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Eggs & dairy · Hard cheeses

Cotija cheese

Aged, salty, crumbly Mexican cow's-milk cheese sprinkled over elote, tacos, beans and salads.

Also called: queso cotija, queso añejo, queso seco, queso duro

Around the world: queso cotija, queso duro, queso seco (es)

A kind of cheese

3 recipes with it

What it is

Cotija is named after a town in Michoacán. Young cotija is moist and feta-like; aged cotija (queso añejo) is dry, firm and grates like parmesan. It is white, salty and crumbles rather than melts, unlike Oaxaca cheese.

How it’s used

  • Elote and esquites (corn with mayonnaise, chilli and cheese)
  • Crumbled over tacos, enchiladas and tostadas
  • Topping refried beans and salads
  • Sprinkled on chilaquiles

Characteristics

Taste
Salty, milky and sharp when aged.
Texture
Crumbly to dry and hard.
When cooked
Softens but does not melt into strings; used as a finishing cheese.
Sold as
fermented
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Used as a garnish

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep wrapped in the fridge; aged cotija keeps well, fresher cotija is more perishable.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains milk (allergen).

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
366 kcal
Protein
20 g
Carbohydrate
3.97 g
Fat
30 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, mexican, queso cotija.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Feta — 1:1; tangier and moister, rinse briefly if very salty.
  • Parmesan — For aged cotija; nuttier.

Related ingredients

Recipes with cotija cheese

More hard cheeses