Skip to main content

Why Parmesan isn’t the cheese you should put on your pasta

It may be time to rethink your finishing cheese for your pasta dishes

Mauro Pezzotta/Shutterstock

We know that we say this about a lot of dishes, but truly — is there anything better than a big, rich, steaming bowl of cheesy pasta? Give us your bucatini, your ravioli, your fettuccini Alfredo. We’ll take it all. Just always, always, top it with a generous grating of cheese. But which cheese? Of course, in this country, we’ve gotten very used to that finishing cheese being salty, nutty, delicious Parmesan. And while that’s certainly a very adequate choice — is it the best choice? We say no. If you ask us, Pecorino Romano is the superior alternative.

Recommended Videos

What’s the difference between Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Romano?

The two cheeses undoubtedly have their similarities. Both are hard, aged, salty Italian cheeses. The main difference between the two is that Parmesan is a cow’s milk cheese, and Pecorino is a sheep’s. And while both cheeses are aged, the differences in aging time are significant. Parmesan can be aged anywhere between one and three years, while the more youthful Pecorino is generally only aged a few months.

Parmesan cheese
Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock

What are the best uses for Parmesan cheese?

Parmesan is deservedly popular for its delightful salty nuttiness and mellow ability to blend with any number of dishes. It’s beautiful in the dishes after which it is named, such as chicken or eggplant parmesan. Parmesan is also a wonderful filler for meatballs and it adds richness to soups and sauces. But overall, Parmesan does far better in a supporting role than that of the main star.

Pecorino Romano
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What are the best uses for Pecorino Romano?

Pecorino, however, gets the winning trophy from us. While it’s clearly the less appreciated cheese here, you just can’t argue its obvious superiority. Its gorgeous creaminess adds a texture component that one doesn’t get from Parmesan. It also hits with a signature tang, making it beautiful on its own, or adding depth to simple dishes, such as lighter pastas or gratins. That tangy creaminess is just impossible to compete with.

It’s also worth noting that Pecorino is a delight to enjoy by itself with a glass of wine. You could enjoy Parmesan this way, but it doesn’t work as well as a table cheese as Pecorino does.

Pasta on white plate with cheese on top
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Can you use the two interchangeably?

You can. But that doesn’t mean you should. Generally, a recipe will take these differences into account before printing, so if you want to enjoy a dish the way it’s meant to be enjoyed, it’s best to stick with what’s called for, such as Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano).

Another thing to consider, apart from the flavor and texture differences we’ve already mentioned, is that Pecorino tends to taste quite a bit saltier than Parmesan. So if you do end up swapping one for the other, keep salt content in mind and adjust your seasonings accordingly, tasting your dish as you go.

Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
Give your G&T a twist with these fun variations
Spanish gin tonic

Today is National Gin & Tonic day, so it's the perfect excuse to enjoy one of the finest (and simplest) cocktails out there. A classic Gin & Tonic is just two ingredients -- perhaps with the addition of a slice of lemon or lime -- but you can add endless extras to the drink to give it a personal twist.

One aspect of a G&T you shouldn't overlook is the tonic water, as not all tonic waters are created equal and a high quality option really does make for a better drink. These recipes come from Badger Bevs, a brand which produces a premium tonic water perfect for mixing. And the Badger Bevs Brand Ambassador, Jillian Vose, has come up with suggestions to give your G&T a bit of a special twist.

Read more
You won’t find claret wine in the store, but you’ve probably already had some
A corrupted name with a cool history
Red wine being poured into a glass

Perhaps you’re into period English movies (like, say, anything by Jane Austen). If so, you’ve noticed that when it’s time to break out the good stuff (you know, the bottle from the cellar that needs to be decanted), it’s always a wine called "claret." While I do enjoy the occasional Jane Austen movie, I’ve been a more consistent fan of wine -- but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what this claret stuff was, why it was so beloved, and where I could get my hands on it. The short answer is that "claret" is basically British slang for red wines from Bordeaux. The long answer involves ancient Romans, Eleanor of Aquitaine, English corruption of the French language, the Hundred Years’ War, and a dry, brick-red rosé that might not yet be on your radar.

The Romans, great champions of the grape themselves, did bring viticulture to the Bordeaux region -- though, to be honest, they were much more interested in the trading potential of the huge natural harbor located in the Gironde River estuary. Once the empire collapsed, so did those trade routes from the Mediterranean to northern Europe. Ultimately, Bordeaux (along with the rest of southwest France) became part of the large, powerful, and independent duchy of Aquitaine. And this is where our claret wine story begins.
Bordeaux was English for centuries

Read more
A beginner’s guide to sweet red wines: Why they’re more exciting than you think
It's not just for red meat anymore
Glass of red wine with fruit and ice on table

When it comes to wine, it's really more about the exceptions than the rules. You could be forgiven for thinking that a glass of red should be robust like a Bordeaux or earthy like a California cab. At any rate, it should be "dry," right? Oh, no, budding wine enthusiast. I'm here to tell you about some red wines that are literally toothsome. It all started when I had my first glass of a fizzy, sweet Lambrusco, along with an Italian dessert pastry featuring dark chocolate and burnt meringue, and life got noticeably better.

Let's start with the basics: What makes a wine sweet? The answer is simple -- the amount of residual sugar left after fermentation. Grapes tend to be sweet, after all, and yeast eats sugar to produce (among other things) alcohol. By stalling the fermentation process (or back sweetening the result), a wine can taste sweet, regardless of whether the grape varietal is red or white. (There's also a thing called "noble rot," scientifically known as botrytis cinerea. Although it's a fungus, it imparts a distinctive sweetness to wines and therefore we love it.) Let's visit the wonderful world of sweet red wine.
Sparkling sweet reds: It's a thing

Read more