Queso Fresco (translation: Fresh Cheese) is a Mexican-style cheese that is pressed but eaten fresh, without aging. If you’re just getting into hard cheeses, it’s a good one to make to try out your press. It’s a soft, moist cheese that can be cut or crumbled. It will melt, so it can be used in various Mexican dishes such as enchiladas or stuffed jalapenos, and also used on top of pizzas and so on. I made this one with about 1/4 cup of chopped peppers added just before transferring the curds to the press. You could add herbs, or whatever you wanted. Since it’s not aged, you don’t have to worry about your additions creating a pathway to mold and are free to be as creative as you want with it. It makes a really pretty and versatile cheese. I’d cut into this one to show you the texture, but I’m planning to give it to my cousin, so I’d better leave it alone! (I use the recipe from New England Cheesemaking. If there’s interest, I can talk to them about doing a post about Queso Fresco with the recipe and tutorial sometime soon. Even though it’s not technically a hard cheese and it’s not aged, the process is similar–only you get to eat it right away!)
Easy Cheese
Feb
15
15
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Louise says:
Sounds yummy.
On February 15, 2011 at 11:44 am
Larry Eiss says:
I am enjoying these cheese posts. Would it be possible to include in the pictures something that would help me to know how physically large these are?
On February 15, 2011 at 11:53 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Larry, it’s a 2 pound cheese. It’s about 4 inches across and 3 inches high. (It’s pressed in the 2 pound hard cheese mold from NEC.)
On February 15, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Margaret Diggs says:
There definintly is an interest! I guess I’m like you before you started making the cheeses. I watch and learn and think..”I would love to but?” Maybe with enough tutorials I will attempt it. I know for me that I am a very visual learner, the tutorial really help!
On February 15, 2011 at 11:54 am
Ramona says:
Sounds great! Ya’ll are providing great info for us cheese maker wanna-bees.
On February 15, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Julia says:
Reading these cheese posts are making me hungry. Cheese is one of my favorite foods.
On February 15, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Kim says:
I would love more information on how to make this cheese! This looks delicious.
On February 15, 2011 at 1:18 pm
holstein woman says:
Suzanne, Thank you, all of my cheeses are fresh as I STILL don’t have a cave. This is wonderful.
On February 15, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Hamp Girl says:
I got my mother a New England Cheesemaking kit for Christmas and she’s been determined to master soft cheeses before moving onto hard cheese, so I think this would be a wonderful transition between the two.
On February 15, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Pete says:
Oh, YES!! We want to know more about queso fresco! :snoopy:
It simply HAS to be better for some of us to practice on something we can eat sooner rather than wait a year to discover if we have done it right, then wait another year to find out if we fixed the problem!! (I might not live long enough to get some really good cheese that way!)
On February 15, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Gail says:
Count me in . Would love to hear more about this cheese…..please.
On February 15, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Kris Sherrill says:
I would love the recipe. I have goats. Will it work with goat milk? Although I can get cow milk from a friend if not. It really looks good.
On February 15, 2011 at 3:31 pm
proudmary says:
I would like a tutorial on this cheese.
On February 15, 2011 at 4:38 pm
lilac wolf says:
OMG – you were reading my mind. I had an insomnia attack the other night and since we don’t have cable my choices were infomercials, politicians talking or a cooking/travel show called “Mexico One Plate at a Time” and he made this cheese. I was thinking of you the whole time. That I and really wanted to make that cheese!
On February 15, 2011 at 5:09 pm
prayingpup says:
I love Queso Fresco! I wonder, could you put cilantro in it?
On February 15, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
prayingpup, you could put anything you want in it!
On February 15, 2011 at 5:52 pm
quietstorm says:
yes! please ask! I would also LOVE to know how to make homemade cottage cheese… LOVE LOVE LOVE cottage cheese, large curd is a MUST!
On February 15, 2011 at 6:23 pm
wvhomecanner says:
Interested, yes, ask! :hungry:
On February 15, 2011 at 6:38 pm
claudia w says:
It looks yummy!
On February 15, 2011 at 7:28 pm
LisaAJB says:
There is interest! Yes, please do a post on Queso Fresco
On February 15, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Miss Judy says:
Yes, I would love to know more.That is a cheese I could secretly make and put it in a dish before I had to tell anyone I made it.I have been telling my family I am going to try and make cheese. They are tired of hearing that. They are starting the eye rolling “yes Mom, you’ve told me” thing.
Suzanne..What is the easiest cheese to make with store bought milk?
On February 15, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Sarah Beth says:
Yes, there is interest! When you write it please include directions for those of us who do not have access to raw milk. I usually use the drops of calcium cloride that New England sent with my hard cheese kit but I don’t know if Queso Fresco uses the same proportions.
On February 15, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Heidi says:
I would love to see a full tutorial type of post on this. Or any other cheese weather it’s pressed, not pressed, aged or eaten straight out of the cheese cloth (I’m not admitting to any first hand knowledge about that last one, not denying it either.).
On February 15, 2011 at 11:36 pm
debi says:
Please do see about posting a tutorial! I’d love to give this one a go. I’m all about “instant” gratification, LOL! :snoopy:
On February 16, 2011 at 4:37 am
mary ellen says:
Yes please do a post on this cheese!
On February 16, 2011 at 5:41 am
Java Mama says:
How does this cheese compare in flavor to mozzarella?
On February 16, 2011 at 9:20 am
Deb says:
Sounds yummy!! I’m always on the looking for new cheese to try, especially if it’s easy…and doens’t have to be aged forever. (Although I love hearing about the aged kind too, cause eventually I’ll try abunch of them, not just cheddar. LOL)
On February 16, 2011 at 12:41 pm
mamajoseph says:
What do you do after you take your Queso Fresco out of the mold? Fias Co. Farm says to air dry it overnight and then let it age in the fridge for a few days to a week. NEC doesn’t add this; have you tried it? I am getting ready to take my first batch of QF out of the mold in about an hour. Ole’!
On February 21, 2011 at 11:50 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
mamajoseph, I air dry it overnight then put it in the fridge in a baggie and use it.
On February 21, 2011 at 1:42 pm