Cotija Cheese vs. Oaxaca Cheese

Cotija and Oaxaca are two of the most popular cheeses used in authentic Mexican cuisine.

Both have incredible flavors, but they have very distinct textures, tastes, and uses in cooking.

What is Cotija Cheese?

Cotija is a hard, crumbly Mexican cheese named after the town of Cotija in the state of Michoacán, where it originated. It's made from cow's milk and aged for at least 3 months, though often longer for a sharper flavor.

This aging gives cotija a firm, dry texture that crumbles easily. It has a salty, tangy taste and aroma reminiscent of feta or parmesan. The flavor is bold, intense, and complex with nutty notes.

Due to its hardness, cotija doesn't melt well. Instead, it's usually crumbled or grated over finished dishes to give a delicious salty punch and textural contrast.

Some popular ways Mexicans use tangy cotija cheese include:

• Tacos: Cotija is a common taco topping, lending salt, tang and a lovely crumble to all kinds of tacos like carnitas, carne asada, and fish.
• Salads: Crumbled over Mexican street corn salad, cotija adds a salty tang that perfectly complements the sweet corn.
• Soups and stews: Sprinkled over posole, menudo or caldos (soups/stews), cotija boosts flavor.
• Beans: Adding cotija to frijoles refritos or charros gives them a tasty, salty kick.
• Grilled meats and vegetables: Cotija brightens up the flavor of grilled chicken, steak, onions, squash and more.
• Quesadillas: Though it doesn't melt well, cotija gives an extra punch of flavor when added to quesadillas before griddling.
• Chilaquiles: This crispy tortilla dish becomes even more crave-worthy with cotija crumbles on top.

So while Oaxaca (which we'll explore next) may be the go-to for melted cheese dishes, when you want to add a salty, crumbly burst of tangy flavor, cotija is the perfect Mexican cheese for the job.

Key Takeaway: Cotija is a crumbly, salty Mexican cheese that adds a delicious tangy kick to dishes like tacos, salads, soups and more.

What is Oaxaca Cheese?

On the other side of the Mexican cheese spectrum is Oaxaca, also called quesillo. In texture, taste and usage it couldn't be more different from crumbly cotija.

Oaxaca hails from the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. It's a fresh, white cheese made by stretching curds into long thin strips that are wound into balls resembling string cheese.

This string cheese texture makes Oaxaca incredibly melty with great stretch. When melted, it becomes smooth, gooey and slightly elastic.

The taste of fresh Oaxaca is very mild, similar to mozzarella or young monterey jack. Some describe subtle herbal notes. Older versions take on more tang and complexity.

Since it melts so beautifully, Oaxaca cheese plays a starring role in many iconic Mexican dishes:

• Quesadillas: Smooth, melty Oaxaca cheese is by far the most popular choice for quesadillas.
• Enchiladas: A common filling/topping for enchiladas, Oaxaca turns creamy when baked under sauce.
• Chile rellenos: Oaxaca woven into roasted poblano peppers makes a quintessential chile relleno filling.
• Fundido: This popular melted cheese dip relies on the smooth melting properties of Oaxaca.
• Tacos: While cotija is the more common taco topping, melty Oaxaca is an excellent choice for tacos like carne asada where you want melted cheese.
• Tortas: Another great melty topping for Mexican sandwiches/burgers.
• Nachos: For the stringy, gooey cheese pulls that make nachos mouthwatering, Oaxaca is perfect.

So in dishes where you want melted cheese like quesadillas, Oaxaca should be your go-to Mexican cheese. Cotija just can't compete texturally.

Key Takeaway: With an exceptionally melty, stringy texture akin to mozzarella, Oaxaca cheese melts smoothly without separating, making it perfect for dishes like quesadillas, nachos and topping burritos.

Cotija vs Oaxaca: Key Differences

Now that we’ve explored cotija and Oaxaca individually, let’s directly compare them:

As shown in the table, cotija and Oaxaca clearly excel in different realms. So depending on your purpose:

• Need a salty crumble? Cotija.
• Making dishes requiring melted cheese? Choose Oaxaca.

Think about the dish you're making and whether you want creamy melted cheese or salty crumbles. This should guide you in deciding whether to use tangy cotija or lusciously melty Oaxaca.

Blending Cotija and Oaxaca Cheeses for Unique Flavor Combos

Choosing between cotija and Oaxaca cheese doesn't have to be an either/or decision. Many Mexican cooks blend the two for a distinctive melding of flavors and textures!

Cotija sprinkled over Oaxaca-filled enchiladas or chiles rellenos, for example, gives you that glorious gooey melted Oaxaca with nice pops of salty tang from the cotija crumbles.

And Oaxaca folded into a cotija-topped taco gives melted cheesy bites contrasted by the crisp salty cotija.

Even a simple quesadilla griddled with Oaxaca cheese inside and cotija sprinkled outside fuses the two cheeses beautifully.

So don’t limit yourself to using just cotija or Oaxaca. Blend both Mexican cheese varieties in the same dish to take it to the next level!

Key Takeaway: Using Oaxaca for melted cheese and cotija for salty crumbles/contrast in the same dish like enchiladas is a popular way to get the best of both Mexican cheeses.

FAQs

Can you substitute cotija for parmesan cheese?

Yes! Hard Italian parmesan makes an excellent substitute for crumbly Mexican cotija cheese. Both parmesan and cotija add a delicious salty tang and crunch to finished dishes.

What cheese is most similar to Oaxaca aka quesillo cheese?

With its melty stringy texture similar to mozzarella, the closest cheese to Oaxaca is mozzarella or string cheese. Monterey jack is also a reasonable (though less melty) substitute.

Is it OK to freeze cotija cheese?

Freezing is not ideal for crumbly cotija cheese. Thawing frozen cotija makes the texture mushy. For best flavor and texture, purchase cotija in smaller pieces sized appropriately for your upcoming meals so it stays fresh.

Can you melt cotija cheese?

No, cotija doesn't melt smoothly due to its aged dryness. In melted cheese dishes requiring stretchy texture like quesadillas or nachos, substitute Oaxaca or other melty Mexican cheese. Sprinkle unfrozen cotija on at the end for tangy bursts.

Why is Oaxaca cheese stringy?

Oaxaca cheese gets its signature stringy texture from its unique production method. Warmed curds are repeatedly stretched and spun into long elastic strands which are wound into balls, giving both stretch and meltability.

Conclusion

While salty, crumbly cotija and mild, melty Oaxaca cheeses both bring delicious Mexican flavor to dishes, their differing textures, flavors and melting properties make them suited for different culinary applications.

Use Cotija’s crumbly saltiness to amp up flavors in finished dishes like tacos, soups, salads and grilled meats.

When you need melted cheese to fill quesadillas or dip nachos, turn to lusciously smooth and stringy Oaxaca which won’t separate or turn grainy when melted.