Does Costco Sell Real Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese?

Your run-of-the-mill parmesan cheese imitation is okay for some dishes, but when creating authentic Italian cuisine, you want to use a quality product. The problem is that you typically have to fork over some serious dough for bona fide Parmigiano Reggiano — unless you have a Costco nearby, that is.

The secret to upgrading a humble plate of spaghetti or a summer pasta salad is the type of cheese. If you want to incorporate the sweet, nutty notes of a Parmigiano Reggiano, that privilege comes at a cost in most places that carry it. However, Costco has the real thing at a steep discount by comparison. Typically, a pound of flavorful parmesan can cost between $20 and $35, but the wholesale retailer offers it to customers for roughly $10.99 per pound. It is sold as a 2-pound wedge on average, which is a lot of parmesan. You'll definitely want to store this premium cheese in the fridge correctly so none of it goes bad before you get to enjoy it all.

There are a few ways to tell if Parmigiano Reggiano is authentic, all by studying the label. The first way to spot an imposter is in the name. If a product isn't specifically dubbed "Parmigiano Reggiano," it is likely more akin to the cheaper stuff you shake out of a plastic cylinder. Real Parmigiano Reggiano proudly showcases its full name right on the package. The rinds of authentic parmesan cheese wheels are also imprinted with that moniker. 

Seeing a DOP logo on the packaging is also a necessary indicator of legitimate Parmigiano Reggiano. The Denominazione di Origine Protetta logo (which translates to Protected Designation of Origin) is a label displaying a product's true roots. Meant to hinder the efforts of those attempting to market a knock-off cheese, the logo should bear an "IT," signifying it was made in the only country legally allowed to produce Parmigiano Reggiano: Italy.

Another thing to look for when verifying that the cheese is genuine is the logo of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium imprinted on the package. The organization's logo shows a large wheel of cheese situated next to a wedge, meaning the cheese itself has been approved by the protective body. When all of these markings are present on a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano — as they are on Costco's product — you know the experience is going to be authentic.