Oaxaca cheese is a mild tasting, gently salty, stringy white cheese with a deliciously chewy, full and filling bite. It is made in the same way as Mozzarella cheese. In fact, they taste very similar! Once the curds are formed, they are heated in water, stirred, and heated in water again. Throughout the process, as they are heated and stirred, they are made into very long threads that are pulled once and then again, until the desired consistency is achieved. Then the long threads are wrapped into balls.
In Mexico, and recently in some places abroad as well, you can find freshly made Oaxaca cheese, as it is usually found in small towns and open air markets. You can also find commercially processed Oaxaca cheese in grocery stores, but the flavor and consistency changes considerably from the fresh ones.
The difference of fresh and non fresh, can be compared to the contrast between an excellent quality artisanal fresh Mozzarella cheese and a general brand, plant processed, grocery store Mozzarella.
Oaxaca cheese tends to be eaten, aside from on its own in chunks, in quesadillas and “queso fundido” or melted cheese. But it is very accommodating and can be used in many other ways: soups, casseroles, and salads, to name some.
Comments
17comments inOaxaca Cheese
Mike
Nov 03
Is this a substitute for Chihuahua cheese? If not, what distinguishes Chihuahua? Thanks.
Pati Jinich
Nov 03
Hola Mike, Chihuahua and Oaxaca are not perfect substitutes, but they are similar in the sense that both melt beautifully and that’s why they are so popular to make quesadillas. Oaxaca is a string cheese, a bit like Mozzarella, and Chihuahua is a hard cheese and a bit stronger in flavor 😉
Cassie
Apr 09
Can i use it for melting in an enchilada
Pati Jinich
Apr 09
Absolutely Cassie, Oaxaca cheese is the best for melting, yumm!
Nan Lopez
Mar 20
Oaxaca cheese reminds me of Queso de Hoja, that my grandmother used to buy in Isabela Puerto Rico, when I was little. It was made locally and sold wrapped on wax paper to keep it moist. Unfortunately not available here in Mid-coast Maine.
Pati
Mar 23
Nan what a lovely memory of your grandmother. Thank you for sharing.
Jennifer Paredes
Jan 23
Hmmmm, one of the great treats my Suegros bring back from their trips home (Puebla)… it is so flavorful. It’s my favorite cheese to use in tamales, flavours, melted in sopa, or ANYTHING!
Pati
Feb 02
One of my favorites, too!
Marco
Mar 30
I can ship fresh queso oaxaca straight from puebla,.
20$ a kilo plus shipping from san diego
Pati
Mar 30
Nice!
Mary
Feb 21
Pati,
You say oaxaca cheese is heated several times, does this means it’s pasteurized? Even the ones in small towns in Mexico?
Pati
Feb 21
Hi Mary, Oaxaca cheese is heated several times to achieve the desired consistency, much like mozzarella…
Christian Irabien
Aug 12
Pati,
Oye, no sabes donde se puede conseguir buen queso Mexican en esta area de DC? He buscado por tiendas Latinas, etc… pero no encuentro nada que me sepa a Mexico. Avisame por favor si puedes, ya que me seria de gran ayuda para mi alimentacion…jaja.
Gracias y saludos!
-christian
Lizzi
Aug 21
Pati, lo he encontrado en la seccion internacional de Kroger.
Pati
Sep 11
¡Qué bien!
Ann W
Jul 22
I haven’t had a chance to eat anything yet. Will you please put meon your mailing list and send more recipes?
Thank you!
Ann Wilson
Pati Jinich
Jul 22
My pleasure Ann!