Cotija Cheese Vs Queso Fresco

Cotija Cheese Vs Queso Fresco

Cotija cheese and queso fresco are 2 types of cheeses that are mainly used when making Mexican cuisines and often people confuse the 2 since they happen to have the same outer appearance. Cotija cheese and queso fresco are usually incorporated in soups as garnishes, they are also treated as fillings for burritos, as toppings for salads and also as sauces or dips for chips.If you are not aware of these 2 types of cheeses do not worry as this article will explore these 2 types of cheeses in detail.  This article will highlight the similarities as well as the differences between cotija cheese and queso fresco in a detailed manner and it is my hope that by the time to you finish reading this article you will be able to differentiate cotija cheese from queso fresco. You will also be able to make wiser decisions when choosing a cheese to use especially when making your favourite Mexican cuisines.

Contents

Cotija cheese

Cotija cheese is a Mexican type of cheese which was named after a Michoacán city in Mexico. This type of cheese is made from cow’s milk and it is meant to be an aging type of cheese so it is hard. Cotija cheese cannot be melted, it only becomes gooey when placed on heat therefore it is usually used as a crumble in different cuisines especially in savoury dishes. This type of cheese is found in 2 different types the first being fresh and the second being aged. The aged cotija cheese is very salty just like parmesan cheese and this comes as a result of its aging properties. Traditionally the aging process of the cotija cheese lasts between 3 to 12 months. The fresh cotija cheese is slightly softer and lesser saltier as compared to the aged cotija.

Queso fresco

Queso fresco is a Mexican type of cheese which is made from cow’s milk or a combination of goat and cow’s milk. It is also known as fresh cheese, this is because it is soft in its nature. It is a mild, fresh and slightly tangy white cheese which is very common in many Mexican dishes. This type of cheese also has light milky flavour, thus some people regard it as sweet. Its flavoured taste can be compared to mozzarella cheese and goat cheese. Queso fresco cannot be melted therefore it is usually crumbled and sprinkled on top of dishes as a topping. When you try to melt queso fresco it becomes gooey thus when you place queso fresco where there is heat you can only incorporate it as a sauce or dip.

Differences between cotija cheese and queso fresco

The first difference to note is that queso fresco can be made from a combination of both goat and cow milk whereas cotija is just made fromcow milk.

Furthermore, queso fresco is creamier and milder in flavour as compared to cotija which has a concentrated flavour. This means that cotija cheese is very salty as compared to queso fresco which is slightly salty.Due to their differences in taste, queso fresco is used just the same way as you would use mozzarella cheese for example in salads, quesadillas and enchiladas. On the other hand cotija is used in the same way that parmesan cheese is used since they are both saltier.  When trying to make a sauce using these 2 types of cheeses it is important to know that queso fresco becomes gooey faster than its counterpart which is cotija cheese.

In addition, cotija cheese has a longer shelf life as compare to queso fresco, studies show that once the packaging of queso fresco has been opened it starts to become sour. This is because cotija was designed as an aging type of cheese which can last longer as compared to queso fresco which was designed to be softer that is why it is referred to as fresh cheese.

Adding on, queso fresco cheese is softer as compared to cotija, this is because queso fresco is a fresh type of cheese which is designed to be soft whereas cotija is a hard type of cheese which is designed to age after long periods of time. When trying to make a sauce or dip, cotija cheese takes a longer period to melt down as compared to queso fresco.

Similarities between cotija cheese and queso fresco

In as much as these two types of cheeses differ they also happen to have similarities for example they both cannot be melted. This means that cotija cheese and queso fresco can only be crumbled and used as toppings for example in salads or as garnishes in soup.

Furthermore, cotija cheese and queso fresco can both substitute one another in different dishes. This means that if you have a recipe which wants you to add cotija cheese you can just substitute it with queso fresco cheese since both of them are treated as finishing cheeses as they are crumbled on top of foods.

It is also important to note that queso fresco and cotija cheese were both invented in Mexico, therefore they are both of Mexican origins

Conclusion

Cotija cheese can be used to substitute queso fresco cheese as a crumbling cheese because both of them contain almost similar properties and they cannot be melted.  These 2 types of cheeses originated from Mexico and they are usually incorporated in many Mexican dishes. It is also worth noting that cotija cheese is very saltier as compared to queso fresco. Cotija cheese is also very hard especially when you are trying to heat it up in order to make a sauce but, it has a longer shelf life as compared to queso fresco. This article has explained what cotija cheese is as well as what queso fresco cheese. It has also outlined the similarities as well as the differences between cotija cheese and queso fresco, so when you want to try any of these cheeses you know exactly what to expect.

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