Creamy Parmesan Stock

Save your Parmesan rinds to make this creamy, cheesy stock.

By
Ozoz Sokoh
A photo of Ozoz Sokoh, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Ozoz Sokoh

Ozoz Sokoh is a food explorer focused on celebrating and documenting West African culinary heritage.

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Updated September 06, 2023
Creamy Parmesan stock in an airtight glass container

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Why It Works

  • Simmering Parmesan rinds in water creates an easy, flavorful stock from scraps that would otherwise get thrown out.
  • Blending the softened rinds after simmering produces a rich and creamy stock with intense flavor, perfect for using in soups, braises, and sauces.

Typically, Parmesan rinds get thrown out or into soups once people hit the hard, “ungrateable” edge, but there’s more ways to use the rind than simply throwing it into a simmering pot on the stove. I like to hold onto the rinds and make a simple stock with them, which I can then store in the refrigerator or freezer.

There are two ways to make a stock from Parmesan rinds. The first is to simply simmer rinds in water, which produces a light, delicious, cheese-flavored broth. However, the second route is my preferred approach, since you wring every last bit of flavor from the rinds: you simmer the rinds in water and then blend them, which produces a creamier, more concentrated Parmesan stock.

discarded rinds of parmesan cheese on a marble board

Vicky Wasik

The creamy Parmesan stock can be used as a substitute for water or stock in any recipe where you think the flavor will work. It forms a great soup base, as well as a flavorful liquid for rouxs and other sauces. Trying to boost the flavors of risotto? Look no further. Cheesy beignets, fried dough, biscuits? The possibilities are endless.

I’ve made this with both rinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano and other non-Italian Parmesans, and I typically will save them, well-wrapped and in the freezer, until I have enough to make the stock.

May 2021

This recipe was cross-tested in 2023 to guarantee best results.

Recipe Details

Creamy Parmesan Stock Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins
Cooling Time 15 mins
Total 55 mins
Serves 4 servings
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 9 ounces (255g) Parmesan rind scraps (about 1 1/2- by 3 1/2-inch pieces)

  • 6 cups (1.5L) water

  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Directions

  1. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, scrape away and remove any mold residue or excess cheese from the Parmesan rinds. Place rinds in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool water for 30 seconds.

    Parmesan rinds placed in a fine-mesh strainer and rinsing under water

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

  2. In a 3-quart saucier or large saucepan, combine rinds with water and salt and bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to ensure that rinds don’t stick to bottom of the saucepan.

    Parmesan rinds, water, and salt maintaining a gentle simmer inside 3-quart saucier

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

  3. While Parmesan mixture simmers, set up a tall and narrow vessel suitable (about 6 cup vessel) for an immersion blender. Set up an immersion blender and set aside until ready to use (see notes). Place a fine mesh strainer covered with cheesecloth over a heatproof bowl and set aside until ready to use. (Once the rinds are softened, the blending process must happen quickly or the rinds will begin to harden again. That is why setting up the immersion blender is imperative.)

    Tall and narrow vessel set up with immersion blender, and a fine mesh strainer covered with cheesecloth and set over a heatproof bowl

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

  4. Working quickly while the Parmesan mixture is still very hot, remove from heat and transfer mixture to prepared vessel. Using the immersion blender, pulse, starting at low speed and gradually increasing to high speed, until liquid is creamy and Parmesan rinds are broken down into coarse-breadcrumb-size pieces, 1 to 2 minutes. Strain stock through prepared fine-mesh strainer. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

    Parmesan mixture pulsed with immersion blender, and straining stock through prepared fine-mesh strainer

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Special Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer, 3-quart saucier or large saucepan, immersion or countertop blender.

Notes

A countertop blender may be used, but it is essential to clean the blender immediately before the cheese hardens on the blades.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Parmesan stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
268Calories
18gFat
9gCarbs
18gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories268
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g23%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 55mg18%
Sodium 1479mg64%
Total Carbohydrate 9g3%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 555mg43%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 115mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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