The Kitchn: Parmesan Crisps Are the Perfect Topping for Any Salad

A little oven time turns Parmesan cheese into the crispiest, laciest one-ingredient cracker ever. Photo courtesy of Joe Lingeman/TNS

The one cheese my refrigerator is always stocked with is Parmesan. This magical cheese makes everything it touches that much tastier and it’s also pretty delicious on its own — especially when baked up into lacy Parmesan crisps. These elegant crisps call for just one ingredient and are so easy to make — as long as you have the right kind of Parmesan and use the right technique.

I made tray after tray of Parmesan crisps, using various kinds of Parmesan and trying different ways of grating the cheese, in order to perfect this recipe. Here is what I discovered.

The Best Type of Parmesan for Parmesan Crisps

I am an equal opportunist when it comes to Parmesan. In my fridge, you’ll find fancy Parmigiano-Reggiano, full of yummy salty crystals, as well as pre-grated or shredded domestic Parmesan for my Parm-loving daughter. But when it comes to crisps, I’ve found that the type of Parmesan you use makes a huge difference between a delicate crisp that snaps easily and one that’s chewy and a bit tough.