The Best Cheeses To Elevate Your Torta Experience

A torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a soft roll, such as bolillo or telera, and filled with meat, sauce, and various toppings such as crema, avocado, salsa, and iceberg lettuce. When it comes to cheese, in Mexico, you're more likely to find your torta stuffed with Mexican cheeses like queso fresco, queso panela, queso Oaxaca, and cotija. In the US, tortas might be served with jack cheese.

Mozzarella string cheese, Oaxaca cheese, panela cheese, and cotija cheese are all popular options

Mozzarella string cheese is a great substitute for Oaxaca cheese, which is the type of cheese used in Mexico. Mozzarella string cheese has a similar taste and appearance to Oaxaca cheese, making it a good option for those who cannot find Oaxaca cheese in their area. Oaxaca cheese is also known as quesillo and is a stringy, white Mexican cheese made from stretched curd. It is similar in texture to Mozzarella and is commonly used in Mexican dishes such as quesadillas and empanadas.

Panela cheese is another popular option for tortas. It is a super-firm cheese that can be grilled or cooked without melting, making it a good choice for those who want a more substantial cheese on their torta. Panela cheese is also known as queso panela and is a white, fresh, and smooth Mexican cheese. It has a mild flavour and a texture similar to that of a pressed ricotta or queso blanco.

Cotija cheese is also commonly used in tortas. It is a salty and crumbly Mexican cheese that can be used as a topping or filling. Cotija cheese is often compared to feta cheese due to its salty and tangy flavour, as well as its dry and crumbly texture. It is a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine and is often used in dishes such as tacos, enchiladas, and burritos.

In the US, tortas are often served with jack cheese

The torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a soft roll and filled with meat, sauce, and various toppings. The torta is defined by two types of bread: bolillos and teleras. Bolillos are torpedo-shaped rolls similar to a soft baguette, while teleras are flatter, softer, and rounder, and they usually have two score marks down the centre.

Tortas can be filled with almost anything, but some of the most famous regional versions include Guadalajara's torta ahogada and Mexico City's pambazo and torta de tamal. Like tacos, tortas are typically identified by their fillings: torta de lomo (pork loin), torta de chorizo, torta de pavo (turkey), torta de pierna (pork leg), and torta de carnitas, to name a few.

Tortas are also known for their wide variety of toppings, which can include crema (sour cream or Mexican crema), avocado, salsa, iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, shredded cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, and beans. And of course, cheese. In the US, this is often jack cheese.

Tortas are a modern Mexican staple, sold at markets, bodega counters, convenience stores, and puestos, the fixed street stands scattered throughout every neighbourhood. They are the everyday sandwich of the populace: cheap, filling, and infinitely customisable.

For a vegetarian option, load up on lots of cheese

Tortas are a type of Mexican sandwich that can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including meats, cheeses, and vegetables. While meat is a common filling, it's not a requirement, and vegetarians can enjoy a hearty torta too. If you're making a vegetarian torta, one way to make it extra satisfying is to load up on the cheese. Here are some tips and suggestions for creating a delicious, cheese-centric vegetarian torta.

Choosing the Right Bread

The type of bread is an important component of any torta. Traditionally, there are two types of bread used for tortas: bolillos and teleras. Bolillos are torpedo-shaped rolls similar to soft baguettes, while teleras are flatter, softer, and rounder, often with two score marks down the center. Freshness is key—look for bread made on the same day, as tortas are not always toasted.

The Main Event: Cheese

When it comes to cheese, you have several options. In Mexico, traditional tortas typically use Mexican cheeses such as queso fresco, queso panela, queso Oaxaca, and cotija. However, if you're making your torta outside of Mexico, you might use jack cheese or even cheddar. For a vegetarian torta, feel free to mix and match cheeses to create a combination of flavours and textures. You can include soft, spreadable cheeses, melty cheeses, and firmer varieties that can be grilled or cooked without melting, such as halloumi.

Other Vegetarian-Friendly Fillings

While cheese is the star of this torta, you can include other vegetarian-friendly fillings to create a well-rounded sandwich. Avocado, either sliced or made into guacamole, is a popular choice. You can also add raw or grilled vegetables like onions, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, or lettuce. Beans are another classic torta ingredient—try refried beans or mashed black beans. Don't forget to spread your bread with mayonnaise, crema ácida (sour cream), or crema Mexicana to add richness and moisture to your torta.

Pickles and Spicy Condiments

No torta is complete without a little spice and tang from pickled ingredients and condiments. Include pickled jalapeños, either on their own or with carrots, cauliflower, and onion. Chipotles en adobo, a vinegar-based marinade laced with piloncillo syrup and dried chiles, are another common choice. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even make your own pickles or experiment with pickling other vegetables.

Cheese is the glue that holds the torta together

Tortas are Mexican sandwiches that are defined by two types of bread: bolillos and teleras. They are usually filled with meat, sauce, and various toppings.

Cheese is indeed the glue that holds the torta together. Melty cheese helps to hold the sandwich together, and softer cheeses can be spread or crumbled for fun textures. In Mexico, you're more likely to find your torta stuffed with Mexican cheeses like queso fresco, queso panela, queso Oaxaca, and cotija. In the US, tortas might be served with jack cheese.

• Torta Cubana: This includes almost every filling, including hot dog, ham, pierna (marinated, uncured pig leg), head cheese, scrambled or fried egg, chorizo, and chicken or beef milanesa.
• Torta de Milanesa: This features a pounded, breaded, and fried cutlet, usually pork but sometimes beef or chicken.
• Avocado, Jalapeño and Cheese Mexican Torta: This simple torta features bolillo bread, mayonnaise, avocado, queso fresco or queso panela, and pickled jalapeños.
• Mexican Steak Torta: This torta is stuffed with char-grilled steak, beans, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and cotija cheese.

Cheese sauce is also an option

Cheese Sauce for Tortas

Tortas are Mexican sandwiches served on a soft roll and filled with meat, sauce, and various toppings. They are usually filled with Mexican cheeses like queso fresco, queso panela, queso Oaxaca, and cotija. However, cheese sauce is also an option and can be used as a spread to help keep the sandwich moist and hold the ingredients together.

When making a torta, it is important to start with fresh, cheap bread. The two types of bread typically used for tortas are bolillos and teleras. Bolillos are torpedo-shaped rolls similar to a soft baguette, while teleras are flatter, softer, and rounder with two score marks down the center. Fresh bread is key, and tortas are not always toasted, so bread made the same day is common practice.

Once you have your bread, the next step is to add your spreads, sauces, and condiments. In addition to cheese sauce, common spreads for tortas include mayonnaise, refried beans, and avocado. Layering these spreads on the bread will add richness and moisture to the sandwich.

Next come the proteins and toppings. Tortas can be filled with almost anything, but popular proteins include shredded carnitas, beef barbacoa, pollo asada, chorizo, and carne asada. Toppings can include crema, salsa, raw vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, and onion, and beans.

Finally, don't forget the pickles! Pickled jalapeños, onions, nopales, and tomatoes are all great options to add some spice and tang to your torta.

So, if you're looking to mix up your torta game, why not try using a cheese sauce as a spread? It's a great way to add some extra cheesiness to your sandwich and keep all your ingredients nice and intact.

Frequently asked questions