Parmigiano-Reggiano vs. Parmesan: What’s the Difference?

We’ve all been there. We have a recipe for a pasta dish that calls for Parmesan cheese, and at the store, we’re presented with the problem: Parmigiano-Reggiano vs. Parmesan? The prices are different, but is there an actual difference between the two?

There are more types of cheese on the market than ever, but Parmigiano-Reggiano is often called the “King of Cheeses.” This Italian cheese makes chicken Parmesan sing, boosts your Caesar salads, dresses up your popcorn and turns a regular baked potato into a work of art. Across Italy and the world, cheese lovers prize Parmigiano-Reggiano for its salty, nutty flavor and rich complexity. The cheese is a staple ingredient in the cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region, along with other local all-stars like prosciutto di Parma and balsamic vinegar.

Whenever I visit Parma or Bologna, I marvel at the big, beautiful wheels of the stuff sold at the local caseificio (cheese shop), and I make sure to buy plenty of it to snack on throughout the day.

What is Parmigiano-Reggiano?

Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard, nutty cow’s milk cheese that’s aged for at least 12 months. All stages of the Parmigiano-Reggiano production process occur exclusively in Italy, in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, to the left of the river Reno and to the right of the river Po.

However, the deeply savory cheese is enjoyed across Italy, grated atop pasta dishes and salads or served in beautiful hunks on charcuterie boards. Parmigiano-Reggiano really is the MVP of Italian cheeses.

Parmigiano-Reggiano vs. Parmesan

If your cheese has the words Parmigiano-Reggiano stamped on the rind, it’s the real deal. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a protected designation of origin product (in Italian, Denominazione di Origine Protetta, or DOP). Similar to the rules governing the production of Champagne, there are rules for how and where Parmigiano-Reggiano is made. It must be produced in the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena or Bologna and follow a specific recipe to receive the official seal.

That means anything called by another name (like Parmesan or Reggianito) is an impostor. These “fake” cheeses may taste similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano, but they’ll lack the complexity of the certified kind. You can ask your local cheesemonger for a side-by-side tasting; the Parmesan will taste saltier and more acidic when compared to the deeply rich, nutty flavor of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

It’s well worth the price difference to buy the real deal!

Grana Padano vs. Parmigiano-Reggiano

Even though they both have similarly nutty notes, the two Italian cheeses are quite different. First, they come from different parts of Italy. Grana Padano producers make their cheese in a much wider area of Italy, across 33 provinces located in the north. By comparison, Parmigiano-Reggiano producers make their cheese in just five provinces, clustered in the Emilia-Romagna region. The production process also has notable differences: Parmigiano-Reggiano cannot contain any additives, while Grana Padano often contains lysozyme, a protein extracted from egg whites that helps control the fermentation process.

One of the most significant differences between the two hard cheeses has a noticeable impact on flavor: maturation time. Parmigiano-Reggiano must age for at least 12 months, though it’s usually aged for 24 months or longer. Grana Padano, however, is typically aged for just 15 months. Because Parmigiano-Reggiano usually has a longer aging time, it tends to have much richer complexity, with even a bit of funk.

How is Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese made?

MARCO BERTORELLO/GETTY IMAGES

It all starts with the cows, of course. The cattle feed on locally grown forage, which lends itself to the freshest-tasting milk. According to the Parmigiano-Reggiano consortium, it takes about 550 liters (143 gallons) of milk to produce each wheel of cheese.

After the milk coagulates with the help of a rennet and a whey starter, the curds are cooked down to form a single curd mass. The cheese curd is cut in two and wrapped in linen cloth before being placed in the round mold that gives it its final shape. After a few days, the cheese wheels are plopped into salty water.

Then, it’s time for maturation: The wheels age for 12 months or longer, sometimes up to 40 months. The longer the Parmigiano-Reggiano is aged, the more that nutty complexity shines.

How to Use Parmigiano-Reggiano

Parmigiano-Reggiano is heavenly when grated atop pasta or used to form the creamy sauce for cacio e pepe. We recommend using a rasp grater (like a Microplane) on hard cheeses like Parmesan. The fine teeth create a super-fine shred that’s light and fluffy. You won’t have to use as much cheese, stretching that expensive block so it lasts longer. As a bonus, these handheld graters are much easier to clean than huge box graters.

Beyond pasta, many spectacular recipes use Parmigiano-Reggiano, from crispy baked fish to roasted broccoli. The hard cheese elevates any snack board or cheese board: Pair it with fresh and dried figs or thin, sweet-tart slices of pear and apple. It’s a perfectly lovely snack on its own—though we wouldn’t stop you from pouring a crisp glass of pinot grigio to enjoy with it.