The cheese used in Mexican restaurants is a diverse family of dairy items chosen for specific functions, reflecting regional Mexican cooking and Americanized adaptations. Selection ranges from fresh, unaged cheeses that maintain their form to those engineered for a perfect melt. The type of cheese encountered depends heavily on whether the restaurant leans toward traditional Mexican cuisine or popular Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex styles. Categorizing them by texture and melting properties helps understand the different roles cheese plays in these dishes.
Traditional Crumbly and Fresh Cheeses
Mexican cuisine relies on fresh cheeses intended to be crumbled over dishes, providing texture and saltiness. These cheeses have high moisture and a low melting point, meaning they soften but do not melt into a smooth, liquid state. Aged for only a few days, they possess a bright, milky flavor.
Queso Fresco, which translates directly to “fresh cheese,” is the most common example, featuring a soft, moist texture similar to farmer’s cheese or feta. Its mild, slightly tangy flavor provides a cooling contrast to the spicier elements of a dish. This cheese is ideal for sprinkling over tacos, enchiladas, or refried beans, where it retains its shape and adds a refreshing creaminess.
In contrast to Queso Fresco is Cotija, often called the “Parmesan of Mexico” due to its hard, dry, and granular texture. Cotija is an aged cheese, sometimes for several months, which concentrates its flavor and salt content. Because of its powerful, salty profile, it is typically used sparingly as a final garnish, adding a sharp burst of flavor to items like elotes (street corn) or soup.
Essential Melting Cheeses
Melting cheeses are selected for their ability to become smooth, stretchy, and pliable without separating into a greasy mess when heated. This property is due to low acidity and a specific protein structure, making them perfect for stuffing, baking, and hot dips. These cheeses are central to dishes requiring a gooey, pulled-cheese effect.
Oaxaca cheese, also known as quesillo, is a semi-soft white cheese belonging to the pasta filata family, much like Italian mozzarella. Cheesemakers stretch the curds into long ribbons, which are then wound into a ball, giving it a distinctive stringy texture. This structure provides a superior, elastic melt, making it the preferred choice for authentic quesadillas and queso fundido, a dish of melted cheese.
Another important melter is Queso Asadero, a smooth, creamy cheese widely used in northern Mexico for its excellent melting capabilities. Asadero is often used interchangeably with Oaxaca or Queso Quesadilla for filling enchiladas or making creamy dips. The term queso blanco is often used generically in restaurants to describe a white melting cheese, which may be Asadero, a similar mild white cheese, or a proprietary blend designed for a smooth sauce consistency.
Americanized Restaurant Staples
In many US-based Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex restaurants, cheese selection is influenced by familiarity, cost, and the desire for a specific melt and color. These establishments frequently use cheeses readily available in commercial quantities that appeal to a broader palate. The resulting dishes are defined by the flavor and appearance of these non-traditional options.
Monterey Jack is a mild, semi-firm cow’s milk cheese that is a staple in the Americanized Mexican restaurant kitchen. Its high moisture content ensures it melts smoothly and consistently, making it popular for burritos, nachos, and as a base for cheese sauces. It is often blended with other cheeses, such as Colby, to create a marbled effect known as Colby-Jack.
Cheddar cheese, an English import, is frequently used for its strong color and sharp flavor, especially when paired with milder Jack cheese. The combination of shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack provides a visually appealing orange and white topping, a hallmark of many Americanized dishes. For ultra-smooth, liquid white queso dip, many restaurants rely on processed cheese, such as white American cheese or Velveeta. These processed blocks contain emulsifying salts, which prevent fat and protein from separating when heated, resulting in a smooth, velvety texture that reheats without becoming grainy.