Romano cheese, also called pecorino romano, is an aged cheese with a pleasant, nutty flavor commonly grated over pasta dishes and pizza. It’s easy to love this flavorful cheese, so if you find that you’ve used the last of your stash, there are several worthy Romano cheese substitutes.
I’ve made a list of the best alternatives, read on to learn more.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
The name Romano cheese is derived from the Italian pecorino Romano cheese. It is important to note that romano can be made with cow, goat, or sheep milk, while pecorino romano must be made with sheep’s milk only. In fact, the word pecorino means “of sheep”, and any cheese made from sheep’s milk in Italy is called pecorino cheese.
Pecorino romano, like many other cheeses, is protected under European law and can only be produced in Italy. Most production of this cheese today is done on the island of Sardinia.
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WHAT IS ROMANO CHEESE?
When produced in the United States, romano is typically made of cow’s milk. Romano cheese has a crumbly texture and must be aged at least five months, becoming sharper and stronger in flavor the longer it is aged.
Romano is a great cheese for grating due to its hard texture. Thanks to its sharp and tangy flavor, romano makes a delicious topping for pastas, salads, and casseroles.
6 Romano Cheese Substitutes
Whether you are out of romano cheese or looking for an alternative when you can’t find it at the grocery store, there are several good substitutes for this versatile cheese.
Read on to find the perfect romano cheese substitute for your recipe.
Parmesan cheese, also called Parmigiano Reggiano, is an Italian cheese made of aged unpasteurized cow’s milk. It is one of the best substitutes for romano cheese. When produced in the italian province of Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Parma, Modena, or Lombardy it is under the Italian protected designation of origin, or PDO.
This protection ensures that the milk, as well as the production of the cheese originates in a certain region, following traditional standards. Also referred to as denominazione di Origine Protetta, Parmigiao Reggiano is known as a DOP cheese.
Outside of these regions, the name parmesan is used, but the cheese making process is similar. Parmesan has a minimum aging time of 12 months. The longer it is aged the more its standard sharp and nutty flavor comes through.
A delicious option as a grated topping for baked pasta dishes such as lasagna and cannelloni, parmesan melts beautifully. If you reach for the parmesan to replace the pecorino romano, you will not be disappointed.
Asiago cheese is another Italian cheese that makes a good substitute for pecorino romano. Made from aged cow’s milk, when produced within the European Union, it is protected by denominazione di Origine Protetta.
Classified as a swiss or alpine style cheese, production occurs in the alpine area of the Asiago plateau. Outside of Italy, it is made in the United States and Australia.
Typically asiago is sold in three different styles depending on age; mezzano, vicchio, or stravecchio.
Mezzano is the youngest form, having been aged for only 3 to 8 months. This is considered a fresh asiago cheese. It is straw colored and has a slightly sweet flavor. Vicchio is aged 9 to 18 months, and is harder and slightly more bitter tasting than mezzano style. Finally, stravecchio is aged the longest at 18 months or more. This asiago is much stronger with a savory flavor and hard texture.
Asiago cheese makes a delightful addition to a cheese board with some crackers and dried fruit. Next time you’re making a salad, try it shaved over top for a salty bite.
From the La Manch region of Spain, manchego cheese is a popular replacement for pecorino romano cheese. Like true pecorino romano, manchego cheese is made with sheep’s milk. The sheep used to make spanish manchego are exclusively of the manchega breed.
Manchego cheese is aged a minimum of 60 days and up to 2 years. On the younger side is semi curado, which is a spanish manchego cheese aged 3 weeks to 4 months and has a mild flavor and is slightly sweeter. Aged longer is manchego viejo, which is aged for 1 to 2 years.
Manchego is a semi hard cheese that can be used as a pecorino romano cheese substitute. Manchego does best as a table cheese, served alongside olives, crusty bread, and a dry red wine.
Grana padano is another italian cheese substitute for pecorino romano cheese. Also made with cow’s milk, grana padano is like parmesan’s cousin. It is made in the same process as parmesan cheese, but with less strict guidelines. Grana padano’s production is also protected by registration in the DOP.
Grana padano is a younger cheese than parmesan and has a less crumbly texture and milder flavor than true parmesan cheese. Aged for at least nine months, this cheese is a great substitute for romano cheese as it can be used to grate over pasta or chunked on a cheese board along charcuterie.
Piave cheese is an italian cheese named for the Piave river in the northern part of the Veneto region. Piave cheese has a dense texture that can be used as a replacement for romano cheese. There are several different types of piave depending on where they are in the aging process. From youngest to oldest they are:
- Piave fresco aged 20 to 60 days
- Piave mezzano aged 61 to 180 days
- Piave vecchio aged more than 6 months
- Piave vecchio selezione oro aged more than 12 months
- Piave vecchio reserva aged more than 18 months
Aged piave cheese is more similar to romano cheese as it is easier to grate and has a sharp flavor as well as happens when cheese ages. Try adding piave to make cheesy oven baked polenta or slow cooked risotto.
If you are a vegan or vegetarian and would like to find a good replacement for romano cheese, look no further than making your own vegan romano with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is known for its umami and slightly pungent flavor.
By combining nutritional yeast, almond meal or raw cashews that have been pulsed in the food processor, along with garlic and onion powder, you can make your own vegan alternative.
Alternatively, nutritional yeast on its own can be used as a topping for pasta, to substitute the usual parmesan or pecorino romano.
Romano Cheese Recipe
The following recipe will give you ideas on how to use this cheese or its alternatives.
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