Everything You Need to Know About Mexican Cheese

Most of us in the US have not had much, if any exposure to Mexican cheeses. When we see cheese in Mexican dishes, it is usually familiar types like cheddar or Monterey Jack rather than a queso fresco or cotija. While these common cheeses may indeed pair well with some dishes, they are by no means the only options out there for cooks looking to add a little something to their Mexican recipes.

However, Mexico has many cheeses to try for yourself and thankfully; many of these products are becoming increasingly available here as well. Ever since Mexican farmers began making cheese, it has been an important part of the country's culinary heritage, just as it is in the US; but of course, with its own unique spin.

Cheese (or queso as it is known in Spanish) came to the New World along with the conquistadors. The European colonists brought cows and goats before long, dairy products began being produced in the country, which were uniquely Mexican. There are now a wide variety of different Mexican cheeses, each with its own character and flavor. You will find these cheeses used in many different authentic Mexican recipes, which showcase them with ingredients, which complement their flavors and textures perfectly.

Quesadillas are one of the more familiar Mexican dishes in the US; however, queso Oaxaca, the cheese customarily used to make them is far less so. This cheese is a mild flavored string cheese, which is great on its own as a snacking cheese as well as being ideal for quesadillas, enchiladas, and other Mexican recipes with melted cheese. If you can find this cheese in your local markets, give it a try the next time you are thinking of making quesadillas at home.

Some have called Cotija Mexico's answer to Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Cotija is a hard, sharp, salty cheese, which can be crumbled or grated into salads or used to top soups and refried beans. The texture and flavor of this cheese are very much like that of the aforementioned Italian cheeses and it does indeed also make a good accompaniment to pasta dishes. Named for the town of Cotija in Mexico's Michoacn state, this is one cheese you should certainly consider trying for yourself.

Queso criollo is a mild, nutty yellow cheese, which is not dissimilar to Munster. This cheese hails from the Mexican state of Guererro, is excellent on tortas (Mexican sandwiches), and grated for use in quesadillas and other Mexican recipes where cheese is to be melted. Try it anywhere you would use Munster cheese as well as in Mexican dishes.

A Spanish cheese, which is almost more strongly associated with Mexico, since it has been so widely brought into use in Mexican cooking, is queso fresco. This is a soft, mild cheese, which is traditionally made using a mixture of cow's and goat's milk. This cheese is excellent crumbled as a topping for tacos, as a filling in chiles rellenos and is wonderful with salads or served with fruit.

It would take a lot more space than we have here to go into detail about all of the many delicious Mexican cheeses, which can add little something extra to your favorite Mexican recipes. If you like to cook Mexican food at home, be sure to pay a visit to your local Mexican grocer and explore some new tastes.