Simple, elegant, lacy, and delightfully crispy, this Parmesan Crisps Recipe is incredibly easy to make!
Store-bought Parmesan crisps are an easy way to add crunch to your salads and soups, but why not make them from scratch? The short ingredient list and simple prep make this one a no-brainer. You know exactly what’s going into your crisps, and there are no additives or preservatives. Once you try making your own, you might never go back to grabbing a package at the store!
The star of the show here is the Parmesan cheese. It’s a cheese that is way better than the ubiquitous green canister of grated stuff kids dump on their spaghetti and meatballs. Parmesan cheese is wonderfully versatile and can be used as a key ingredient in sauces, breading, and pasta dishes. Even the rind is useful in soups! Parmesan’s flavor profile is nutty and slightly salty. The texture is hard and perfect for grating or shredding (see below for tips).
You will love making your own Parmesan crisps. This is a recipe you want to make on a regular basis, so you always have them handy. The crisps store incredibly well, so you’re ready to top your soups and salads, add to a charcuterie board, or enjoy as a snack. They are keto-friendly, low-carb, and gluten-free, which is a bonus on top of their wonderfully flavorful, crunchy taste.
Cheese tips
If you go to any cheese counter, you’ll see both Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano. While both are similar, Parmigiano Reggiano is the original Italian cheese, produced in places such as Bologna, Modena, and Parma, under strict rules, and usually aged for a minimum of 24 months. In the EU, true Parmigiano Reggiano can also be called Parmesan, but that’s a different story elsewhere. In the States, for example, Parmesan does not have to be made in Italy and is not protected or made according to the same standards. Generally speaking, it’s aged for about 10 months.
For these cheese crisps, both will work well. Using your regular box grater, shred the cheese on the medium-small holes (not the largest shredding holes you’d use for soft cheeses, and not the tiny spikes meant for zesting citrus). This gives you evenly sized shreds that melt and crisp beautifully.
How do I store leftovers?
Another bonus of making your own Parmesan crisps is the storage time. Make up a batch on the weekend, and you will have crisps to keep on hand for up to 1 week. Kept in an airtight container, these crisps store beautifully at room temperature and are at the ready when you want them. Don’t refrigerate them, as the moisture will change their texture. Freezing is an option as well; stack them with parchment paper in between the layers and freeze for up to 2 months. If you need to recrisp them before serving, pop them into a preheated oven set to 200°F for just 1 or 2 minutes.
Serving suggestions
You’ve got all kinds of options when it comes to using these delicious crisps. If you need gluten-free croutons for a salad, they work great; try them on Caesar Salad, for example. Parmesan crisps are also a nice addition to a charcuterie board, both visually and texturally. Try adding them to a Mardi Gras-Inspired Cheese Board. At a cocktail party or other gathering where you offer munchies, serve these crisps along with Antipasto Skewers. Of course, you can just pop a few for a snack, too, when the craving for something crunchy hits! Any way you decide to use them, Parmesan crisps are a wonderfully versatile item to keep on hand.
Parmesan Crisps Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the Parmesan cheese with the garlic powder and onion powder (if using).
- Spoon 1 tablespoon heaps of the grated cheese onto the prepared baking sheet in 12 small piles, leaving about 1 inch between each. Lightly flatten each mound with a spoon to form small rounds.
- Bake for 4 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet to crisp up further.
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