7 Mexican Cheeses You Should Know (2024)

FAQs

7 Mexican Cheeses You Should Know? ›

Most of the most popular varieties are fresh cheeses, such as queso fresco, panela, and asadero. The two most popular aged cheeses are Cotija and Chihuahua. Four cheeses produced in Mexico are entirely Mexican inventions: Oaxaca, Cotija, Chihuahua and manchego.

Most of the most popular varieties are fresh cheeses, such as queso fresco, panela, and asadero. The two most popular aged cheeses are Cotija and Chihuahua. Four cheeses produced in Mexico are entirely Mexican inventions: Oaxaca, Cotija, Chihuahua and manchego.

Oaxaca cheese is quite different from queso fresco or cotija cheese. Oaxaca is a mild cheese with a stringy texture like mozzarella, and it melts easily. Cotija cheese is more like aged parmesan, with a sharp tangy flavor and a granular texture that won't melt.

Oaxaca cheese is often confused with asadero (queso asadero), a cheese produced in the northern state of Chihuahua. They are similar in texture, but they are produced with different methods, making Oaxaca cheese moister. In Costa Rica, it is known as queso palmito.

Hailing from the town of the same name in Michoacan Mexico, cotija is another aged cheese with a stinky smell but is drier and more firm than queso añejo and tastes similar to where parmesan, romano, and feta converge.

Cotija is an aged cheese, named for the town of Cotija in the state of Michoacán. Cotija has a strong salty flavor, making it an ideal topping for beans, salads, antojitos, and other Mexican dishes (it's commonly sprinkled on top of elote, or grilled corn).

A brilliant combination of our mild cheddar, colby and jack cheeses. This trio will do wonders to the flavor of your chili, quesadillas or tacos.

Cotija is a crumbly white cow's milk cheese that gets its name from the town of Cotija in Michoacán, Mexico. It's a staple of Mexican cuisine and appears as a topping for everything from nachos to enchiladas to elote (Mexican street corn).

Panela Cheese: The Creamy and Fresh Delicacy

It has a soft, creamy texture and is often used in salads, as a stuffing for chiles, or grilled as a standalone dish. Panela cheese doesn't melt easily, making it ideal for grilling.

The Spanish word for cheese is queso, pronounced KEH-soh. There are dozens of delicious, genuine Mexican quesos, each one with its own charm, so don't settle for the often uninspiring product labeled “Mexican cheese” or “Mexican blend” that is so often sold in the United States.

What cheese do Mexicans use for quesadillas? ›

Traditional Mexican cheeses like Oaxaca cheese or Chihuahua cheese are commonly used in quesadillas because they melt easily and have a mild, slightly salty flavor. Other cheese options include Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, and mozzarella.

Authentic Mexican restaurants will likely use only cotija or queso fresco. Americanized Mexican restaurants will list the cheeses they use, often monterey jack or cheddar.

You guessed it: Oaxaca. It's compared to a mozzarella cheese in texture and a young Monterey jack cheese in flavor. It's mellow, buttery, and works great as a melting cheese. This is why it is the most commonly used cheese in a quesadilla.

Tetilla: Made in the Galicia region of Spain, Tetilla is formed into a shape made to resemble a woman's breast. Tetilla is a creamy semi-soft cow's milk Spanish Cheese with hints of lemon and herbs.

Queso cotija is an aged, hard, light yellow cheese with a dry, crumbly texture. Its consistency and sharp salty flavour resemble parmesan cheese. It is often sprinkled on salads, pasta, grilled corn, and beans. Queso asadero is Mexican cheese that's great for melting.

Cotija is often used as a "finishing" cheese in Mexican cuisine, crumbled or grated as a topping for burritos, soups, salads, beans, tostadas, or tacos, and Mexican elote (corn on the cob).

Product Description. Everyone loves this Old El Paso blend of Monterey jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheeses. These four savory cheeses come together for a fiesta in every bite. The gooey goodness is the perfect mix for your favorite Mexican and Southwestern recipes.

Queso fresco has a bolder, tangier flavor than mozzarella cheese but is smoother and saltier than that of goat cheese. It is used in several classic Mexican dishes such as tacos and bean dishes. Using queso fresco cheese on any dish can give it a cheese accent making it tastier.

Cheeses: I love to use cotija cheese for tacos, but queso fresco or any Mexican blend will work. Fresh Veggies: Thinly slice some radish for an extra fresh crunch.

Cotija is often compared to feta because of its salty flavor, firm texture, and how easily it crumbles. Feta hails from Greece and is typically made with pasteurized goat milk. However, feta cheese sold in the States is often made with cow's milk, making it more comparable to Cotija.