Best Mexican Pasteurized Milk Cheese Types
Oaxacan cheese is a semi-soft white cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is characterized by its stringy texture. It has a savory, creamy, mild and buttery flavor, making it ideal for quesadillas, empanadas, and tlayudas. The cheese has great melting properties, which is the reason why it is often used in numerous baked dishes.
It is named after the Oaxaca state in southern Mexico, where it was first produced. The pasta filata cheesemaking process, originally from Italy, was brought to Mexico by Dominican friars that settled in the state of Oaxaca.
Pair with
THE BEST Oaxaca Cheese Cheeses
Don Froylan Creamery
Don Froylan Queso Oaxaca
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2022, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014
Don Froylan Creamery
Oaxaca Con Chipotle
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2023
Queso Chihuahua is a traditional cheese made from cow's milk. The texture of this cheese is supple and firm. It has a natural rind and a pale yellow color. In flavor, it is mild and buttery, with a slight sharpness. The cheese is also called Menonita, referring to the Mennonite communities in Chihuahua that first produced it.
Queso Chihuahua melts exceptionally well, so it's often used in baked dishes such as casseroles, but it's also used for cheese sauces, as a table cheese for snacking, or it can be added to quesadillas, queso fundido, or chilaquiles.
Pair with
THE BEST Queso Chihuahua Cheeses
V&v Supremo Foods
Queso Chihuahua with Jalapeno Peppers
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2022, 2017, 2016
Queso fresco is a type of soft, mild, and crumbly cheese made from cow's milk that originated in Mexico.
Queso fresco is typically made by curdling pasteurized milk with an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, and then allowing the curds to set before being drained and shaped. The texture of queso fresco is similar to that of cottage cheese or ricotta, but with a slightly firmer consistency.
THE BEST Queso fresco Cheeses
V&v Supremo Foods
Queso Fresco
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2023, 2022
Queso añejo is a traditional semi-hard cheese originating from Mexico. The cheese is traditionally made from pasteurized goat's milk, but nowadays it's mostly made from pasteurized cow's milk. When fresh, the texture is crumbly, and when dried, the texture becomes firm, making it suitable for grating and shredding over various Mexican dishes.
The cheese wheels are sometimes rolled in paprika, which adds spicy notes to the already salty and sharp cheese. Añejo can also be baked and grilled, then added to tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. It's also traditionally used in a dish called chiles de la Sierra, originating from the mountainous area of Sierra de Puebla.
THE BEST Queso añejo Cheeses
Adobera is a traditional cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is shaped like an adobe brick, hence the name. It has a fresh aroma, and the texture is firm, crumbly, and grainy, while the flavors are mild and salty. Due to its texture, Adobera can be crumbled, grated, shredded, and melted easily, making it versatile and very popular in Mexican cuisine.
It is believed that the cheese originated in the Jalisco area. Use it in ecnhiladas, burritos, tacos, soups, and salads.
Pair with
Duroblando is a traditional Hispanic cheese that's found in South American countries such as Mexico and the Caribbean. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's rindless. The texture is firm, hard, and crumbly. The aroma is mild and smokey, while the flavors are smokey, strong, and salty.
It's recommended to use Duroblando in pupusas, pasta dishes, enchiladas, quesadillas, salads, and tostadas. Serve it with a glass of cider or fruity beer on the side for the best experience.
Chontaleno is a Mexican white cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. This semi-hard cheese has a natural rind. Its texture is firm, while the flavor is salty. Chontaleno is usually used as a table cheese, and it's often used grated in baked dishes.
It can act as a replacement for parmesan or cotija cheese. There is also a smoked version of the cheese, known as Chontaleno Ahumado.
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