
Its namesake is a town in the state of Michoacán. You can also add it to salad, soup, or beans. It’s a popular Mexican white cheese and goes great on grilled street corn (Elote). It’s sharp, salty, and is very similar to Parmesan. It’s aged and features a dry and crumbly texture. COTIJAĬotija is another one of my favorites and one that you often see on the blog. It’s a Mexican crumble cheese that goes great on top of refried beans and salads. Because it has been aged, it has a sharp flavor. It’s much harder than its fresh counterpart but equally as crumbly. Queso Añejo is the aged version of Queso Fresco. It’s often used as a topping for dips (like guacamole) or other appetizers. You can find both salty and non-salty versions. Queso Fresco translates to “fresh cheese.” It’s similar to feta in that it’s a fresh, crumbly, and white Mexican cheese. DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEXICAN CHEESE QUESO FRESCOįirst up is Queso Fresco, one of the most common types of Mexican cheeses – and one of my personal favorites. There are dozens to discuss and I’ve decided to concentrate on the most common – and the most delicious.

I know many of my readers are too, which is why I decided to come up with this complete guide to Mexican cheeses! I’m always interested in learning about the origins of my favorite meals and improving my recipes. That said, cheeses like Queso Fresco, Oaxaca, Cotija, Manchego, Panela, and more are now key to many authentic recipes. Before the Europeans arrived in Mexico, cheese-bearing animals like goats and cows weren’t native to the area. In fact, most traditional recipes didn’t originally call for cheese. What’s an enchilada without a bit of Cotija, or, what’s my Chili Relleno recipe without my special Oaxaca filling? You can technically serve up any dish without the addition of cheese (okay – maybe my Mexican cheese dip recipe would be a bit difficult), but it can go a long way to making your Mexican meals even more delicious. Tacos, enchiladas, carnitas, burritos, dips, salads – many Mexican dishes wouldn’t be the same without the addition of Mexican cheese ! Whether you like fresh, aged, mild, or melty varieties, there are so many types of queso to discover.
