Mexican Cheese Substitutes Using British Cheeses

The Mexican Cheese Problem in Britain

Mexican cuisine uses a variety of distinctive cheeses that are, with a few exceptions, extremely difficult to find in Britain. Walk into a Tesco or Sainsbury's and you will find Cheddar, Brie, Stilton and mozzarella - but you will not find queso Oaxaca, queso fresco, cotija, requesón or queso Chihuahua. Even specialist cheese shops rarely stock Mexican varieties, and the Mexican shops that do carry them often have limited and unpredictable supply.

The good news is that Britain has one of the richest cheese-making traditions in the world, and many British cheeses can serve as excellent substitutes for their Mexican counterparts. The key is understanding what each Mexican cheese does in a dish - how it melts, crumbles, stretches and seasons - and matching those properties to a British equivalent.

Queso Fresco → Lancashire Cheese or Feta

Queso fresco ("fresh cheese") is probably the most commonly used cheese in Mexican cooking. It is a white, moist, mildly tangy, crumbly cheese that does not melt when heated - it softens slightly but holds its shape. It is used as a finishing cheese, crumbled over enchiladas, tacos, beans, soups, salads and chilaquiles.

Best British substitute: Lancashire cheese (crumbly)

Young Lancashire cheese - particularly the crumbly variety from the Kirkham, Greenfield or Dewlay dairies - is an excellent match for queso fresco. It has a similar moist, crumbly texture, a mild tanginess and a clean, lactic flavour. It crumbles beautifully over finished dishes.

Alternative: Feta cheese

Feta is tangier and saltier than queso fresco, but its crumbly texture and resistance to melting make it a functional substitute. Rinse it under cold water before using to reduce the saltiness, or use half the quantity you would use of queso fresco.

Alternative: Wensleydale

Young, plain Wensleydale (not the cranberry variety) has a lovely crumbly texture and mild flavour that works well as a queso fresco substitute. It is slightly sweeter than queso fresco but crumbles perfectly.

Queso Oaxaca → Mozzarella

Queso Oaxaca (also called quesillo) is a semi-soft, white, stringy cheese that melts beautifully. It is made using a pasta filata technique (stretched-curd, similar to mozzarella) and is sold in balls of wound-up cheese strings. It is the cheese of choice for quesadillas, chiles rellenos, tlayudas and any dish where you want a gorgeous, stretchy melt.

Best British substitute: Mozzarella (low-moisture)

Low-moisture mozzarella (the firm blocks sold for pizza, not the fresh buffalo mozzarella in water) is the closest match to queso Oaxaca in terms of melting properties. It stretches, pulls and browns in much the same way. For the best approximation, use a mixture of low-moisture mozzarella (for stretch) and a small amount of Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar (for flavour).

Note: Fresh buffalo mozzarella is too wet and does not have the right melting properties. Stick with the low-moisture supermarket variety for Mexican cooking.

Cotija → Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Cotija is a hard, dry, crumbly, intensely salty cheese that is used primarily as a finishing cheese - grated or crumbled over elote (grilled corn), enchiladas, pozole, beans and salads. It does not melt and is not intended to. Aged cotija (cotija añejo) is sometimes called "the Parmesan of Mexico."

Best British substitute: Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Parmesan is the most practical and widely available substitute for cotija. It has a similar hard, crystalline texture, intense saltiness and ability to be finely grated over finished dishes. Use it wherever a recipe calls for grated cotija.

Alternative: Pecorino Romano

Pecorino Romano is saltier and sharper than Parmesan, making it an even closer match for cotija's aggressive saltiness. Use it on elote and chilaquiles for a particularly good approximation.

Queso Chihuahua → Mild Cheddar or Red Leicester

Queso Chihuahua (also called queso menonita, because it was originally made by Mennonite communities in Chihuahua state) is a mild, semi-hard, yellow cheese with excellent melting properties. It is used in queso fundido (melted cheese dip), quesadillas and baked dishes.

Best British substitute: Mild or medium Cheddar

A good-quality mild or medium Cheddar has similar melting properties and a comparable mild, buttery flavour. For colour match, Red Leicester works well - it has the same yellow-orange tone as queso Chihuahua and melts smoothly.

Alternative: Gouda (young)

Young Gouda has an excellent melt and a mild, slightly sweet flavour that is very close to queso Chihuahua. It is widely available at British supermarkets.

Requesón → Ricotta

Requesón is a soft, wet, grainy fresh cheese similar to ricotta. It is used as a filling for enchiladas, quesadillas and gorditas, and is also used in desserts. It is mild, slightly sweet and spreadable.

Best British substitute: Ricotta

Ricotta is an almost perfect substitute for requesón. Use it one-for-one in any recipe. For a slightly tangier version closer to some regional requesón styles, mix ricotta with a small amount of natural yoghurt.

Queso Panela → Halloumi or Indian Paneer

Queso panela is a smooth, white, firm fresh cheese that absorbs flavours readily and holds its shape when fried or grilled. It squeaks slightly between the teeth (much like halloumi) and is used in salads, as a snack, and in dishes where you want a cheese that will brown without melting.

Best British substitute: Halloumi

Halloumi is saltier and denser than panela, but it has the same crucial property - it holds its shape when grilled or fried. Slice it, grill or pan-fry it, and use it anywhere panela is called for.

Alternative: Paneer

Indian paneer is actually a closer match to panela than halloumi in terms of flavour (mild, clean, milky) and texture (firm but not dense). It also holds its shape when cooked. Available at most British supermarkets.

Crema Mexicana → Soured Cream

Crema mexicana is not technically a cheese, but it is used alongside cheese in so many Mexican dishes that it deserves mention. It is a thin, pourable, slightly tangy cream - thinner than soured cream but thicker than single cream.

Best British substitute: Soured cream thinned with milk

Mix soured cream with a small amount of whole milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. This is a very close approximation of crema mexicana. Alternatively, use creme fraiche thinned with milk.

Queso de Bola → Edam

Queso de bola ("ball cheese") is the Mexican name for Edam cheese, which was introduced to the Yucatan peninsula by Dutch traders in the colonial era. It is used in queso relleno, a spectacular Yucatecan dish where the entire ball of Edam is hollowed out, stuffed with spiced minced pork, and steamed.

Best British substitute: Edam

This one is easy - Edam is Edam. Buy a whole ball of Edam (available at most supermarkets) and use it exactly as called for in Yucatecan recipes.

Practical Cheese Substitution Chart

• Queso fresco (crumbly, mild) → Lancashire, Wensleydale, or Feta
• Queso Oaxaca (stretchy, melting) → Low-moisture mozzarella
• Cotija (hard, salty, grating) → Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
• Queso Chihuahua (mild, melting) → Mild Cheddar or Red Leicester
• Requesón (soft, wet, filling) → Ricotta
• Queso panela (firm, grillable) → Halloumi or Paneer
• Crema (pourable cream) → Soured cream thinned with milk
• Queso de bola (Edam) → Edam

Where to Find Actual Mexican Cheeses in the UK

If you prefer the real thing, some Mexican shops in the UK stock imported or locally-made Mexican cheeses, particularly queso fresco and queso Oaxaca. A few British artisan cheesemakers have also begun producing Mexican-style cheeses - search online for "Mexican cheese UK" or "queso fresco UK" to find current suppliers.

For recipes that showcase these cheeses (and their British substitutes), browse our recipe collection, where you will find enchiladas, quesadillas, chiles rellenos and many other cheese-centred dishes.