Is Parmesan Vegetarian?

Is parmesan vegetarian? Very few consumers ask themselves this question, after all Parmesan is cheese and therefore free of dead animals, right? In fact, the answer is not quite that simple. Read here why the cheese is not vegetarian.

Is parmesan vegetarian? The answer might surprise you

Parmesan is an extremely popular product for refining dishes. Especially on a delicious pasta, the Italian hard cheese should not be missing for most people. Even vegetarians have always felt on the safe side. However, the assumption that parmesan is vegetarian is wrong.

• Parmesan is a sweet milk cheese. Certain enzymes are required for the production of such cheeses. These cause the milk to thicken without turning sour.
• These protein-splitting enzymes are found in the gastric mucosa of cows and calves. This is also referred to as animal rennet. It ensures that dairy products become more digestible.
• A parmesan needs this animal rennet to give it that characteristic crumbly texture. Ordinary Parmesan is therefore not vegetarian.
• Animal rennet is not subject to labelling. This means that it does not necessarily have to be listed on the packaging. However, consumers can be assured that supermarket parmesan is typically non-vegetarian, even if animal rennet is not listed on the package.
• Of course, the animals are not killed specifically for the rennet. The stomachs are used after the animals have been slaughtered for the meat industry. Nevertheless, the meat industry is indirectly supported in this way.

Vegetarian and vegan parmesan

Vegetarians should therefore remove Parmesan from their shopping list in the future. This may be a loss for some, but there are also vegetarian and vegan alternatives.

• Microbial rennet is commonly used for vegetarian Parmesan. This is usually marked on the packaging with a small green “V”.
• If you want, you can also make your own vegetarian Parmesan. All you need is cashew nuts, oatmeal, salt and some garlic. The ingredients are then processed in the blender until the mass has the right consistency.
• In this composition, your homemade Parmesan is even vegan. Store the Parmesan in the refrigerator and use within two to three weeks.

Parmesan FAQs

Which Parmesan is vegetarian?

Montello is an Italian hard cheese, similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, but without animal rennet. Like all hard cheeses, it cannot be pinned down to red or white wine.

Is Grana Padano Parmesan vegetarian?

Parmesan uses rennet, an enzyme that thickens milk and turns it into cheese. The enzyme comes from the gastric mucosa of calves’ stomachs and is obtained from dead animals. So there is animal rennet in Parmesan, so it is not vegetarian.

What meat is in Parmesan?

Many types of cheese contain the enzyme mixture rennet, which is obtained from veal stomachs. The latter are cut into small pieces and boiled. Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana Padano and Gorgonzola in particular use animal rennet.

Does Parmesan always have animal rennet?

By definition, Parmesan and Grana Padano are made with animal rennet . Some other types of cheese almost always contain animal rennet, such as Gorgonzola, Gruyère or Feta.

Which cheese is not vegetarian?

Animal rennet is not vegetarian as it is obtained from the stomachs of dead calves. Cheeses such as Parmesan, Grana Padano, Feta and Gryere usually contain animal rennet. Vegetarian cheese can be recognized by the V label. Cheese with microbial rennet is also vegetarian.