Frederic Melton
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly cheese that is commonly associated with Mexican cuisine. It is similar to feta, pot cheese, farmer cheese, Indian paneer, and Eastern European quark. If you can't find queso fresco, you can use queso blanco, paneer, mild feta, Monterey Jack, dry ricotta, dry cottage cheese, or mild goat cheese as substitutes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Likely Spain, but commonly associated with Mexican cuisine |
| Texture | Mild, soft, and crumbly |
| Taste | Fresh, milky, and snowy white |
| Substitutes | Queso blanco, paneer, mild feta, Monterey Jack, dry ricotta, dry cottage cheese, farmer cheese, cotija cheese, queso anejo, mild goat cheese, bocconcini cheese |
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What You'll Learn
Queso blanco
Other cheeses similar to queso fresco include paneer, an Indian white cheese that doesn't melt, mild feta, Monterey Jack, dry ricotta, dry cottage cheese, farmer cheese, cotija cheese, queso anejo, mild goat cheese, and bocconcini cheese.
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Paneer
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly cheese similar to feta. It is a fresh cheese, likely originating in Spain, but is commonly associated with Mexican cuisine. It is usually made with raw cow's milk and occasionally with goat's milk.
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Feta
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly cheese. It is similar to Feta, although Feta is tangier. Feta is a Greek brined curd white cheese made from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with a grainy texture, and has a tangy, salty flavour. Feta is often used in salads, but it can also be baked into pastries, such as the Greek phyllo dough pie, spanakopita. It is also used in omelettes and quiches, and can be served as a table cheese.
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Monterey Jack
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly Mexican cheese, similar to feta. It's fresh, milky, and snowy white, and is often used in Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and salads.
If you can't find queso fresco, there are several alternatives you can use. One option is Monterey Jack. Although it melts, which queso fresco doesn't, it has a mild, milky flavour that makes it a good substitute.
When substituting Monterey Jack for queso fresco, keep in mind that it may affect the texture of your dish due to its melting properties. However, its mild flavour should complement Mexican dishes nicely.
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Bocconcini
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly Mexican cheese. It is similar to feta, pot cheese, farmer cheese, Indian paneer, and Eastern European quark. If you can't find queso fresco, you can use one of the following cheeses as a substitute: queso blanco, paneer, mild feta, Monterey Jack, dry ricotta, dry cottage cheese, or Bocconcini.
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Frequently asked questions
Queso blanco, paneer, mild feta, Monterey Jack, dry ricotta, dry cottage cheese, farmer cheese, cotija cheese, queso anejo, mild goat cheese, and quark are all similar to queso fresco.
Queso fresco is a mild, soft, and crumbly cheese. It is often associated with Mexican cuisine, but likely originated in Spain.
Despite their similar names, flavours, and appearances, queso fresco and queso blanco are made using different processes. Queso fresco is made with rennet and cultures to form the curds, while queso blanco is made with milk and an acidifying agent such as lemon juice or vinegar.
Yes, feta can be used as a substitute for queso fresco, although it is a bit tangier.
Yes, you can make queso fresco at home. However, traditional queso fresco is made with rennet, which is frequently sourced from animals, so it may not be suitable for vegetarians. An alternative is to make queso blanco, which can be made with milk and an acidifying agent such as lemon juice or vinegar.
