# Cheese experts: how bad is the parmesan/romano substitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 23, 2025, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975 "2025-12-23T06:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/1 "2025-12-23T06:37:30Z")
To be clear, I would never use pre-grated cheese. That’s disgusting. I also am mindful of the (alleged, which I am happy to believe) superiority of “true” cheese from the correct point of origin. So parmesan must be Parmigiano Reggiano, and romano must be Pecorino Romano. Beyond that, I’m ignorant. If I’m making a recipe that calls for Parmesan, but all I have is Romano … I will shamelessly substitute. Or the other way around. And I don’t care, to be honest. If I get a tasty result, I’m content. But I’m happy to educate my palate, and understand why a Parmesan/Romano substitution could matter. Brandwise, my options are limited by where I live (Hawai’i Island). Kirkland or Boars’ Head. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/2 "2025-12-23T07:01:09Z")
I’ve subbed Parmigiano-Reggiano in recipes that called for Pecorino Romano, and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. They’re both hard aged grating cheeses that don’t really melt - the big difference, AFAICT, is that the latter is made from sheep milk instead of cow’s milk. Google informs me that Kirkland brand is authentic imported Italian stuff. I’m not sure the same is true of Boar’s Head. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/3 "2025-12-23T07:40:36Z")
I’ve always been poor, but one thing I don’t scrimp on is decent parmesan ore reggiano cheese. NEVER the pre-grated shit, but parmesan and reggiano are almost identical to me for the dishes I’m making. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/4 "2025-12-23T07:50:27Z")
I give up… on this one. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/5 "2025-12-23T08:09:34Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’ve subbed Parmigiano-Reggiano in recipes that called for Pecorino Romano, and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. They’re both hard aged grating cheeses that don’t really melt - the big difference, AFAICT, is that the latter is made from sheep milk instead of cow’s milk. A side-by-side comparison will show the difference in the tastes. For me, Pecorino Romano is a bit more bold and stands out a bit more. I know people who will not eat it straight, even though they will eat Parmigiano-Reggiano straight. That said, I agree that substituting one for the other isn’t going to make a big difference. For a recipe such as this one, there will be a taste difference, as the cheese is a big part of the overall flavor. It’ll still be tasty, IMHO. > **[corn cacio e pepe](https://smittenkitchen.com/2023/08/corn-cacio-e-pepe/)** > > The only thing I love more than the combination of salty, funky pecorino cheese and copious amounts of black pepper on a tangle of linguine is the way I make it in the summer: adding sweet, crunchy… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/6 "2025-12-23T08:26:09Z")
I usually just go with Grana Padano. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/7 "2025-12-23T08:50:04Z")
There’s a taste and textural difference - Pecorino is saltier to my palette. But honestly, I doubt anyone but an Italian chef would notice the difference mixed into a dish. It’s noticeable if you eat them side-by-side from a cheese board. I use a mix of both in carbonara, but if I’ve run out of one, I don’t sweat it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/8 "2025-12-23T08:52:59Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I usually just go with Grana Padano. I can get authentic imported Parmigiano-Reggiano at the grocery store I work at. For Grana Padano, I have to go to the bougie grocery store that has a Murray’s Cheese counter. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/9 "2025-12-23T09:09:00Z")
A major cheese label here sells imported Gran Padano, whole or in flakes, so it’s available just about everywhere. Pecorino Romano can be harder to find. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/10 "2025-12-23T15:03:40Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > A side-by-side comparison will show the difference in the tastes. For me, Pecorino Romano is a bit more bold and stands out a bit more. I know people who will not eat it straight, even though they will eat Parmigiano-Reggiano straight. Yes, this. Romano is saltier and has a more aggressive flavor. I wouldn’t use it in a dish that has delicate flavors, like something with seafood in it (leaving aside that many Italians are horrified by Americans’ use of cheese with seafood). Parmigiano has a more refined flavor to it, less salty. I’d be less inclined to use it with something that’s got bold flavors in it. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/11 "2025-12-23T15:32:51Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > To be clear, I would never use pre-grated cheese. That’s disgusting. That’s an overly broad generalization. You may be thinking of something like the green cardboard canisters (I think it’s Kraft brand) of so-called “parmesan” found on supermarket shelves that doesn’t even need to be refrigerated, but might be useful to make wallpaper paste. But good parmesan is good parmesan, whether pre-grated or not. I often freshly grate parmesan, but not always. The stuff I buy pre-grated is a specific store brand of Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, imported from Italy and aged at least 24 months, available grated, shaved, or in blocks. It’s a quality, protected “designation of origin” (PDO) cheese sourced from the Parma region and is excellent even if pre-grated in the store. It has to be refrigerated and has a limited shelf life, but it can also be stored in the freezer. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/12 "2025-12-23T15:46:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Google informs me that Kirkland brand is authentic imported Italian stuff. Their pre-grated is also authentic imported Italian stuff, and it doesn’t contain cellulose (because it is grated larger, it doesn’t cake anyway). That’s what we buy. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/13 "2025-12-31T01:14:23Z")
FWIW, in the latest “Alton Brown Cooks Food” episode, he says this about substitutes for Pecorino Romano: [Could you use Parmigiano Reggiano, or Grana Padano? Sure you could, if you want me to lock myself in my attic garret and cry all through the afternoon, go ahead, you beast.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNz0-XkcVQ#t=9m35s) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/14 "2025-12-31T01:52:23Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > But good parmesan is good parmesan, whether pre-grated or not. This isn’t true. Almost all pre-grated and most pre-shredded parmesan cheese includes potato starch or cellulose to prevent clumping. As @Roderick_Femm notes, Kirkland brand is one of the few that doesn’t (or at least it’s not listed on their ingredient list). Maybe your shredded cheese doesn’t include anything, but I’d be very surprised if your grated cheese doesn’t. It’s worth it to look at the ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/15 "2025-12-31T02:08:49Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Almost all pre-grated and most pre-shredded parmesan cheese includes potato starch or cellulose to prevent clumping. As @Roderick_Femm notes, Kirkland brand is one of the few that doesn’t (or at least it’s not listed on their ingredient list). > > Maybe your shredded cheese doesn’t include anything, but I’d be very surprised if your grated cheese doesn’t. It’s worth it to look at the ingredients. It doesn’t. It’s exactly the same Parmigiano Reggiano imported from Italy by a small chain of Italian-owned grocery stores that is also sold in block form and that I also sometimes buy. It states simply: > Ingredients: Raw cow’s milk, salt, bacterial culture, animal rennet. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/16 "2025-12-31T03:16:28Z")
Stick with that brand. That’s a rarity. Does the place grate it in-store? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/17 "2025-12-31T03:46:49Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Does the place grate it in-store? I presume they do, as it’s the same parmesan that they import from Italy under their own brand name and also sell in block form. It’s great Parmigiano Reggiano but it ain’t cheap. This is a lovely small chain of grocery stores that all have their own stone pizza ovens and operate hot buffets and soup stands, and have great prepared dinners. Some of the stores roast their own coffee beans, too, so I wouldn’t doubt that they grate their own parmesan! The closest one is a little farther away than the local supermarkets but I love shopping there. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/18 "2025-12-31T05:28:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > This is a lovely small chain of grocery stores … I think I know the one you mean. I checked, and they will ship across Canada via FedEx. Now you’ve given me some ideas. Hmmm … ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2025, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-experts-how-bad-is-the-parmesan-romano-substitution/1025975/19 "2025-12-31T05:52:08Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > ou may be thinking of something like the green cardboard canisters (I think it’s Kraft brand) of so-called “parmesan” found on supermarket shelves that doesn’t even need to be refrigerated, but might be useful to make wallpaper paste. Correct, that is what I was thinking of. Glad to read your more nuanced take. Along with the comments that follow from @Roderick_Femm and @TroutMan .