How to Make Perfect Queso Fresco

How to make 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.

I’ve tried making other types of cheese before like 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.

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.

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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.  

Course Cheese

Cuisine Latin American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 148 kcal

Author Analida

Ingredients

• 1/2 gal whole milk
• 2/3 cup vinegar
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Place a cheese cloth lined colander over a large bowl of pasta pot.
2. On medium heat bring milk to 170'F, stirring constantly to avoid uneven heating.
3. 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.
4. Using a knife start breaking up the curds gently then start transferring to a colander using a slotted spoon.
5. Allow the curds to sit untouched for about 30 minutes so they can drain properly. Add salt and stir lightly.
6. 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.
7. Remove from the cloth and using your hands gently mold the cheese into a flat disc, about 1" tall.
8. Return to the colander and let it sit this way for about 30 minutes.
9. Transfer cheese to a bowl, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Nutrition Facts

How to Make Perfect Queso Fresco

Amount Per Serving

Calories 148 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Sodium 538mg 22%

Potassium 312mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%

Dietary Fiber 0g 0%

Sugars 11g

Protein 7g 14%

Vitamin A 7.7%

Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 26.9%

Iron 0.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.