Randy Chandler
Queso Oaxaca, named after the Mexican state where it originated, is a soft, white, fresh, string cheese made from cow's milk. It is known for its mild, creamy, and buttery flavor with a hint of salinity. This cheese is a member of the pasta filata or spun paste family, which includes other stretched-curd cheeses such as mozzarella and string cheese. Queso Oaxaca is renowned for its melting properties, making it a popular choice for dishes that require melted cheese, such as quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, and chile rellenos. Its ability to melt effortlessly and its versatile flavor profile make it a beloved ingredient in Mexican cuisine and a sought-after cheese for food enthusiasts worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Melting | Yes |
| Taste | Mild, creamy, buttery, salty |
| Texture | Soft, supple yet bouncy, stretchy |
| Colour | White |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Substitutes | Low-moisture mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Asadero cheese, Armenian string cheese, queso panela, cheddar curds, Muenster cheese |
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What You'll Learn
Oaxaca cheese's mild flavour
Queso Oaxaca, named after the Mexican state where it originated, is a semi-soft, white, string-type cheese with a mild, creamy, buttery, and slightly salty flavour. It is made from cow's milk and is a member of a classification of cheeses called pasta filata, which means "spun paste". This family includes mozzarella, string cheese, and more aged cheeses like provolone.
Oaxaca cheese is often compared to low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack, but it has a more layered flavour and a supple yet bouncy texture. The curds are stretched into thin, flat ribbons and wound like a ball of yarn, which creates its signature stringy texture. This versatile cheese can be enjoyed fresh or melted and is commonly used in Mexican dishes such as quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, and chile rellenos.
Its mild flavour makes it a perfect complement to highly spiced additions, such as smoky cumin-roasted squash, chorizo, or flame-kissed carne asada. It can also be sliced and added to sandwiches or melted on top of cooked foods. Oaxaca cheese is a great melting cheese, and its salty and mild flavour make it a popular choice for preparing dishes that require a generous amount of cheese, such as quesadillas and chiles rellenos.
In addition to its culinary uses, Oaxaca cheese is also a wonderful snacking cheese. It can be cubed or stringed and paired with fruits like grapes, apples, or dried fruit, as well as cured meats, for a well-balanced snack. Its mild flavour and creamy texture make it an enjoyable and versatile cheese for both snacking and cooking applications.
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Melting methods
Oaxaca cheese, also known as Queso Oaxaca, is a Mexican cheese that is known for its excellent melting properties. It is often used in Mexican dishes such as tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and mulitas, where its melting ability adds a gooey and creamy texture.
Melting on Cooked Food
Oaxaca cheese can be melted on top of cooked food to add a layer of gooey, creamy texture and flavour. This method is commonly used in dishes such as tacos, nachos, and molletes. The cheese can be shredded or sliced and then melted on top of the cooked food.
Frying
Oaxaca cheese is also excellent for frying due to its melting properties. To fry Oaxaca cheese, heat a lightly oiled pan and add slices of cheese. Fry until the cheese is golden brown and crispy, then serve immediately. This method can be used to create fried cheese tacos or quesadillas by placing a tortilla on top of the melted cheese and carefully flipping it.
Oven or Skillet Melting
Oaxaca cheese can be added to dishes such as enchiladas, chiles rellenos, or stuffed peppers, and then baked in the oven or cooked in a skillet until the cheese is melted. The cheese will melt and blend with the other ingredients, creating a creamy and cohesive dish.
Topping or Stuffing
Oaxaca cheese can be shredded or pulled into thin strings and used as a topping or stuffing for various dishes. For example, it can be sprinkled on top of pizzas or stuffed into poblano peppers before frying. The cheese will melt and blend with the other ingredients, adding a creamy texture and mild flavour.
Blending
Oaxaca cheese can be melted and blended into sauces, dips, or soups to add creaminess and flavour. For example, it can be melted with chorizo to create a dip or blended into a cheese sauce for mac and cheese.
Oaxaca cheese is a versatile and delicious melting cheese that can enhance a variety of dishes with its creamy texture and mild flavour. These melting methods can be used to create a range of tasty treats, from savoury mains to cheesy snacks.
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Substitutes for Oaxaca cheese
Queso Oaxaca, named after the Mexican state where it originated, is a member of a classification of cheeses called pasta filata, which means "spun paste". This family includes mozzarella, string cheese, provolone, and Scamorza. It is also often compared to low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack.
While Oaxaca cheese is pretty irreplaceable, there are several suitable substitutes that can be easily found in most grocery stores or specialty shops. Here are some alternatives to Oaxaca cheese:
- Mozzarella: All types of mozzarella will make a great substitute for Oaxaca cheese because they are made in the exact same way. The only difference is that mozzarella tends to be wetter and stored in brine, whereas Oaxaca is drier and more rubbery.
- Monterey Jack: Monterey Jack is an ultra-versatile cheese that can be sliced and diced for quick snacks and cheese boards, or grated and used to melt all over pizza, pasta, Mexican food, and more. It is also sometimes referred to as "Mexican Jack Cheese" because of its similarity to Oaxaca.
- Muenster: A flavorful choice aged two to three months, Muenster cheese has a smooth texture perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches or Mexican dishes requiring melted cheese.
- Asadero: Asadero is a Mexican cheese known for its smooth, creamy texture and mild flavor. It is traditionally made from cow's milk and is often used for melting in various Mexican dishes.
- Queso Fresco: Queso Fresco is a soft, pure white, crumbly cheese that is mild and salty, making it a perfect substitute for Oaxaca cheese.
- Armenian String Cheese: If you want a substitution for raw, shredded Oaxaca cheese, try Armenian string cheese.
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Oaxaca cheese's texture
Oaxaca cheese, also known as quesillo, queso Oaxaca, or queso de hebra, is a semi-hard, soft, white, and mild Mexican string cheese. It is made from cow's milk and is similar to mozzarella or string cheese in texture. The cheese is stretchy, supple yet bouncy, and can be easily pulled apart into thin strings. It is often sold in "rope" form and looks like a ball of yarn.
Oaxaca cheese is a member of a classification of cheeses called pasta filata, which means "spun paste." This family includes mozzarella, string cheese, caciocavallo, provolone, and Scamorza. The cheese-making process involves stretching the cheese into long ribbons and rolling it up like a ball of yarn. This unique process gives Oaxaca cheese its signature stringy texture.
The texture of Oaxaca cheese makes it ideal for melting, and it is a popular choice for fillings in Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, and chile rellenos. It has a mild, creamy, and buttery flavor with a delicate salinity that pairs well with spicy additions. The cheese can be shredded, cubed, or melted to add a stringy and gooey texture to various dishes.
When used in cooking, Oaxaca cheese provides a gooey and stretchy texture that is perfect for dishes like tacos, quesadillas, and nachos. It can be shredded, melted, or fried to create a crispy texture. The cheese is also commonly used as a filling or topping, adding a creamy and stringy element to recipes. Oaxaca cheese is versatile and can be enjoyed in both melted and raw forms, making it a popular choice for adding texture and flavor to a variety of dishes.
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History of Oaxaca cheese
Oaxaca cheese, also known as quesillo and queso de hebra, is a white, semi-hard, low-fat cheese that originated in Mexico. It is named after the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where it was first made. The cheese is available in several different shapes.
The string cheese process was brought to Mexico by the Dominican friars who settled in Oaxaca. The process is believed to have been brought over to Mexico by Dominican monks who settled in Oaxaca. Water buffalo milk—which is typically used to make mozzarella—was unavailable, so they used the more accessible cow’s milk instead. The cheese-making process is very similar to that of making mozzarella. First, rennet is added to gently heated whole milk, separating the curds, or solids, from the whey, or liquid. Once set and drained of the whey, the curds are cut into smaller portions, submerged in hot water to soften them, then kneaded and stretched long and thin to make the stringy, flat, pill-apart ropes distinctive to the cheese.
The most widespread origin story of Oaxaca cheese is that in 1885, Leobarda Castellanos, a 14-year-old girl in charge of preparing the cheese at her family’s business, got distracted and let the milk coagulate past the exact point for making cheese. To avoid being punished, she tipped hot water over the milk, accidentally creating a gummy product that unexpectedly became very popular among the clients of the Castellanos family in the Oaxacan village of Reyes Etla, the official birthplace of quesillo. However, the idea that quesillo is a Oaxacan cheese that was created by accident has been questioned by food historians, anthropologists, and cheese producers themselves. Virgilio Santiago, a Oaxacan food historian and researcher, reflects that "many people say quesillo is Oaxacan, but I honestly think it is European and was brought during colonial times by the Dominican order."
Nowadays, Oaxaca cheese is widely used in Mexican cuisine, especially in quesadillas and empanadas, where the cheese is melted and other ingredients, such as huitlacoche and squash flowers, are added to the filling. It can also be shredded, peeled, and melted for pizzas, birria tacos, nachos, or deep-fried to make crispy, gooey, mega-elastic cheese curds.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Oaxaca cheese is a great melting cheese. It's a Mexican string cheese with a creamy and mild flavour, and it melts easily, making it perfect for quesadillas, enchiladas, and tacos.
Oaxaca cheese is a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine. It can be used in recipes that call for melted cheese, such as enchiladas, quesadillas, chile rellenos, nachos, and tacos. It can also be shredded and used as a garnish on top of soups, tostadas, tacos, and beans.
If you can't get your hands on Oaxaca cheese, you can use grated low-moisture mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Asadero cheese, or Armenian string cheese. These cheeses have similar melting properties and can be used in recipes that call for melting.
