The Surprising Reason Why Some Types of Parmesan Cheese Aren't Vegetarian

Plus how to find one that is.

Used to be, when I thought of vegetarian proteins, cheese came quickly to mind.

I’ve often thrown together a veggie dish likeeggplant parmesanorpasta with broccolishowered with cheese for my meat-averse friends.

a photo of parmesan on a question mark background

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So when this question came up, I thought the answer was obvious.Parmesanis cheese!

Otherwise, how would it cater to so many?

However, the answer isn’t as cut and dried as a slice of this beloved hard cheese.

Let’s get granular about it.

What Is Parmesan Cheese?

First of all, Parmesan cheese is a general term with multiple interpretations.

At the top of the hierarchy of this categorization sits authentic Parmigiano Reggiano.

Every step of its production, from milking to grating, must occur here.

So while Parmigiano Reggiano is Parmesan cheese, most Parmesan cheese is not Parmigiano Reggiano.

Then we have the unregulated American-made Parmesan cheeses.

This answer is encapsulated in one word: rennet.

Specifically animal rennet, collected from slaughtered cows, goats or other young, milk-fed ruminant animals.

The good news is yes.

However, both of these are much harder to find.

So is Parmesan cheese vegetarian?

While Parmigiano Reggiano is not, it is possible to find vegetarian Parmesan cheese at the grocery store.

You might just discover a new product to fall in love with.