7 Genius Uses For Parmesan Rinds

1. To make the best stock you've ever tasted.

As part of HuffPost’s “Reclaim” project, HuffPost Taste will focus the entire month of July on simple ways you can reduce food waste in your own home.

There are a great many reasons one should buy wedges of Parmesan, and one of those is the rind. First, the best part of the cheese is found closest to the rind. And second, the rind itself holds loads of culinary potential.

At first the rind might seem like money wasted on a delicious, yet expensive wedge of cheese. But once you learn all the creative ways you can use it in your kitchen you’ll soon see the light. Never, ever throw away your Parmesan rinds. Ever. They are the secret ingredient your kitchen didn’t know you needed.

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Here are seven great uses for rind:

1. Make a broth. This is probably the best thing you can do with rind. You can then use that stock to make some of the best risotto you’ve ever tasted.

2. Add it to your next pot of tomato sauce. Just toss it in while the sauce is simmering and pull it out before you serve.

3. Toss it in the pot while making soups or stews. Same method as with the tomato sauce. It’s particularly good in minestrone and white bean soup.

4. Broil it. If you have a piece of rind that has no wax, toss it under the broiler. When it gets tender and chewy, eat it!

5. Use it in a steamer basket when steaming veggies. And say goodbye to bland steamed vegetables. It works particularly well with artichokes.

6. Make Parmesan-infused oil with it. Top the rind with olive oil and let it infuse. Then pour it on top of everything.

7. Turn it into stuffing. Or a savory bread pudding. Seriously.

If you don’t feel like getting creative with Parmesan rinds right away you can always keep them in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have a little more time. But trust us, you’re going to want to use those rinds, like now.

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