Mexican cuisine is known for its fresh, strong, and spicy flavors. But few traditional Mexican meals would be complete without a sprinkle of authentic Cotija cheese.
Cotija cheese is used in Mexican cuisine, like parmesan is used in Italian cuisine. It’s a dry, salty, crumbly cheese that enhances the flavors of numerous Mexican entrees, sides, and street foods. Some examples include chile rellenos, elote (Mexican street corn), and entomatadas.
This post will answer all your questions about the popular Mexican cheese, including what it is, how it’s made, and where to buy queso cotija.In addition, I have included information about how long cotija cheese lasts, traditional Mexican dishes that are made with it, and more!
What Is Cotija Cheese?
Cotija cheese is a firm, dry, crumbly cheese made from cow’s milk. Named after a town in Michoacán, it’s used to top many Mexican dishes. Its flavor is salty and tangy, similar to feta cheese, but saltier, less tangy, and less creamy. It has a grainy texture that dissolves in the mouth.
Cotija doesn’t melt when heated, but it does soften. It comes in ‘fresh’ and aged varieties.
However, cotija is an aged cheese, so even ‘fresh’ cotija is aged for at least a few months.
The fresh version is most common in the US, where it is more soft and moist, similar to feta.
Aged (añejo) cotija is much harder and drier, like parmesan cheeses.
It also has a sharper, earthier flavor than the fresh type.
How Is Cotija Cheese Made?
Cotija cheese is traditionally made by hand in Mexico, starting with raw cow’s milk. Once fermented and formed into curds, the cheese is milled, which means it’s put through a machine that dices it up into tiny pieces. Then it’s pressed into columns, which are flavored with salt and aged.
The fermentation process of cotija cheese is the same as any cheese.
Beneficial bacteria are added to the milk, which causes it to thicken.
The coagulated lumps of fresh cheese are the curd.
These curds are then chopped into fine pieces and pressed into molds to shape them and expel excess water.
In the case of cotija, the molded cheese is soaked in salt water and (traditionally) aged for at least 100 days.
However, the aging process in the US is sped by adding an enzyme called lipase. American cotija cheese is aged only about a month before it is packaged, sold, and eaten.
This is also why American cotija is typically softer and moister than traditional Mexican cotija.
Lipase also changes the flavor, giving it a pleasantly sharp and tangy note, similar to romano cheese.
In fact, cotija is frequently used on pasta in the US because of its similarity to parmesan!
How Long Does Cotija Cheese Last?
Cotija lasts 1 to 3 months in the fridge if wrapped in parchment paper and placed in an airtight container. Typically, fresh cotija or American cotija lasts about a month. Aged cotija lasts up to 3 months because of its lower moisture content. Cotija can also be frozen for up to 9 months.
Aged cotija keeps best in the freezer. Freezing fresh or American cotija is not recommended because its moisture content will cause ice crystals to form inside the cheese. This damages the flavor.
To store aged cotija in the freezer, wrap it tightly with parchment or wax paper, then several layers of cellophane.
Then seal it in a plastic bag with no extra air. A vacuum sealer will work best!
This will protect the cheese from freezer burn.
Although the flavor of cotija is less likely to be affected by freezing than softer cheeses, exposure to air and moisture in the freezer will still damage it.
Finally, date your cheese before you freeze it, so you will remember to eat it before the 9 months are up!
Where To Buy Cotija Cheese
Cotija cheese can be bought at most regular grocery stores in the US. However, you may need to look out of town to find a market that carries it if you’re not in an area with a significant Hispanic community. You can order your cotija online if there are no such stores nearby.
El Mexicano Cotija Cheese (available on Amazon.com), but you’ll have to pay a premium price! Other online stores that sell cotija include mexgrocer.com and igourtmet.com.
If ordering online is not a viable option for you, there are substitutions for cotija that you can try.
Feta is a suitable replacement for fresh cotija because they are both strongly flavored and very salty.
Queso fresco or queso ranchero are also suitable substitutes for fresh cotija. Both are salty, crumbly cheeses with a milder but comparable flavor.
Suitable replacements for aged cotija include romano cheese or parmesan.
What Mexican Dishes Use Cotija Cheese?
Mexican dishes that use cotija cheese include (but are not limited to) savory meals like esquites, enchiladas, entomatadas, chilaquiles, gorditas, nachos, tacos, wet burritos, chile rellenos, Mexican chili, and tostadas. It’s also used to top soups, salads, and Mexican street foods.
For example, Elote (grilled Mexican street corn) wouldn’t be complete without cotija cheese.
Try out my article, Elote: How to Make Mexican Grilled Street Corn (with Recipe), to experience the sweet, creamy, savory, salty goodness yourself!
Cotija is even used in some sweet dishes, like Mexican bread pudding, Capirotada!
In fact, there are so many foods traditionally topped with cotija that it would be almost impossible to list them all.
Check out my other article, Cinco de Mayo Foods: Top11 Mexican Dishes for Fiesta Time, for some excellent Mexican meal ideas. Many of them call for cotija cheese!
Final Thoughts
Cotija is a salty, crumbly, delicious, and versatile cheese that can be added to almost any Mexican dish – and more!
It also works beautifully on Italian dishes in place of parmesan.
You can put it on salads, Mexican soups, or any dish that would benefit from an extra punch of flavor.
Sources
- ACS: Cheesy Science
- Allrecipes: Cotija Recipes
- Bon appetit: Cotija Cheese
- Cheese.com: Cotija
- Freeze It: Can You Freeze Cotija Cheese?
- Gourmet Sleuth: Cotija Cheese
- Igourtmet: Cotija
- Isabel eats: Cotija Cheese 101
- Mexgrocer: Cotija
- Mexican Food Journal: Cotija Cheese Guide
- Sfgate: Cotija Puts the Accent on Mexican Foods
- Robust Kitchen: Cotija Cheese
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.