Grana Padano is a hard Italian cheese made in the Po River valley area of Northern Italy. It has a similar grainy texture to Parmesan (hence the name Grano) but has a slightly milder, sweeter and more nutty flavour. It can be used in the same way as Parmesan; in your pesto, carbonara, or gnocchi and on top of your Bolognese or other ragu sauces.

However, it can be made over a much wider area than Parmesan, which has great restrictions placed on its production, making it a much cheaper alternative.

If you’re going through bucket loads (like we somehow seem to do) or looking at ways to save a little money on your shopping, I would highly recommend buying Grana Padano next time and see what you think.

To show you the immense price difference, I did a little price check in a few supermarkets: