How to make a tasty, single ingredient cheese snack: Video

Viral food videos are a dime a dozen on the internet. It might be a seemingly normal household object that’s actually a slice of cake, an easy one-pot dinner recipe or draining pasta water through the hole in the lid. While captivating, sometimes they seem too good to be true. 

So, we decided to put one to the test. Videos of a crispy, one-ingredient parmesan cheese snack made the rounds – and our mouths watered. We took matters into our own kitchen to figure out if you really can turn the rind into a tasty snack.

Our conclusion? Kind of. 

Watch this video to see how it turns out.

Parmesan rind microwave

If you buy a block of parmesan cheese, it typically comes with a tougher outer rind. Repurposing it into something else is a great way to get the most for your money and cut down on food waste.  

For the viral parmesan rind puffs, cut the rind off the block and dice it into small cubes. Next, put the cubes on a microwave safe plate lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Space them out so they have room to expand and microwave them for about a minute.

According to the internet, the cubed rinds will puff up nice and big in the microwave, almost looking like a piece of popcorn made of cheese. 

But for Problem Solved? “It kind of did it.” The rinds puffed up a little bit, but were more of a flat disc than puffy cracker or cheese puff. 

Our verdict: It’s not what we expected, but is still delicious. It’s salty and savory, has a good snap and a satisfying crunch. 

For any viral food video, there are a lot of factors that can come into play. In this instance, your mileage may vary based on the level of moisture in the cheese or how much of the rind you get versus the cheese. 

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A different cheesy snack

If you're craving a cheesy crisp but don't have a parmesan rind, the parmesan itself can transform into a tasty, crispy snack, too.

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Shred parmesan and create little mounds on a lined baking sheet. 
3. Toss it in the oven for a couple of minutes and you’ll get a lacy, parmesan crisp. 

These lacy crisps are sometimes found in restaurants as a garnish on salads or soups, but nothing’s stopping you from eating them as is. For the most satisfying crunch, let it cool completely before indulging.