What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It

Home › Kitchen Tips

Author:

Isabel

Published:

May 21, 2020

This post contains affiliate links. See disclosure policy.

Queso Fresco (which translates to “fresh cheese”) is a mild, fresh, soft, and slightly tangy white cheese that’s a staple in many Mexican kitchens.

It’s easily crumbled and often topped on dishes like enchiladas and tacos just like cotija cheese, but it isn’t as salty and is much more mild with a light milky flavor.

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (1)

What is queso fresco made of?

Queso Fresco is traditionally made with raw cow’s milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. This is what provides it with it’s slightly salty, but mildly tangy fresh taste. As a result, it’s very similar to farmer’s cheese.

In the United States, you’ll typically find pasteurized versions of queso fresco in grocery stores.

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (2)

Serving Suggestions

Typically with spicy Mexican dishes, you’re going to want to balance that “hot’ with something that will help bring the temperature down. Queso fresco is great for balancing the sensation your palate is craving when you use it as a topping or stuffing. It will provide you with a subtle hint of slightly salty, slightly sour, and slightly milky flavors that is sure to freshen up any dish.

Although it’s a soft cheese, it doesn’t melt well. However, it does brown to a nice golden color, making it great to use as a topping. If you will be using queso fresco for the first time, keep these tips in mind.

Some of the best ways you might want to consider using it are as a taco topping or crumbled on various spicy Mexican dishes.

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (3)

Popular recipes made with queso fresco

Chile Rellenos
Pinto Bean Soup
Easy Migas Recipe
Chicken Tacos

Other great uses for queso fresco are to roll it up in some warm homemade flour tortillas or corn tortillas and eat it as a little snack!

How to store queso fresco

Be sure to use this cheese within a 5-7 day time period. If you do store longer, keep it in your refrigerator in vacuum sealed bags or airtight containers in the back on a colder bottom shelf. This may allow you to stretch that to 2 weeks beyond the sell by date. As always, if you see any mold or discoloration, throw it away immediately.

Is Queso Fresco Healthy?

Queso Fresco is a great choice for people conscious about a healthy diet. A lower sodium and fat content make it a great choice over other aged cheeses. For those on a lacto-vegetarian diet, this will be a great addition to your recipes.

Alice
November 14, 2023
Please think outside the box and beyond Mexican because this crumbling, healthy cheese would also be great as a garnish on everything, as is or browned somehow, on top of everyday scrambled eggs or omelets, salads, soups, sides, entrees, and on or in sandwiches, casseroles, snack foods, etc., and ought reduce the carbohydrate absorption rate being consumed within the meal because the goat milk content provides medium-chain-tryglicerites (MCT) oils that reduce carbohydrate absorption and improve cognitive abilities – in fact, this can be said, I would think, of almost all types of crumbling cheeses containing goat milk or certain bacterial cultures. Bon appetite and good health to everyone! 🙂
Reply
Alex @ Cheese origin
September 22, 2023
See Also
Cheese Lover’s Guide To Queso Fresco | Wisconsin Cheese The Difference Between Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese - El Paso Mexican Restaurant Melt Wheel Queso Fresco
I’ve found that Queso Fresco truly elevates my enchiladas, chile rellenos, and quesadillas with its unique texture and taste. Plus, it’s a game-changer when grilled – I’d recommend trying it with queso panela for a delightful twist!
Thanks for sharing,
Alex
Reply
Rikki
July 12, 2022
slices of Queso Fresco are great with a sliced ripe pear–for dessert or nutritious snack.
Reply
1. Ana @ Isabel Eats
  July 18, 2022
  Hi Rikki! That sounds delicious! Thanks for the tip!
  Reply
Donald Gray
July 4, 2022
Can you grill queso
Reply
1. Ana @ Isabel Eats
  July 5, 2022
  Hi Donald! You actually can! Queso panela is good for grilling, and Queso fresco should also be able to hold up with the grill!
  Reply
Michael
January 30, 2022
See Also
Why You Should Sprinkle Queso Fresco on Literally Everything
Have a question how do you use queso blanco cheese .
Reply
1. Ana @ Isabel Eats
  January 31, 2022
  Hi Michael! Queso fresco can be used for filling inside of enchiladas, chile rellenos, and quesadillas. It’s not a super stringy cheese when it’s melted, so it can also be used crumbled as a topping for pretty much any Mexican food you like (chile rellenos, enchiladas, tacos, chilaquiles, tostadas).
  Reply
Lucia
January 15, 2022
Hello Isabel.
What is the name of the dish pictured in this article about queso fresco with tortilla and eggs on top?
Reply
1. Ana @ Isabel Eats
  January 17, 2022
  Hi Lucia! That is a photo of our red chilaquiles recipe that you can find on our website. Thanks!
  Reply
2. Cheryl Jacobs
  January 21, 2022
  This was a very nice read, thanks!
  Reply
Linda
January 9, 2022
Thank you..
Reply
sigrid gray
June 27, 2021
can I freeze this cheese, bought to much and can’t use within 6-7 days,
Thanks
Reply
1. Morgan @ Isabel Eats
  July 15, 2021
  Hi! Isabel doesn’t recommend freezing queso fresco. Sorry!
  Reply
David S Willey
June 25, 2021
VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU!
Reply

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (4)

Free ebook!

Download My Tried and Tested Mexican Recipes Ebook

Subscribe and receive a free e-cookbook of the Top 10 Reader Favorites of 2024!

GET MY COPY!

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat queso fresco? ›

Queso fresco is soft, moist, and crumbly, making it perfect for sprinkling over antojitos (little snacks) and beans. Queso fresco is most often crumbled and used as a garnish for all types of Mexican food: on top of enchiladas, inside of tacos, slathered on elote, over huevos rancheros, and on cooked black beans.

Know More ›

What does queso fresco pair well with? ›

Basically, anything is better with creamy, mild queso fresco. Use it as filling for chile relleños or as a finishing touch on top of enchiladas or tamales. For lighter fare, crumble and toss queso fresco into greens or a fruit salad.

What is the best way to melt queso fresco cheese? ›

Use It As a Filling

Queso fresco gets soft when heated, but it's difficult to melt. You can melt it over low heat for a while in order to make a cheesy dip or sauce, but it may remain chunky. In its soft state, it is commonly used as part of a filling for chiles relleños (stuffed chiles), quesadillas, and burritos.

Can you eat queso fresco alone? ›

Serve it alone or as a delicious side to any meal.

Do you eat queso hot or cold? ›

You can serve it cold, which leaves it with a stiffer gelatinous consistency, or you can heat up the jar, which makes it soupy.

Keep Reading ›

Do you put queso in the fridge? ›

In addition, you can use it as a dip for veggies or to add an extra boost of flavor to many other applications. Once it is open, how many days can I use it? Queso should be refrigerated until use. Once it has been opened, it can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Get More Info ›

What is healthy to eat with queso? ›

You can enjoy your healthy queso dip as a snack with some crispy tortilla chips, or some of my favorite ways to enjoy it are with these meals: The BEST Loaded Ground Turkey Nachos. Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos. Tacos with Peppers (Veggie-Packed Tacos!)

Read On ›

What does queso taste like? ›

Queso Blanco has a milky, mild flavor. It has a fresh, traditional, slightly salty cow's milk cheese taste. Eat it straight or use it in cooking—it makes a creamy addition to recipes. It works well in cooking because, unlike American-type cheeses, most Queso Blanco doesn't melt when heated.

What to use instead of queso fresco? ›

Feta cheese makes a good substitute. Opt for a mild one if you can, or soak a block of feta in fresh water to tone down its tanginess. A young ricotta salata (firm Italian cheese sold at most supermarkets) will also work.

Show Me More ›

Is queso fresco grated or crumbled? ›

Keep in mind that Queso Fresco doesn't melt when heated. You can soften it up with some heat but it won't melt like Mozzarella or Queso de Oaxaca. You'll probably want to crumble it before adding it to your dishes. I find it easiest to pull a knife across a chunk and it will usually crumble into bits.

Find Out More ›

Is queso fresco raw cheese? ›

Queso Fresco is a soft, fresh Mexican cheese traditionally made from raw cow milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. In the U.S., pasteurized versions are the most common.

Read The Full Story ›

Is queso fresco a hard or soft cheese? ›

Queso Fresco is a soft, fresh cheese, made from either all cow's milk or a combination of cow and goat. Its flavor is mild and milky, yet slightly tangy, similar to the Indian paneer, a farmer's cheese, or even cottage or a very mild goat cheese.

What is Queso Fresco & Best Ways to Use It | Isabel Eats (2024)