Can I make this broth without parmesan rinds?

Unfortunately, no. The parmesan rinds are an essential component to this broth. If you leave them out, you'll just have a very light vegetable stock. If you'd like to make homemade broth without parmesan rinds, we recommend making a heartier vegetable stock, a homemade chicken stock, or turkey stock .

Parmesan Broth vs Parmesan Stock

Typically, stock includes bones - it's made with drippings and scraps from chicken, turkey, or beef. Stock also tends to have a longer cook time in order to pull all of the nutrients and collagen out of those bones, and can therefore have a thick, gelatinous texture once it's cooled. Broth, by contrast, is cooked a little bit quicker. Broth may include meat , but won't necessarily include bones. Because this particular recipe uses no bones, it's easiest to classify it as a "broth." But honestly, they're pretty interchangeable. (Bone broth, for example, is technically a stock. So basically: Call this whatever you want.) Learn more: What's the difference between stock and broth?

Should I cover broth while it's cooking?

It's really up to you! I typically leave my parmesan broth uncovered while it cooks because I love the way it fills the house with its aroma. Because this broth cooks pretty quickly, you won't lose too much liquid to evaporation - plus, letting that little bit of the liquid evaporate as the broth cooks helps to concentrate the flavor for a richer final product! If you have kids running around, or if you're planning to let the broth simmer for a longer period of time, you can pop the lid on while it cooks.

Can I make parmesan broth in a slow cooker?

Yes - sauté the veggies in a separate pan (or skip this step entirely!) and toss everything in a large crock pot for 6-8 hours on low heat.

What type of pot should I use?

We recommend using a large stockpot or a large Dutch oven for this recipe. Look for a sturdy, relatively tall pot that will hold at least 5-6 quarts of liquid.

Homemade Parmesan Broth (With Rinds)

Description

This easy homemade parmesan broth is perfect for pastas, soups, risottos, and more!

Ingredients

Scale

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
5-8 parmesan cheese rinds (use real Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rinds for best results)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
4-5 quarts water (enough to almost fill whatever pot you’re using)
Kosher salt to taste

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Instructions

Sauté the Veggies (5-10 minutes)

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add shallot, celery, and garlic and sauté, stirring only occasionally, for 5-10 minutes until some deep, golden brown color has developed across the surface of the veggies.
Add white wine to the pot to deglaze, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Build the Flavor & Simmer the Broth (2-4 hours)

Add parmesan rinds, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns to the stockpot. Add water until the pot is nearly full, then stir in a pinch of salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Let the broth cook at a low simmer, uncovered, for 2-4 hours. Stir the broth every hour or so to prevent the parmesan rinds from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the broth is ready, the veggies will be quite soft and have lost most of their color, while the broth itself will be a rich golden hue.
Turn off the heat and let broth cool for 30 minutes to an hour before straining.

Strain and Store (1 hour)

Use a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to pull any large veggies and parmesan rinds out of the stock. Compost or discard these remnants.
Set a mesh strainer on top of a very large mixing bowl. Carefully pour the broth through the sieve to remove any lingering solid pieces.
Let broth cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers (we like to use large deli containers). Store in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Use parmesan broth in risotto, soups, sauces, or anywhere else you would usually use chicken or vegetable broth!

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. This broth is very flexible. The parmesan rinds and water are the star players here (along with a pinch of salt) but the rest of the ingredients - what we like to call our "flavor enhancers" - are easy to adjust! Carrots, onion, bay leaves, fresh parsley or thyme, mushrooms, and leeks are all wonderful in this broth. We recommend using 4-6 flavor enhancers any time you make parmesan broth for a balanced, robust flavor. This is also a great place to use any leftover veggie scraps, like carrot peels, dark green leek pieces, end pieces of an onion, or garlic trimmings from roasting a head of garlic. Be sure to read the full post above for more guidance on swaps and substitutions!

Do I have to sauté the veggies? No - if you're short on time, you can skip this step. You'll lose a little bit of depth and complexity, but the broth will still taste great!

Storage and freezing. Let parmesan broth cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost frozen parmesan broth in the fridge overnight when you're ready to use it. If you plan to freeze your parmesan broth, we recommend using plastic airtight containers instead of glass (the broth will expand as it freezes, which can cause glass jars to crack).

As the broth sets, any extra cheese will solidify! Some parmesan cheese will naturally melt off the rinds and into the broth as it cooks. When the broth cools, this cheese rises to the surface and can form a thick, white crust along the top of the broth. You can remove this cheese if you like, but we typically leave it! It will melt right back into the broth when you heat it up in a soup or other recipe. The broth may also have some large white chunks of parmesan floating around after you defrost it: This is normal and the chunks will melt back into the sauce once it's re-heated.

Use parmesan broth anywhere you would use chicken or veggie stock! We love this broth in brothy butter beans, tortellini soup, as a light pasta sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice, in a cozy summer risotto, or in place of veggie broth in our Magic Cauliflower Cream sauce!