Queso fresco is a type of Mexican cheese that really ties any dish together, making the meal more delicious than it already is.
Though it can be used as a key ingredient in a dish, queso fresco is better used to complement other flavours and finish off the dish. It is versatile enough to be used as a topper or final addition to any Mexican dish, so there is no excuse to not use it!
That being said, as queso fresco is such a Mexican staple, it can be difficult to find outside of South America.
Our 5 Substitutes for Queso Fresco
Part of the reason that queso fresco is such a desirable cheese is because it is made using raw cow’s milk (or, in some cases, a mixture of cow and goat milk).
This gives the cheese a mild tang with a creamy enough texture to coat the mouth with every bite.
That being said, though it is a firm cheese, crumbling better than it melts. Hence why it is favoured as a topping rather than a melting cheese.
Here are our top 5 substitutions for queso fresco:
1) Feta
Feta cheese is one of the most widely used topping cheeses. It is very crumbly, making it easy to sprinkle on top of a fresh salad or to add extra texture to a burrito.
The main difference between feta cheese and queso fresco cheese is how they are aged.
Aged in a brine, feta cheese has a higher moisture content than queso fresco and has a much sharper tangy flavour. Though this can help compliment spicier dishes that queso fresco can’t do.
Pick the Right Feta
Greek feta will be the easiest to find variety, but it is often too moist to give the same texture as queso fresco. Instead, find french feta or leave the geta to age a little at home before use.
2) Monterey Jack
The chances are that you are used to the softer, easily meltable Monterey jack cheese, as that is the one that is most common in American dishes.
However, aged Monterey jack has the same fitness as queso fresco and will not melt as easily, allowing for a nice texture finish to your dish.
Monterey jack in general tends to have a slight sweetness to it that queso fresco doesn’t, but aged jack cheese is richer and less sweet. This will be more like queso fresco.
Know your Ratios
Even standard Monterey jack will be much creamier than queso fresco and will quickly make your dish too cheesy if not used in moderation. So only use half as much Monterey jack cheese as queso fresco cheese.
3) Paneer
Though paneer is an Indian cheese, it is accessible enough in UK supermarkets.
It is both a firm but soft cheese – firm enough to hold its shape when used as a topping but soft enough to not completely ruin the texture balance of your meal.
In Indian cooking, paneer is used in pretty much the same way as queso fresco in Mexican cooking, though it will not mellow out intense heat as much as queso fresco because it is not tangy enough.
How to Use It
You can use paneer in any way that you use queso fresco. It will turn a delicious colour when grilled and will not burn easily but it can simply be used as a crumbled topping.
4) Tofu
Okay, so it isn’t a cheese – in fact, it doesn’t include any dairy at all – but tofu is the perfect vegan alternative to queso fresco. And it has only become more accessible in recent years.
It depends on what you like about queso fresco as to which type of tofu you use.
Silken tofu will provide the creamier texture of queso fresco but extra-firm tofu will be easier to use as a topping as queso fresco is intended to be.
Season Liberally
Unless you buy pre-seasoned tofu, you will need to do so yourself otherwise it is very bland. You might want to marinade it in your dish’s sauce before using it as a topping to give it some flavour.
5) Ricotta Salata
In most cases, ricotta works better as a cream cheese substitute as it is one of the softest cheese around. But ricotta salata is different.
Ricotta salata is just a fancy name for aged and dried ricotta. It still retains the creaminess of traditional ricotta but it develops a new tang from its ageing process.
It will still not the firmest cheese in the world, but it will be hard enough to use as a topping like queso fresco.
Avoid Grilling It
After being aged, ricotta salata will not spread as easy as ricotta, but neither will it do well with high heats. It will melt horribly and be an oddly rough texture. So don’t use ricotta salata when grilling.
Other Substitutes for Queso Fresco
Despite queso fresco being hard to find outside of Mexico, there is plenty of other Mexican cheeses that you may be able to find and use instead. Such as:
- Queso Blanco – Very similar in appearance and texture to queso fresco, queso blanco is not as tangy but is sourer.
- Cotija – If you want a saltier finish to your dish, cotija is perfect. Aged cotija crumbles like queso fresco but use in moderation to not over-salt your dish.
Summary
Queso fresco is a versatile finishing cheese used all over Mexican cooking but in the UK it is hard to get your hands on. Luckily, a few more internationally available cheeses work in a similar way to queso fresco, e.g. feta and paneer.