Queso Blanco

Queso Blanco is a Mexican soft, unaged fresh cheese made out of pure cow’s milk or a combination of cow and goat’s milk. The term “queso blanco” in Spanish means, ‘white cheese’ but similar cheeses have their own names in different regions. Because it is not ripened, Queso Blanco is also known as Queso Fresco or fresh cheese.

Due to its short maturation process, the cheese is extremely simple to make at home. The procedure for making the cheese is similar to Indian paneer, which includes boiling whole fresh milk, adding an acidifying agent to form the curds and then draining the curds in a cheesecloth.

The texture and flavour of Queso Blanco is mild, firm and crumbly. It softens without melting, a characteristic very important in Latin American cooking. One can crumble Queso Blanco on salads, over rice and beans or serve it as a table cheese with fresh fruit, marmalade or chutney.