Making perfect queso fresco is easier than you think. You don’t need special equipment or hard to obtain ingredients. You need milk, vinegar, and salt. That’s it? Yup, that’s it! Well you will need cheesecloth, but that’s not really an ingredient. You will also need a good digital thermometer for accurate reading. So, let’s make some queso fresco!
Before I go on I need to clarify something: queso fresco is curdled with acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, and queso blanco, a similar cheese is curdled with rennet, an animal enzyme that you can usually find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store. There are also some vegetarian rennet products, but I don’t have any experience with them.
Cheesemaking is another hobby
I’ve tried making ricotta, and goat cheese. The process for making queso fresco is similar, and again, most of the times you will not need special ingredients. Mozzarella and burrata are next on my list. Being Latin American, I really had to try my hand at making queso fresco because you can use it in so many different ways. I like to spread it on baguette and top it with a bit of fig jam. Do you like nachos? Queso fresco is perfect over nachos.
Here are the visual steps to make queso fresco at home:
- Place the half gallon of milk in a large pot on medium heat. While the milk is heating place a colander over a large bowl and line colander with cheese cloth.
- Heat the milk to 170° F, remove from the heat and then add the vinegars to the milk and stir it a couple times. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes.
- Cut the curds with a knife.
- Using a slotted spoon remove the curds and add to the cheese cloth in the colander. Stir the salt into the curds once all the curds are in the cloth.
- After all the curds are in the colander gather the edges of the cheese cloth and form a ball and tie it off with butchers twine or some twist ties.
- Hang the cheese cloth over your sink faucet and allow to drip for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes you can form a ball from the curds, remove from the cloth. Press the curds into a flat disc and set it in the colander and allow to drip for another 30 minutes. Once it stops dripping you can place in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The origins of cheese-making go back to approximately the 5th millennium BC, and is attributed to pastoral societies. Terracotta vats with what appear to be draining holes have been found at excavation sites. There is also evidence of cheese-making from drawings found in Egyptians tombs. By the time of the Roman Empire cheese-making was already an established art.
Finally, please give this a try. Without a doubt you will find that how to make perfect queso fresco is super easy and very rewarding. And, don’t forget to share with your friends.
How to Make Perfect Queso Fresco
Want to make queso fresco at home? Here is an easy recipe to make this homemade cheese that is a popular topping for tacos, nachos, enchiladas and tostadas. Many Latin foods use this ingredient and it is so easy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 gal whole milk
- 2/3 cup vinegar white, distilled
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
-
Place a cheese cloth lined colander over a large bowl of pasta pot.
-
On medium heat bring milk to 170'F, stirring constantly to avoid uneven heating.
-
When the milk reaches the desired temperature, remove from heat and add vinegar types. Stir a couple of times, then allow it to sit untouched on the stove top for about 30-45 minutes.
-
Using a knife start breaking up the curds gently then start transferring to a colander using a slotted spoon.
-
Allow the curds to sit untouched for about 30 minutes so they can drain properly. Add salt and stir lightly.
-
Next, gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine or a twist tie. Hang from your sink faucet, and allow it to drip for about 30 minutes.
-
Remove from the cloth and using your hands gently mold the cheese into a flat disc, about 1" tall.
-
Return to the colander and let it sit this way for about 30 minutes.
-
Transfer cheese to a bowl, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Wonderful! I just published in my blog post about Estonian home- made quark- cheese 🙂 So similar and so different 🙂 World is small:)
https://estoniancuisine.com/2017/06/04/soir-estonian-quark-cheese-with-caraway-seeds/
Hi KR! Thanks for commenting. I will check out your blog for your quark cheese. Have a wonderful day.
Will be making my first try at making a cheese today. Will be using this recipe
Let you know tomorrow how it turns out
Thanks
Quesco Fresco is great for usage in different areas. I guess a combination with nachos should be a consideration for me.
Hi Mamalia! I think queso fresco is good with anything. 🙂
This has been the best thing I have read all day. I would like the bowl clean at restaurants if it wasn’t frowned upon.
I’ve never made cheese before, but now I feel like a queso fresco expert! It’s easier than I thought! Thanks for sharing!
Oh Analida, this recipe is the answer to my dreams come true! I cannot believe how easy it is to make Queso fresco. I LOVE the stuff but in my small home town it is surprisingly (any annoyingly) hard to come by! There are so many delicious dishes I want to make with it and now when I need to, I can make my own with your recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
Let me know how you like it!
business opportunity if you ask me !!! Lol
This does look perfect Analida!! My mom used to make cheese when I was growing up, but I’ve never tried it myself! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
It’s been such a long time sine I made this! I remember making a cheese like this in primary school, using lemon juice to curd the milk. It was one of the first foods I cooked, now that I think about it. Made me want to try again, I was so proud with it!
I’ve been wanting to try cheesemaking. You have convinced me that I should! I’ll start with this recipe!
I have always wanted to make this but had no idea how! It looks wonderful and I think I can do it!
This queso looks absolutely perfect – the texture is just like the storebought one we get in Mexico! I would love to try and make this at home! Such a fun weekend project
Oh, cool! I’ve made similar types of cheese, but didn’t know queso fresco was in that category! It really is easy, and the flavor is so good.
Thank you so much for sharing. I love Queso Fresco almonst in anything but never knew it was easy to make. I will soon try this out.
It is very easy and it is a blank canvas! Add your own herbs to the cheese mix!
I love queso fresco but have actually never made it. Pinning this for later!
Hi Analida, we have just started making ricotta and my parents would make a salt cheese. I always like to watch the process but now have an appreciation for cheese making. This is very similar to making ricotta. I love the simplicity of it and also the use of herbs and other flavors intrigues me immensely. Thanks for the inspiration and good luck with the mozzarella and burrata. Definitely want to see those recipes, yum!
Happy Holidays!
[email protected]
I’ve never tried to make cheese before, but you make it sound totally doable. I just love cheese so much, I can’t bear the idea of potentially screwing it up, haha!
I never thought about making my own cheese but this is awesome! What an easy method and one I’m definitely inspired to try now 😀
I LOVE to cook and I’m quite good at it but the thought to make my own cheeses has never crossed my mind. Thank you very much , after reading your recipe I completely inspired and cant wait to make some cheese !!! M
Thanks Chris! Let me know how it turns out.
Analida, I was wondering what two types of vinegar you reference above. Obviously the one is cider but what is the other? I will make this recipe for my son’s bachelor party this weekend. He wants a taco bar and I want to make queso fresco. So that’s a great excuse to make it.
Hi Jamie, Thanks for reaching out to me! The other vinegar is white distilled and I have updated the recipe too. Let me know how you like it!
This looks so doable and good. Would love to give this cheese a try!
Thanks for such wonderful instructions!
Good morning Analida:
Thank you so much for this super recipe!!!!!
👩🏼🍳😋 The Queso Fresco 🧀🧀came out perfectly. The flavor is outstanding. 😘So much better than packaged/store bought. This is our new go to cheese, no more store bought stuff. Like knowing exact ingredients.
For anyone first making Queso Fresco or considering you must give this a try. Super simple. Nothing beats homemade and this is a keeper.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so glad you liked the recipe!
Oh My!!! 😘beans, grilled chicken tostadas with your perfect Queso Cheese for dinner last night. Today… beans, homemade jalapeños and Queso Fresco tostadas for breakfast. What a wonderful way to start the day. 😋
Also am truly enjoying your website. The recipe variety is limitless and all look wonderful. Thank you.
Hi Nina, Those sound like great meals! I will have to try the chicken tostadas! If you like Latin food then you must try my family’s all time favorite: Puerto Rican Pernil. You can make a shoulder or two and freeze in containers for a quick meal. Check it out here: https://ethnicspoon.com/pernil/ Thanks!
We love Latin Food in our home. I was raised on it.
We have a very diverse group on my side. Great, another new recipe to make. Got a question regarding Queso Fresco… can 2% milk be substituted for whole? Hubby asked. 🙂 Personally, love the richness as is.
I would only make this cheese with whole milk. Enjoy!