Cast Iron Crispy Parmesan Cheese Crisps with Smoked Paprika
Mix finely grated Parmesan with smoked paprika, then spoon small mounds into a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat on a camp stove or grate. Cook each batch 2 to 3 minutes until lacy and golden, flip, then cool 1 minute to crisp. The whole batch takes about 20 minutes.
Cheese crisps are one of the easiest camp snacks. The cheese melts, the fat renders, and you get a crunchy, salty round with no flour and no mixing bowl. Smoked paprika adds a campfire note even when you're cooking on a stove.
They go fast, so make a double batch. Serve them straight off the plate with a cold drink while dinner finishes cooking.
Cast Iron Crispy Parmesan Cheese Crisps with Smoked Paprika
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-low flame
- Pack weight
- 1 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler optional
- One burner
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- camp stove or grill grate over coals
- thin metal spatula
- fine grater
- small bowl
- paper towels
- serving plate
Steps
-
Grate the cheese
Grate the Parmesan on the finest holes of your grater. Fine shreds melt evenly and crisp up better than coarse ones.
-
Season the cheese
Toss the grated Parmesan with the smoked paprika in a bowl or zip bag. Mix with a fork until the color is even.
-
Heat the skillet
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over a medium-low flame, or on a grate over a bed of medium-low coals. Add the oil and wipe it around with a paper towel. Heat for 2 minutes.
-
Portion the rounds
Drop level tablespoons of cheese into the skillet in small mounds, about 2 inches apart. Pat each one into a thin 2-inch round with the back of the spoon.
-
Cook until lacy
Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cheese stops bubbling hard. If they brown too fast, lift the skillet off the heat for a few seconds.
-
Flip and finish
Slide a thin spatula under each crisp and flip it gently. Cook 20 to 30 seconds more, just to set the other side.
-
Cool to crisp
Move the crisps to a plate or a clean plate-sized piece of cardboard. Let them cool 1 minute. They crunch up as they cool.
-
Cook the next batch
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and repeat with the remaining cheese. You should get about 16 crisps in 3 batches.
Trail Notes
Grate and season the cheese at home and carry it in a zip bag. Keep it in the cooler. Cooked crisps stay crunchy for a day in an airtight bag.
Parmesan is a hard, aged cheese, but keep it cool in warm weather. Toss any cheese that has sat out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Any hard aged cheese, like Asiago or aged Manchego, crisps the same way. Skip the paprika for a plain version.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and pack it out. Don't rinse cheese grease into the ground. Scatter strained dishwater well away from water and camp.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash with Skillet-Baked Eggs
LunchCast-Iron Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with Whole-Grain Mustard
DinnerOne-Skillet Taco Rice with Ground Beef, Black Beans and CheddarMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Why won't my Parmesan crisps get crunchy?
The heat is probably too low, or they were pulled too soon. Cook until the bubbling slows and the edges are golden, then let them cool on a plate for a minute.
Can you make cheese crisps over a campfire?
Yes. Set a cast-iron skillet on a grate over medium-low coals, not open flame. Coals give steady heat that won't scorch the cheese.
Do I need oil for Parmesan crisps in cast iron?
A small amount helps keep the cheese from sticking. A well-seasoned skillet needs only a thin wipe of oil, because the cheese releases its own fat.
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