Queso fresco (fresh cheese) likely originated in Spain, but it's commonly associated with Mexican cuisine. It's a mild, soft, and crumbly cheese similar to feta. Other apt comparisons include pot cheese and farmer cheese, as well as Indian paneer and Eastern European quark. In Mexico, it's usually made with raw cow's milk and occasionally with goat's milk too; versions produced in the United States start with pasteurized cow's milk.
Fast Facts
Origin: Mexico
Texture: Soft and crumbly
Flavor: Mild
What Is Queso Fresco?
Fresh, milky, and snowy white, queso fresco complements both heavy south-of-the-border entrees such as enchiladas and lighter dishes such as salads. It's creamy enough to cool the heat of chiles and adds a subtle sour note to rich dishes. Because it doesn't melt, it's a common choice as a stuffing for chile rellenos, quesadillas, tamales, and other cheesy Mexican favorites. It's inexpensive and easy to find throughout the United States.
Queso Fresco vs. Queso Blanco
Despite their similar names, flavors, and appearances, queso fresco and queso blanco are slightly different cheeses. To make queso fresco, producers use rennet and cultures to form the curds. Queso blanco requires just milk and an acidifying agent such as lemon juice or vinegar, making it an easy cheese to DIY at home. Queso blanco may also be appropriate for a lacto-vegetarian diet, whereas in the production of queso fresco, rennet, which is frequently sourced from animals, is used. However, the two terms are often used interchangeably, and the cheeses are similar enough that you wouldn't likely notice a difference unless you prefer to stay away from rennet.
How Queso Fresco Is Made
Queso fresco is often made with cow's milk but can be made with a mixture of goat's and cow's milk. To form the curds, producers add rennet and cultures to heated milk. The curds get drained and pressed for a few days at the most before the cheese gets packaged for consumption. Sometimes, queso fresco recipes intended for home cooks skip the culture and rennet; however, that technically makes it a queso blanco recipe.
Substitutes
Queso fresco and queso blanco can be used pretty much interchangeably. If you cannot find Mexican cheeses, feta makes the closest approximation. Aged goat cheese and strained ricotta can also be used in place of queso fresco, most appropriately as a topping or a stuffing, respectively. Queso añejo is the aged version of queso fresco. It adds a similar though more intense flavor, and the texture is drier than the fresh cheese; an apt comparison may be fresh feta versus aged Parmesan.
Uses
Queso fresco is frequently crumbled on top of dishes right before serving and can be used as a garnish on soups, salads, beans, casseroles, and egg dishes. It crumbles easily and doesn't melt, leaving little nubs of cheese in every bite. Despite being low in sodium, it adds an essence of salt, similar to Parmesan. You can slice it into slabs and pan-fry it or sprinkle it on roasted vegetables, add it to beans, crumble it into tacos, and bake it into cornbread. Queso fresco on top of a dish such as enchiladas darkens to an appealing golden brown as it cooks.
Storage
You can keep store-bought queso fresco vacuum-sealed in plastic in your refrigerator for a week or two beyond the sell-by date. Upon opening, tightly wrap any leftovers in plastic. Keep the cheese in an airtight container near the back of your refrigerator on the colder bottom shelf, and use it within a week or two. If you see any mold or discoloration, discard all of the cheese.
Queso Fresco Recipes
Use queso fresco any time you want a hit of slightly sour, slightly salty, slightly milky fresh flavor in a dish. You can substitute queso blanco in any Mexican-food recipe, but don't limit yourself to its home cuisine. Try it in place of the traditional feta in a watermelon salad, or use it instead of ricotta in a baked pasta dish.
FAQs
Although these two cheeses are commonly confused for each other, they have a few key differences. While queso fresco is made with rennet and bacterial cultures that separate the milk into whey and curd, queso blanco simplifies things even further by using lemon juice or vinegar to achieve the same result.
Can I use queso fresco instead of queso blanco? ›
Use queso fresco any time you want a hit of slightly sour, slightly salty, slightly milky fresh flavor in a dish. You can substitute queso blanco in any Mexican-food recipe, but don't limit yourself to its home cuisine.
Is queso fresco good for melting? ›
Queso fresco gets soft when heated, but it's difficult to melt. You can melt it over low heat for a while in order to make a cheesy dip or sauce, but it may remain chunky. In its soft state, it is commonly used as part of a filling for chiles relleños (stuffed chiles), quesadillas, and burritos.
What is queso blanco used for? ›
Queso blanco and queso fresco may be eaten alone or added to other dishes. They are often used as a topping for spicy Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and empanadas or crumbled over soups or salads. Meltable versions are used to make quesadillas. It is used to make cheesecake in some parts of the world.
Does queso blanco taste different? ›
Queso Blanco also maintains a milder flavor than its fresco counterpart, which exhibits a more sour, acidic taste. On the whole, they aren't the usual go-to choice for Mexican queso but blended in with other cheeses, they can introduce some much-needed texture.
Which queso is for melting? ›
Queso asadero is Mexican cheese that's great for melting. It is soft, white and creamy with a mild taste, and is often used to make pizzas, quesadillas and queso fundido.
Do you use queso fresco for? ›
Queso fresco is most often crumbled and used as a garnish for all types of Mexican food: on top of enchiladas, inside of tacos, slathered on elote, over huevos rancheros, and on cooked black beans.
Why won't my queso fresco melt? ›
But if you're going for slices or cubes you'll need to press it. It's just as tasty either way, but pressed acid-set cheeses like paneer and queso fresco are unique because they won't age and they won't melt. This makes them great for grilling (or just for eating right away).
Why not to eat queso fresco? ›
Queso fresco that has not been made properly can cause the disease listeriosis. Listeriosis is very bad for pregnant women and babies.
Why is my queso fresco rubbery? ›
There are two possible causes for rubbery cheese. First, this can happen when an excess amount of rennet is used. Use a bit less rennet next time. It can also happen if cheese is overworked or overcooked, and all the butterfat runs down the drain.
Two of the most common Mexican cheeses you probably heard are cotija and queso fresco. These two popular Mexican kinds of cheese have distinctive characters that they add to various Mexican dishes. Queso fresco and cotija cheese are the most common and are often compared to each other for multiple reasons.
What is the white crumbly Mexican cheese called? ›
Cotija cheese is one of the most used varieties in Mexico. You'll find it in several different recipes such as enchiladas, tacos, beans, salads, and soups. It's a white crumbly variety with a similar flavor and texture to feta.
How long is queso fresco good for after opening? ›
Unopened, queso fresco can typically last 1-2 weeks past the date printed on the package as long as it's kept refrigerated. Once the package is opened, the cheese should be consumed within 5 to 7 days for guaranteed freshness and quality. If you decide to freeze queso fresco, it can last up to 2 months.
Is there a difference between queso fresco and queso blanco? ›
Although these two cheeses are commonly confused for each other, they have a few key differences. While queso fresco is made with rennet and bacterial cultures that separate the milk into whey and curd, queso blanco simplifies things even further by using lemon juice or vinegar to achieve the same result.
Is Velveeta queso blanco real cheese? ›
It is smooth, creamy, and melts easily. It is often used in dips, mac and cheese, and other dishes that require an easily melted cheese. The FDA does not consider Velveeta real cheese because it contains stabilizers and preservatives.
What is the white cheese Mexican restaurants use in enchiladas? ›
Mild and slightly salty, queso blanco is popular for cooking and snacking. It's often used as a topping for enchiladas and empanadas or as a filling for chicken breasts, peppers, enchiladas and burritos.
What is queso fresco called in Mexico? ›
Queso fresco
This soft white cheese is a fresh cheese made with cow's milk, goat milk, or a combination of the two. It is sold in small rectangular pieces similar in size to adobo bricks, which is why it is also known as adobera. Queso fresco comes from Jalisco, in the western part of Mexico.
Can I substitute queso fresco for cotija? ›
Despite all their differences, you can absolutely substitute one for the other. Both add a welcome creamy element to food, but cotija tends to be more easily found in stores. Keep in mind that cotija will be a bit saltier than queso, so depending on the application of the cheese or your taste, you may want to use less.
What happened to queso fresco? ›
Deadly decadelong listeria outbreak linked to cotija and queso fresco from a California business. A California cheese and dairy company is the source of a decadelong outbreak of listeria food poisoning that killed two people and sickened more than two dozen, federal health officials said Tuesday.
What is the difference between queso fresco and queso panela? ›
Queso Fresco: Spongier and crumblier than queso blanco, queso fresco is typically made with a combination of cow and goat milk. Queso Panela: A soft, white cheese commonly served on a snack tray or as part of an appetizer and soaks up other flavors with ease – perfect for a garlic or chile blend.
