Parmesan Broth

Name: Parmesan Broth
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: About 9 cups
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (skin-on) yellow onion, quartered from tip to tip; 1 whole head garlic, cut in half crosswise; 3/4 pound Parmesan rinds (about 5 large rinds); 15 fresh parsley sprigs; 8 fresh thyme sprigs; 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 2 dried bay leaves

By Julia Sherman

Published March 18, 2020

Total Time: 2¾ hours
Rating: 4(603)
Comments: Read comments

Parmesan broth boosts the flavor of everything it touches. More robust than meat- or vegetable-based stocks, this kitchen staple summons the complex essence of aged cheese to serve as a liquid foundation for simmered beans, brothy soups and braised vegetables. This recipe relies on leftover Parmesan rinds, which can be collected over time and stored in the freezer, or bought at some supermarket cheese counters and most specialty cheese shops. If refrigerating the broth for later use, break up the solidified fats with the back of a spoon, or warm to redistribute before using.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 9 cups

3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1large (skin-on) yellow onion, quartered from tip to tip
1whole head garlic, cut in half crosswise
¾pound Parmesan rinds (about 5 large rinds)
15fresh parsley sprigs
8fresh thyme sprigs
2teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2dried bay leaves

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add onion quarters and halved garlic, and cook, flat-side down, until the onion and garlic are lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Add Parmesan rinds, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and 12 cups water; bring to a boil.
Step 2
Once the water comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Partly cover and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until broth is cloudy and tastes strongly like Parmesan, 2½ hours.
Step 3
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the vegetables and cheese rinds to extract as much liquid as possible. Let cool, then store the broth in the refrigerator up to 1 week or the freezer up to 3 months.

Ratings

4 out of 5

603 user ratings

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Comments

KASinYVR5 years ago

I save all my rinds and make broth but always wrap the rinds in cheesecloth before adding to the liquid. It saves a lot of clean-up effort as the rinds stick to the pot even if you do stir occasionally and it's a devil to clean. Use the broth in risottos, splitting the amount equally with chicken broth for optimal flavour.

Duane5 years ago

We've been keeping and using Parmesan rinds for years. Using don't go to the trouble of making a separate broth, just throw a couple of rinds into whatever soup you're making.

Beth5 years ago

I chop my rinds into pea-sized pieces and drop them into bean soup. The result is chewy little nuggets, in addition to enhancing the broth.

Brad11 months ago

When I make this I tie up the parm rinds, which are generally only about two inches wide as they come from slim pieces from the deli, in cheesecloth and it pretty much eliminates the melted cheese sticking to the pot issue. I also use a smoked black pepper as I think it adds another (subtle) layer to the rich broth.

LizS11 year ago

I'm confused about the yield. Squeezed every drop of liquid from the vegs and cheese rinds and still only got 3 cups.

too1 year ago

I followed the recipe exactly. The results though delicious, only made about 5 cups not 9. And my Le Creuset will never forgive me. Different pot next time.

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