It may rival goat cheese, feta, and ricotta as one of the best cheeses to have on hand during hot summer months, when lighter, fresh cheeses make the best accompaniment to grilled food and summer vegetables.
So what is queso fresco and how can you incorporate it into your cooking?
Queso fresco — "fresh cheese" — is a Mexican cheese, traditionally made from raw cow milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. In the States, we'll most likely find pasteurized versions.
The flavor is pretty innocuous — fresh, bright, milky, and mild — but is a perfect complement to a variety of dishes, by either providing contrast to a heavier dish like enchiladas or huevos rancheros, or by complementing something equally light, like salads or grilled vegetables. Queso fresco has a trademark salty-sour kick, and while it's creamy by nature of its freshness, it's not rich or buttery tasting.
The make process is simple: milk is acidified and left to curdle, and then strained in cheesecloth and pressed. The cheese can be sold immediately or is aged for a few days before being packaged for sale. Traditional queso fresco won't hold very long, but what we'd find in grocery stores can, since the cheese is cryovacked in plastic.
Try queso fresco in place of feta or even goat cheese. It's great with egg dishes or as a garnish on chilled summer soups. One of our favorite ways to serve it is with watermelon and mint, for a light appetizer or dessert. Even better is with corn on the cob, lime, and butter (see below).
• Find it! Queso Fresco (plus queso blanco and queso blanco with chiles and epazote), $14.90 /lb at Mozzarella Company
Some Kitchn recipes with Queso Fresco:
• Bean Chilaquiles with Avocado and Queso Fresco
• Black Bean Soft Tacos
• 5 Ways to Liven Up Corn on the Cob
• Goat Tacos
Related: New Favorite Cheese for Summer: Forme di Formaggio
(Image: Mozzarella Company)
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Why would you pay $14.90 for it? Most supermarkets and bodegas here in NY sell a prepackaged queso fresco that's not half bad for around $3.00.
view Matilda's profile
Agreed. I've been noticing it's cheaper than feta and wondering if it might have a similar use. Thanks for the tip!
view ladidi's profile
Queso fresco is one of the reasons I love living in Tucson. I can get it freshly made for about $4 a pound from the grocery store.
And the best way to eat it? Crumble it up and just munch on it plain! (Though I'll usually get it to put in tacos or as cheese in tortilla soup.)
view laetitiae's profile
My fav. way to use queso fresco is in a rice dish that I think might be a Rick Bayless recipe (can't remember). Basically, make a white rice pilaf by sauteeing onions in some oil, saute raw rice in it for a sec, and then add broth. In the meantime, roast a few poblanos and dice them. Once the rice is done, stir in the poblanos, a bunch of crumbled queso fresco, some fresh corn sliced off the cob (or some frozen white corn thawed), and some cilantro. Best Mexican rice dish ever....
view lotusmoss's profile
the only problem with this is that in the states queso fresco is pretty much the same thing, but in mexico and i'm guessing the rest of central and latin america, queso fresco differs with each region. The crumbly stuff you get at the market has almost no similarities to the deliciously smooth and melty queso fresco of oaxaca or the firmer cheese of durango.
The only similar quality each cheese has is it's mild flavor. Though it can be substituted for feta - IMO, if you're looking for feta's flavor, stick with that.
and be careful with the espazote - too much and it can give you the runs.
view chusmabilly's profile
Agreed, why $14.90 when I can get the Cacique brand for a whole lot less? Tastes fine to me. You can probably find a fresher version from a latino market.
As for the differences from region to region, I think US queso fresco is just easier to make and consolidate instead of making each region's version. But one can only hope. Cacique finally came out with a Salvi version of sour cream so my dad doesn't have to settle for the Mexican version anymore. :-)
view graciela's profile
Growing up one of my favorite things to make were queso fresco quesadillas. Queso fresco is not a melting cheese, but it you heated for long enough at a low temperature it will melt slightly. I would take some corn tortillas and heat them up slightly. This allowed the tortillas to be folded over without breaking. Once the tortillas were warmed, and turned over a couple of times, I would place a semi thick slice of queso fresco and folded the tortilla over. The final step was to just heat the tortillas on each side until it got crispy. Man these are so good. I could eat 3 or 4 of them easy. The creamy queso fresco is the perfect compliment to a cripy corn tortilla.
view Jose A's profile
Love love love the light and subtle flavors of this cheese! I'll use feta (more tart) if I can't find it, but that's a rare occasion in a big city. And yes, $14.90 /Lb seems pricey.
view gabrielaskitchen's profile
Quesos fresco, blanco, and chihuahua are some of our absolute favorite cheeses. Especially as a dish Queso chihuahua con chorizo flameado y tostados.
view tsbbq's profile
Me:¡Que viva el queso fresco!
My husband: ¡Viva!
view sakarina's profile
queso fresco is not that expensive where I live.The full wheel in a family of 3 can get spoiled very fast so I just get 1/3 of the wheel at the deli counter.
view witchbaby's profile
Fried queso fresco; the smooth, not crumbly kind. Golden cripsy edges, chewy outside, soft but not stringy inside. Yummy. Add some fried bean and rice (gallo pinto), a slice of avocado and/ or tomato and some corn tortillas toasted by throwing them briefly on a gas stovetop burner.
view Faithbck's profile
Alas, this is one of the cheeses the lactose intolerant can't enjoy (curdled cheeses like queso fresco and paneer retain their lactose; most cultured cheeses have the lactose broken down). Too bad, because it is delicious!
view matchbookhymnal's profile