Patrick Oconnell
Cotija cheese is a typical Mexican ingredient. It is a classic, made from cow's milk and named after the city that popularised it—Cotija—in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is white and firm, which makes it perfect for crumbling onto tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. It gets softer when heated but does not fully melt. Cotija has a salty, milky flavour, with a characteristic pungency from the maturation process. Younger, fresher cheeses have a milder taste and softer texture, while Cotija Añejo becomes harder with age and develops a sharper flavour, similar to Parmesan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Crumbly, firm, gets softer when heated but doesn't melt |
| Taste | Salty, tangy, milky, pungent |
| Type | Cow's milk, aged |
| Origin | Mexico |
| Use | Topping for tacos, enchiladas, elote, soups, salads, guacamole, chicken, steak, seafood, vegetables, pasta, pizza |
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What You'll Learn
Cojita is a salty, tangy, crumbly cheese
Cotija is a salty, tangy, crumbly cheese. It is a classic Mexican ingredient, named after the city that popularised it—Cotija—in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is an aged cow's milk cheese that is white and firm, making it perfect for crumbling onto tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. It is also used in corn dishes, such as elote, a popular street food made with corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise, cotija, and seasoning.
Cotija is often described as having a salty taste, with a unique overall flavour. Its fresh flavour is often compared to feta cheese, while its aged flavour is likened to parmesan. The younger, fresher cheeses have a milder taste and softer texture, while the cheese becomes harder with age and develops a sharper flavour.
Cotija is a versatile cheese that can be used to enhance the flavours of other savoury ingredients. It is commonly used as a topping, grated or crumbled over various dishes. It is a popular addition to soups, salads, and guacamole, as well as chicken, steak, and seafood dishes. It pairs well with vegetables, such as zucchini or avocados, and can add a tangy twist to spicy foods.
The cheese gets its distinct flavour from the maturation process. Even fresh cotija is aged for at least three months, and the longer it ages, the sharper its flavour becomes. This process also affects its texture, with younger cotija being semi-hard and older cotija (cotija añejo) being a hard cheese.
Cotija is an excellent, inexpensive ingredient to experiment with in the kitchen. It can be used in place of salt to add a tangy, salty kick to any dish. Sprinkle it on eggs, meatballs, burgers, or even substitute it for Parmesan on pasta. Its crumbly texture and unique flavour make it a fun and versatile cheese to cook with.
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It's made from cow's milk and named after the city of Cotija in Mexico
Cotija cheese is a typical Mexican ingredient, named after the city of Cotija in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is made from cow's milk and is known for its crumbly texture and salty, tangy taste. The cheese is aged for at least three months, which gives it a unique flavour and firmer texture.
Cotija is available in two varieties: fresh and aged (añejo). Fresh cotija has a softer texture, similar to feta cheese, while añejo cotija is harder, like Parmesan. Despite softening when heated, cotija does not fully melt, which makes it perfect for crumbling onto dishes. Its salty, tangy flavour and crumbly texture make it a versatile topping for a variety of dishes.
In Mexico, cotija is commonly used as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, and elote, a popular street food made with corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise, cheese, and seasoning. It is also used in soups, salads, guacamole, and with spicy peppers, chicken, steak, seafood, or vegetables. The cheese is a great way to add a dash of salty goodness to any dish.
Cotija is often compared to other cheeses, such as feta, Parmesan, and queso fresco, due to its similar texture and flavour profile. However, cotija has a unique flavour that sets it apart from other cheeses. Its salty, tangy, and slightly pungent taste, combined with its crumbly texture, make it a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine and a favourite topping for many dishes.
Overall, cotija cheese is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can enhance the flavours of many savoury dishes. Its unique taste and texture, along with its Mexican heritage, make it a popular choice for those looking to add a bit of Latin flair to their cooking.
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It's a versatile topping, rarely the main ingredient
Cotija is a versatile topping that can be used to enhance the flavours of other savoury ingredients. It is rarely the main ingredient in a dish. The cheese is typically used as a topping and can be grated or crumbled over a variety of different dishes. Its salty, tangy, and milky flavour, along with its crumbly texture, makes it a perfect topping for tacos, enchiladas, salads, soups, and elote (a popular Mexican street food made with corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise).
Cotija is also a great addition to chicken, steak, and seafood dishes. It pairs well with vegetables such as zucchini, avocado, or spicy foods like hot peppers. It can be used as a topping for burgers, sprinkled on pasta, or paired with corn on pizza. Its unique flavour and texture make it a valuable ingredient for adding a dash of goodness to any dish. For example, it can be used on eggs as a salty substitute, sprinkled into soups, crumbled into meatballs, or even used in dips and dressings.
The versatility of cotija cheese extends beyond Mexican cuisine. While it is a typical Mexican ingredient, it can be used in a variety of dishes from different cuisines. For instance, it can be sprinkled on pasta or used as a burger topping. Its salty, tangy, and pungent flavour can add a unique twist to familiar dishes.
Cotija cheese is also a great alternative to other cheeses. Its flavour and texture are similar to feta, making it a good substitute. It also shares similarities with Parmesan and pecorino romano, although using these cheeses on a taco might be a bit odd. Nevertheless, cotija's versatility as a topping and its ability to enhance the flavours of other ingredients make it a valuable and versatile ingredient in the kitchen.
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It's similar to feta, ricotta, halloumi, and queso fresco
Cotija is a Mexican cheese with a salty, milky, and tangy flavour. It is often used as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, salads, and corn on the cob. Its texture is crumbly and firm, making it perfect for crumbling and grating.
Cotija is similar to feta, ricotta, halloumi, and queso fresco in terms of texture and taste. Feta is a good match for younger, softer cotija as it is crumbly and salty with a slightly milky flavour. Queso fresco, another Mexican cheese, has a fresh and milky flavour that works as an alternative to younger cotija. These cheeses can be used as substitutes for cotija, especially when catering to vegetarians.
Ricotta and halloumi also share a similar texture to cotija, as they are all in the same category of semi-hard cheeses that do not fully melt when exposed to heat. However, ricotta is milder in taste compared to the salty and tangy cotija. Halloumi has a similar salty flavour but is not as tangy.
While cotija has a unique flavour, its closest approximation is probably feta due to their shared crumbly texture and salty taste. Parmesan and pecorino romano can also be used as substitutes for cotija, although they may not be the best toppings for Mexican dishes.
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It's available as fresh or aged (añejo)
Cotija cheese is available as fresh or aged (añejo). Fresh cotija has a softer texture, akin to feta, while the aged variety is harder, like Parmesan. The former is often compared to feta in terms of flavour, while the latter is said to resemble Parmesan.
Young cotija is a semi-hard cheese, while añejo cotija is hard. The former has a milder taste, while the latter develops a sharper flavour with age. The ageing process also lends a characteristic pungency to the cheese.
Cotija is typically used as a topping, as it can be grated or crumbled over various dishes. It is rarely the main ingredient in a dish. It is used to enhance the flavours of other savoury ingredients.
Fresh cotija is a suitable vegetarian alternative to aged cotija, as the latter is sometimes made with rennet.
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Frequently asked questions
Cotija cheese has a salty, milky flavour with a characteristic pungency from the maturation process. It is often described as "funky".
Cotija is a Mexican cheese with a unique taste, but its fresh flavour is often compared to feta cheese. Its aged flavour is similar to Parmesan.
Cotija is firmer and tangier than the Mexican cheese, Queso Fresco.
Cotija is a versatile cheese that is often used as a topping. It is popular as a topping for Mexican dishes like tacos, enchiladas, elote (grilled corn on the cob), soups and salads. It is also used in chicken, steak, and seafood dishes.
