9 Mexican cheeses and how to cook them
In Texas, cheese might as well be its own food group. Sprinkled on tacos, stuffed into peppers, chips eagerly dipped into pools of it — we eat the stuff every day at the countless Mexican restaurants scattered across the region. It can be an appetizer, snack, main course or anything else at any time of day.
But Mexican cheeses are many and varied, and we often might not recognize exactly what’s on the plate at all those eateries — especially when trying to re-create those dishes with ingredients bought at the grocery store. In Houston, you’ll often find at least two aisles of cheese: one for the common American and European varieties, then a separate case or shelf loaded with Mexican cheeses.
And it can be confusing. Some common Mexican cheeses have multiple names, and some names refer to a wide range of cheeses and not any one thing in particular. Some Mexican cheeses make good substitutes for their European counterparts, but others are best on plates hailing from south of the border.
Cheesemaking came to Mexico along with dairy animals during the Spanish conquest five centuries ago and has evolved into many varieties. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at names such as Oaxaca, panela, requesón and others wondering what to make of it all, we’ve got you covered with a handy guide to the Mexican cheeses you’re most likely to encounter in area supermarkets.
We found most of the following cheeses at area H-E-B stores; the less common ones, such as queso añejo, can be found in many area Mexican grocery stores.
Añejo: This aged white cheese is salty, tangy and quite crumbly. This cheese is sometimes coated in paprika or other ground chiles and sold as queso enchilado. Queso añejo is frequently used as a garnish in a manner similar to Parmesan or Romano cheese. We’ve used it to stuff ancho chiles simmered in a vinegary sauce hailing from the mountainous northern region of the Mexican state of Puebla.
Asadero: Queso asadero is a mild cheese that’s typically white or pale yellow and melts beautifully. Queso asadero is a top pick for a gooey chile relleno or for making queso blanco dip. If you can’t find queso asadero, consider Monterey Jack or Muenster as an alternative.
Blanco: According to Mexican food authority Diana Kennedy, “queso blanco” isn’t a Mexican cheese. It’s a general term referring to a wide range of mild, young white cheeses made throughout much of Latin America. That said, it’s a popular
cheese for crumbling on top of tacos, enchiladas, salads and more.
Chihuahua: This cheese was first made by Mennonite farmers who settled in the Mexican state of Chihuahua and is often sold as queso menonita. It has a slightly springy texture that melts into a smooth silky consistency and a flavor similar to mild cheddar. We’ve used it as a brown and bubbly topper to simple, openfaced sandwiches spread with refried beans called molletes.
Cotija: This cheese from Michoacán is very dry and crumbly with a tangy ripeness. It’s often made with quite a bit of salt and works best as a garnish where a pop of brininess is desired. Cotija is often sprinkled on Mexican street corn. We’ve used it in a movie-night adaptation with popcorn.
Fresco: This mild, white cheese is similar to cheeses often sold as “queso blanco” and makes a tasty crumble on top of tacos, enchiladas, refried beans, or a stuffing in chiles rellenos, and many other uses in Mexican dishes.
Oaxaca: This is a popular mild, white melting cheese with a texture and flavor similar to mozzarella. It’s often sold in balls that tear apart like string cheese. It makes an excellent filling for quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches when sliced. We’ve shredded it to make a gooey topping over tequilaspiked chorizo in the popular appetizer queso fundido.
Panela: Queso panela has a lightly squeaky texture similar to the Indian cheese paneer. It doesn’t melt but will soften nicely when grilled or baked and absorbs the flavors of rubs and marinades well. Try grilling slabs of panela until softened and top with salsa or chimichurri sauce as a simple appetizer or side dish to grilled steaks.
Requesón: Similar to ricotta cheese, queso requesón is a creamy and soft cheese that makes a terrific filling in a wide variety of dishes. Though ricotta can be used as a substitute in some cases, queso requesón is often sold in packages where it’s been well drained of excess moisture. We’ve put it to use as a fluffy alternative to scrambled eggs in breakfast tacos.