Parmigiano Reggiano?

To be called Parmigiano Reggiano, the cheese has to meet some very strict requirements. That's because the name is DOP-protected, the official seal of authenticity that regulates Italy's most precious local foods. It starts with fresh, unpasteurized milk from grass-fed cows in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantua. Within 24 hours, the milk must be separated with a natural culture to start the fermentation process, then cooked over low heat in copper cauldrons.

A master cheese maker carefully tends to this process, breaking up the curds with a traditional tool called a spino. Once they form a mass, it’s shaped into a huge wheel which is immersed in a salt-water bath to give it that characteristic salty charm. The wheel is then aged for at least 12 months (and often much longer!). The longer it's aged, the more intense the flavor becomes.

How can I be sure I'm actually buying Parmigiano Reggiano?

If you're buying a wedge cut to order at your grocery store's cheese counter or at a specialty store, there's an easy way to spot Parmigiano Reggiano: just look for the pindots! After the wheel of cheese is formed, the cheesemaker uses a special belt to press the words Parmigiano Reggiano in pindots all around the side of the wheel. This distinctive pattern is found on the outside of every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano—if it's not there, it's not the real thing.

What’s with the code on the outside of my cheese?

It’s a quality control system! In addition to the Parmigiano Reggiano pindots, each wheel also gets a unique medallion stamp with the month and year of its production and a code for the factory where it was made, so you can trace your cheese back to its source. 

Is the rind of Parmigiano Reggiano edible?

Unlike some cheeses, which are coated in wax or other substances to protect them as they age, there’s nothing in a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano that isn’t pure cheese. The outermost layer forms a hard rind simply because it has been exposed to the air for so long. It's completely edible! Save those rinds and simmer them in soups, stews, and sauces to imbue a deep umami flavor—they’re the secret weapon in Giada’s basic Parmigiano Pomodoro!

Which form of Parmigiano Reggiano should I buy?

Giada always recommends buying whole wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano when you can. That way, you're sure that you're only getting pure Parmigiano Reggiano with none of the additives that are sometimes used to keep grated cheese from clumping. You also get the best flavor when you grate or cut into the cheese right before you use it, just like freshly ground pepper and spices are so much more flavorful than the pre-ground stuff. You also have more flexibility to use this versatile cheese in different ways: in chunks on a cheese board, in slivers atop a salad, and more. Better yet, you get to keep the flavorful rind to toss in those sauces and stews!

I'm lactose-intolerant. Can I still eat Parmigiano Reggiano?

Yes! Parmigiano Reggiano's fermentation and aging process converts all the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, making it naturally lactose-free. Enjoy!