Queso Blanco

Queso blanco: Fresh and simple creamy goodness

In the world of cheese, it doesn’t get much fresher than queso blanco. This cow’s-milk cheese found throughout Mexico and Latin America is prepared and ready to eat within just a few hours. Using the simplest of cheesemaking techniques, queso blanco is easy to produce at home, making it a highly popular cheese in Mexican kitchens.

Queso blanco from Wisconsin

This highly popular Mexican cheese is also a Wisconsin favorite, thanks to the dedication and curiosity of our ingenious cheesemakers. Just as they’ve done for nearly 200 years, our makers are constantly experimenting with, riffing on, and perfecting cheese recipes from around the world – Mexico included. Today you’ll find queso blanco produced by Wisconsin cheesemakers like Nasonville Dairy, Specialty Cheese Company, W&W Dairy, Winona Foods, and Wisconsin Cheese Group. These and other Wisconsin cheesemakers produce a broad variety of Mexican cheeses, including queso oaxaca, queso de bola, panela, and Mexican cheese for quesadillas, proving once again that Wisconsin is truly the State of Cheese.

What to know about queso blanco

Queso blanco literally means “white cheese” in Spanish. It’s a versatile, mild-flavored cheese with a fresh and soft, buttery flavor that’s used widely in Mexican cuisine. As a fresh cheese, queso blanco is unaged and consumed shortly after it’s made. Unlike many Mexican varieties of melting cheese like queso quesadilla or queso chihuahua cheese, queso blanco holds its shape when heated, allowing it to be easily crumbled over enchiladas, salads, rice and beans, or served as a table cheese with fresh fruit and marmalades.

Savoring queso blanco

This fresh, white cow’s milk cheese has a mild, slightly salty flavor with a hint of tang. It’s typically sold in block or round forms and can be crumbled or sliced for cooking. The flavor of queso blanco is more neutral than other Mexican cheeses, making it an easy addition to countless dishes. The texture of the cheese is smooth and dense with no holes or cracks, and it is firm and elastic to the bite. Like a paneer or feta, queso blanco has a firm and crumbly texture when fresh, and though it will soften slightly when heated, it won’t lose its shape. This allows queso blanco to be crumbled over salads, tacos, and soups or fried or grilled in dishes like chiles rellenos or grilled cheese sandwiches.

How it’s made

Queso blanco is made with the simplest of cheesemaking techniques. After cow’s milk is heated to 185°F (85°C), a coagulant like lemon juice or vinegar is stirred in to separate the resulting curd from the whey. The curd is then salted and shaped into round wheels or blocks and allowed to drain for a short period of time before being packaged and sold or consumed at home.

Its origins

The exact historical origins of queso blanco are impossible to determine, but it’s believed to have evolved from the cheesemaking techniques brought to the Americas during the Spanish colonial period.

A Mexican favorite

Queso blanco absorbs the flavors of other ingredients well, making it a great addition to spicy or savory dishes where its mild, creamy texture balances stronger flavors. Its neutral taste allows it to be used in both sweet and savory recipes, making it an essential ingredient in Mexican households.

Drinking and cooking with queso blanco

What to sip and savor

A light, mild-flavored cheese like queso blanco is best paired with drinks that won’t overpower the cheese’s delicate flavors.

• For beer, a light and crisp Mexican lager will always complement queso blanco’s mild flavor. Belgian-style wheat beers offer a nice contrast – the fruity and spicy notes pair well with the fresh, tangy taste of the cheese. Alternately, the slight bitterness of a pilsner can cut through the creaminess of queso blanco to balance the overall mouthfeel.
• When drinking wine, the bright acidity and citrus notes of a sauvignon blanc provide a refreshing contrast to the cheese’s creamy texture and slight tang. Pinot grigio is always a good bet, too – its light body and subtle flavors complement the cheese without overwhelming it. And the effervescence of a sparkling wine like prosecco offers a pleasing contrast to the creaminess of queso blanco.
• With liquor, the clean, herbal notes of tequila blanco enhance the mild flavor of this cheese. For more contrast, try a smoky, earthy mezcal or a smooth, unaged rum with hints of sweetness.

What to cook with queso blanco

This versatile cheese is an ideal ingredient for a wide range of dishes. Its ability to hold its shape makes it perfect for baking or frying in dishes where a melting cheese might not work as well.

• Salads: Queso blanco provides crumbly texture when added to salads.
• Spicy dishes: The cheese adds a creamy contrast and tangy finish when topping spicy dishes like tacos or enchiladas.
• Soups: This fresh cheese provides a tangy garnish for tortilla soup or pozole.
• Stuffed chiles: Queso blanco is the perfect stuffing for chiles rellenos.