Our Best Parmesan Cheese Recipes All in One Place

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Vegetable-forward dinners rarely earn more rave reviews than this one. Fans who have tried this crispy eggplant Parmesan recipe deem it “VERY tasty,” and declare that “my family loved it!!!” There are three keys to transforming eggplant into something even picky eaters will adore. First, sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and allow them to stand for about 30 minutes, then pat off the excess moisture. This is a crucial step for crisp results, whether you fry or bake. Second, coat those eggplant pieces with crunchy panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. This dynamic duo bakes into a crust that not only tastes incredible, but also stands up to the sauce on top. Last, finish each piece with tomato sauce and even more cheese. Hey, this is a guide to our best Parmesan cheese recipes, after all!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Three sources of dairy—Parmesan cheese, cream, and butter—join forces in this luscious Alfredo sauce. Besides that, all you need to round out this restaurant-quality pasta and Parmesan cheese recipe is garlic, black pepper, fettuccine, and your garnish: more finely-shredded Parmesan, of course.

Test Kitchen Tip: To make this cheesy pasta recipe a heartier meal, try our shrimp or chicken variations, or fold in a can of drained and rinsed white beans just before serving.

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Po-tay-toh, po-tah-toh, many diners say; believing that all potato recipes are so similar, they might as well be the same. This viral potato side dish might just inspire you to change that narrative. Creamy on the inside, and rocking a caramelized cheese crust, one bite will be enough to convince you to view cheesy potatoes as the star that they are. “I made these potatoes for a party, and they were the first thing to disappear,” one five-star reviewer says. “The Parmesan cheese gets golden and crisp when baked—so good.”

Eggplant-Parmesan Grandma Pizza

The thin, dense, crunchy, and square-shape crust of a Grandma pizza is ideal for dressing up with sharp and rich Parmesan cheese. To kick things off, top that crust with shingles of easy-melting provolone cheese. Then comes the marinara sauce, salted-and-now-dry eggplant slices, plenty of grated Parmesan cheese, and crunchy breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown, and each slice will deliver the comforting flavors of two Italian classics (eggplant Parm and pizza) all at once.

Dump and Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Since classic chicken Parmesan recipes call for the standard breading procedure (complete with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs) and almost always employ the sometimes splatter-y process of frying, many BHG readers have told us they tend to reserve that dish for restaurant dining only. You need not go through all of the steps—and the mess—to savor all of those flavors at home, though. This dump-and-bake chicken casserole is proof. A box of pasta, jar marinara sauce, and chicken breasts all cook together in the same 9- x 13-inch pan. After giving that mixture a head start in the oven and giving it a stir, you’ll finish with a shower of panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and butter. Bake until the cheese melts, and dinner for 8 is all set.

Pastina

Pastina isn’t just the name for the itty-bitty Stanley Tucci-approved pasta shape. It’s also the name of a classic Italian comfort food recipe that really allows Parm to shine. Simply boil small pasta in chicken broth, then finish with warm milk, a pat of butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Even though this Parmesan cheese recipe asks for just 5 ingredients, each spoonful of the ultra-creamy creation will act as more evidence that this dish isn’t missing a thing.

Ground Chicken Pizza Crust

Anytime you see “Italian blend cheese” as part of a recipe, you can rest assured that this qualifies as a Parmesan cheese recipe, too. (In case you missed it, the Mediterranean blend is made with mozzarella, provolone, asiago, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses.) That combination as well as plain finely shredded Parmesan star in this, one of our best-reviewed chicken recipes. The cheese lends loads of salty, nutty, and rich flavor, and comes in clutch to keep this flourless high-protein pizza crust together.

Spinach-Parmesan Dip

Round up a bag of thick tortilla chips, toast up some baguette slices or pita wedges, and slices some carrot and celery sticks. You’re going to need your sturdiest vessels to stand up to this cheesy, chunky slow cooker dip. The mayo- and sour cream-based dip is stoked with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, and both Parmesan and Italian blend cheeses. 

Beef Tenderloin with Parmesan-Herb Stuffing

Beef tenderloin roasts are crowd pleasers on holiday menus and Sunday dinners. But the secret to taking things to the next delicious level: stuffing. Mushroom, shallots, prosciutto, crushed croutons, and a generous scoop of grated Parmesan cheese team up in the filling that weaves a spiral of flavor between every layer of the rolled and roast beef. It’s “absolutely delicious,” and “definitely a keeper,” according to home cooks; especially after you shower each serving with the savory red wine pan sauce.

Parmesan Potato Gratin

We mean it when we say this scalloped potato side dish is a Parmesan cheese recipe. The decadent, bacon-spiked holiday casserole contains an entire pound(!) of our fromage du jour. Thin strips of shaved cheese melt into ooey-gooey layers throughout the cream sauce and stacks of sliced potatoes, delivering extra nutty, salty flavor and a silky texture.

Parmesan-Crusted Cod with Garlicky Summer Squash

Chicken and eggplant shouldn’t get all the Parmesan cheese-crusted recipe glory. For this healthy sheet pan dinner, we take cues from those traditional Italian breaded creations. But rather than fussing with a full dredging station, you can enjoy a similar crunchy, craveable texture by topping cod fillets with a pile of Parmesan- and herb-infused bread crumbs. On the same sheet pan, add thick slices of summer squash. After 20 minutes in the oven, you’ll have a healthy dinner and a side dish ready to devour.

Chicken with Parmesan Noodles

A jar of store-bought basil pesto (a sauce that itself is almost always a Parmesan cheese recipe) adds a punch of fresh flavor to both the chicken and vegetables and the pasta side dish. We couldn’t stop there with the cheese, though. Just before serving, we recommend sprinkling the pasta with a small handful of grated Parmesan to add the element that makes the cheesy noodles worthy of their name.

Rosemary-Parmesan Bread with Garlic Butter

Garlic bread is good. But you know what’s even better? Garlic cheese bread. This tempting bake checks all of those boxes, and you can keep your oven most of the time that you prepare it. The rosemary-scented, Parmesan-topped yeast dough “bakes” in the slow cooker. To finish, transfer the bread from the slow cooker to a sheet pan, and pop it under the broiler to get that golden cheesy crown.

Parmesan-Ranch Sweet Potato Snack Mix

Did you know that this mix of crackers is a Parmesan cheese recipe? Toss cheese crackers with sweet potato chips, bagel chips, pretzels, and nuts. Then instead of butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning salt—the trio that’s traditional in most recipes—toss this snack mix with melted butter, dry ranch dressing mix, and grated Parm to drive home cheese flavor.