Pecorino vs Parmesan: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Pecorino has 31.8 g of protein, which is higher than Parmesan's 28.4 g. However, Parmesan has more calories at 420 compared to Pecorino's 387.

Pecorino and Parmesan are both popular cheeses with unique flavors and nutritional profiles. This comparison examines their calories, protein, fat, and other key nutrients to help you understand their differences.

What Is the Difference Between Pecorino and Parmesan?

Pecorino is a hard Italian cheese made from sheep's milk, known for its sharp and tangy flavor. It is often used in pasta dishes and as a grating cheese. Parmesan is a hard cheese made from cow's milk, famous for its rich, nutty flavor. It is commonly grated over dishes and used in cooking.

Pecorino vs Parmesan: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of Pecorino and Parmesan's nutritional content per 100 g.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Pecorino romano	Parmesan (grated)
Calories	387 kcal	420 kcal
Protein	31.8 g	28.4 g
Carbs	3.6 g	13.9 g
Sugar	0 g	0.8 g
Fat	26.3 g	27.8 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Sodium	1800 mg	1804 mg

Which Is Better, Pecorino or Parmesan?

For weight loss: Pecorino contains 387 calories, while Parmesan has 420 calories, making Pecorino a slightly better option for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Pecorino has 31.8 g of protein, which is higher than Parmesan's 28.4 g, making Pecorino a better choice for protein intake.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Pecorino has 3.6 g of carbs and 0 g of sugar, while Parmesan has 13.9 g of carbs and 0.8 g of sugar, making Pecorino lower in both.

How to Track Pecorino and Parmesan Accurately

Cheese portions can be easy to misjudge, leading to unintentional calorie and macro intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. This comparison is based on verified nutritional data per 100 g. Values are per 100 g: Pecorino from Open Food Facts (aggregated plain entries), Parmesan from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which cheese has more protein?

Pecorino has 31.8 g of protein, while Parmesan has 28.4 g of protein.

Which cheese has fewer calories?

Pecorino has 387 calories, whereas Parmesan has 420 calories.

What is the fat content in Pecorino?

Pecorino contains 26.3 g of fat per 100 g.

What is the sodium content in Parmesan?

Parmesan contains 1804 mg of sodium per 100 g.

How many carbs are in Parmesan?

Parmesan has 13.9 g of carbs and 0.8 g of sugar per 100 g.

What is the fiber content in both cheeses?

Both Pecorino and Parmesan have 0 g of fiber per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Pecorino has 387 calories per 100 g.
• Parmesan has 420 calories per 100 g.
• Pecorino contains 31.8 g of protein.
• Parmesan contains 28.4 g of protein.
• Pecorino has 3.6 g of carbs.
• Parmesan has 13.9 g of carbs.