The 15 Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitutes You Can Use in Your Recipes
Need a good substitute for Oaxaca Cheese?
You’re in the right place because this article is going to show you the 12 best cheeses you can use instead of Oaxaca cheese.
Before we get to those, I want to let you know where you can buy it online, because you might not even need a Oaxaca cheese substitute.
If you don’t need the cheese today, you can order Oaxaca cheese from Amazon here, and it will be delivered right to your door in a few days.
With that out of the way, let’s get to this list of the 15 best Oaxaca cheese substitutes for cooking.
After checking out the list, don’t miss the Oaxaca cheese FAQ at the end of the article, which will answer all your queso oaxaca questions.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
What is Oaxaca cheese?
Queso oaxaca (pronounced waa-haa-kah), or Oaxaca cheese, comes from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is part of the pasta filata family of cheeses.
The term pasta filata translates to “spun paste,” and refers to a stretched cheese curd.
It is one of the most famous cheeses from Mexico, and consumed all over the country.
What’s another name for Oaxaca cheese?
Queso oaxaca comes from the Mexican state of Oaxaca — the very state this entire website is about!
Throughout Mexico, this cheese is called queso oaxaca, meaning oaxaca cheese, but in Oaxaca state, it’s known as quesillo (pronounced kay-see-yo, and meaning “rope cheese”).
For more info about queso oaxaca, jump to the Oaxaca Cheese FAQ at the end of this article.
For now, let’s get to the 15 best Oaxaca cheese substitutes you can use in recipes and food dishes, so you can get to coking already.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitutes
1. Buffalo Mozzarella: Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
Wondering what cheese is most similar to Oaxaca cheese?
The answer you’ll get from most cooks is buffalo mozzarella cheese. Also known as fresh mozzarella or Italian mozzarella, this cheese looks and tastes like queso oaxaca, though Oaxaca cheese melts better.
🦬 In case you’re wondering, this cheese is traditionally made with water buffalo milk.
But in a pinch, low-moisture mozzarella cheese does just fine. You can find it in most grocery stores nowadays, usually in the deli area, not the packaged cheese section
If you’re near an Italian grocery store, they may make fresh buffalo mozzarella, which is your best option. Fresh mozzarella served at room temperature is a great alternative to Oaxaca cheese.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
2. Muenster Cheese: Most Similar Oaxaca Cheese Flavor
Flavor-wise, muenster is quite close to queso oaxaca. It also melts really well, just like Oaxaca cheese, so if you can’t find any good mozzarella to use, muenster is a great Plan B.
🧀 Note: For the best results, grate your own muenster cheese; don’t buy it pre-grated.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
3. String Cheese: Most Readily Available Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
You can find string cheese in any grocery store, and even most 7-11’s, so this is clearly the easiest-to-find Oaxaca cheese substitute of them all.
Yes, this is the same inexpensive string cheese you’ll find in a kid’s lunchbox, but it makes a decent Oaxaca cheese substitute. (Note: You could similarly try white American cheese and see which you prefer.)
Queso oaxaca is a string cheese, so there’s one obvious reason you can use American string cheese as a substitute for Oaxacan cheese.
What string cheese does lack is flavor. Oaxaca cheese has a tangy, milky flavor, whereas string cheese is frankly, kind of bland.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
4. Queso Asadero Cheese: Closest Mexican Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
Queso asadero is a cow milk cheese from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, in the north part of the country.
Many people will say queso asadero is the most similar Mexican cheese to queso oaxaca. They are both string cheeses, so you can actually see their similarities.
These cheeses are also formed using a similar kneading and stretching process, but where they differ is texture.
Asadero cheese is drier than Oaxaca cheese because Oaxaca cheese is made with hot water, whereas asadero cheese uses its own whey.
If that was too technical of an explanation, just know that they both melt well, and they are both string cheeses, but asadero cheese is more dry than Oaxaca cheese. Still, it does make for a nice Oaxaca cheese substitute.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
5. Cheddar Cheese Curds
Cheese curds are a type of fresh cheese that originated in the UK.
They made their way across the pond, and are used in Canada for the popular poutine dish, and some parts of the United States, like Wisconsin, where they make fried cheese curds and much more.
Cheese curds are made from cow’s milk and have a mild, milky flavor with a crumbly texture, similar to a mild feta cheese.
Curds are ideal for melting, which makes them very similar to queso oaxaca, though you can also use them for so many other things, like mac and cheese.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
6. Un-Aged Monterey Jack Cheese
Jack is a white, semi-soft, cow’s milk cheese. It has a stronger flavor than queso oaxaca, but melts in a similar way, making it a great choice to use as a Oaxaca cheese replacement.
Many people already associate this cheese with Mexico because it’s one of the cheeses commonly found in a Mexican cheese blend. These also usually include asadero, cheddar and queso quesadilla.
Regular Monterey Jack (or, aged Monterey Jack cheese) has a tangy, sharp flavor, similar to cheddar. However, the non-aged variety has a much more mild flavor that closely mimics queso oaxaca.
When shopping for the best substitute for Oaxaca cheese, try to find Unaged Monterey Jack Cheese.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
7. Queso Panela Cheese
Mexican panela cheese is known to be so mild in flavor that it ends up taking on the flavor off whatever else is in your dish.
This makes it an ideal Oaxaca cheese substitute, or really, an ideal substitute for almost any soft cheese.
Panela cheese is a white cheese, with a firm yet flexible consistency.
It is more of a block of cheese (that actually looks a lot like a block of tofu) compared to stringy queso oaxaca, but it will do in a pinich, especially in recipes with a lot of flavors and spices.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
8. Queso Cotija Cheese
Ever wondered, What is the white crumbly cheese on Mexican food?
That’s Mexican cotija cheese from Michoacan state! It makes for a pretty decent Oaxaca cheese substitute — but admittedly, the two cheeses are a bit dissimilar as well.
🧀 Oaxaca Cheese Fun Fact: Queso de cotija cheese is sometimes called the parmesan of Mexico.
Queso de cotija is a crumbly white cheese that looks like feta, and melts very well.
It’s unlike queso oaxaca because of its texture; crumbly as opposed to stringy. Also, aged cotija cheese is much saltier than Oaxaca cheese, so you might want to adjust for salt in your recipe.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
9. Queso Chihuahua Cheese
Queso de chihuahua is a semi-soft cheese that comes from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, located in the north part of the country. This is the same state that also makes queso asadero (#4 on this list).
Both it and queso oaxaca and queso chihuahua are known as two of the best melting cheeses in Mexico.
Queso chihuahua comes in a square or rectangle shaped piece, so it’s not a string cheese.
It’s also a bit drier than Oaxaca cheese, though it’s a great type of Mexican cheese to use as a substitute.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
10. Manchego Cheese
Manchego cheese is a sheep’s milk cheese that comes from La Mancha, Spain — though it’s actually one of the most popular cheeses in Mexico.
It’s also pretty common in the U.S., so if you’ve tried it, you know and know manchego has a nutty or earthy flavor and a firm texture.
While the flavor profile differs from Oaxaca cheese, manchego cheese does melt very well.
It has a soft, buttery texture that’s similar to queso oaxaca, so many people find it an easy-to-buy substitute because it’s in many grocery stores these days.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
11. Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is an Italian cheese that’s similar to cottage cheese in its soft texture, though not taste. In fact, you might consider it only a distant cousin from cottage cheese, as they taste nothing alike.
It is readily available in the U.S., and often used in lasagne, stuffed shells, manicotti and other pasta dishes. This type of cheese also makes a great topping for pizza.
This cheese has a very mild taste, but it has a lot of water that you’ll want to drain out with a cheesecloth before using it as a substitute for Oaxaca cheese.
Even if you drain out a lot of the water, you’re still left with a crumbly cheese, which is why ricotta salata works better.
🧀 Another Alternative: Ricotta Salata
Ricotta salata isn’t as readily available as regular ricotta cheese. However, it does make for a better Oaxaca cheese substitute in you can find it.
It is saltier and drier than standard ricotta cheese, so the texture is much closer to queso oaxaca, though you’ll want to adjust for salt.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
12. Queso Requeson Cheese
If you live near a Mexican grocery store, you can check for the Mexican version of ricotta cheese, which is called queso requeson.
You likely won’t find this anywhere else besides a Mexican grocer, but if you’re near one, see if they can get you Mexican requeson cheese.
You might also want to see if they can get you queso canasta, which can also make a good alternative to Oaxaca cheese in some recipes.
Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute
13. Queso Fresco Cheese
Queso fresco, meaning “fresh cheese,” is one of the most famous Mexican cheeses because it can be used in a variety of dishes.
It’s available in most U.S. grocery stores nowadays, usually in the dairy case near the prepackaged and shredded cheeses.
It makes for a great Oaxaca cheese substitute because it melts very well, and its mild flavor will take on the other flavors in the dish.
It’s not a string cheese like queso oaxaca, and it’s has a bit more of a salty flavor. However, queso fresco will definitely work in place of Oaxaca cheese.
14. Armenian-Style String Cheese
This Oaxaca cheese alternative isn’t usually easy to find unless you’re in places that have a large Middle Eastern or Armenian population, like Los Angeles.
If you can find it, Armenian string cheese is close in both texture and flavor to queso oaxaca, and tastier than American string cheese. Armenian cheese is a delicious goat’s milk cheese.
15. Make Your Own Oaxaca Cheese
Admittedly, doing a whole queso oaxaca recipe takes a lot more effort than finding a cheese substitute.
However, if you’ve ever made mozzarella cheese before, making Oaxaca cheese is actually pretty easy — and will taste better than any Oaxaca cheese substitute on this list.
How to Make Oaxaca Cheese: Best Oaxaca Cheese Recipe
- 1. Boil cow’s milk with an acid, like lemon juice.
- 2. Add rennet to milk to separate the curds from the whey.
- 3. Use a cheesecloth to strain the curds out.
- 4. Submerge the curds in hot water to soften them.
- 5. When softened, stretch and knead the curds into a large ball.
- 6. From this large ball, form a long ribbon, then form that into what essentially looks like a ball of yarn.
If this is your first time making Oaxaca cheese, it will take practice. However, after a few attempts, you’ll have perfected it, and never need a Oaxaca cheese substitute again.
🎥 You can also check out this YouTube video of Oaxaca cheese being made in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Oaxaca Cheese Substitute FAQ
Where does Oaxaca cheese come from?
Queso oaxaca comes from the Mexican state of the same name, Oaxaca, located in southern Mexico.
Oaxaca state is just south of Mexico City, and known as the Foodie Capital of Mexico — so there’s much more to authentic Oaxacan food than just its famous cheese.
🤔 How do you pronounce Oaxaca?
Wondering about the Oaxaca pronunciation? It’s a common question, so if you are, you’re not alone! The word Oaxaca is pronounced waa-HA-kah.
What is Oaxaca cheese made of?
Oaxaca cheese is traditionally made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk, though some people also use sheep’s milk.
The milk is heated, then curdled with rennet, which will make Oaxaca cheese curds. These curds get drained, then kneaded, stretched into a ribbon, and formed into a ball.
Is Oaxaca cheese pasteurized?
Oaxaca cheese is often made with pasteurized milk — though not always.
Some brands do use unpasteurized milk, so you’ll want to read the label buying Oaxaca cheese from the store to make sure you’re getting the type you need.
What does Oaxaca cheese taste like?
Oaxaca cheese has a creamy, buttery and mild flavor.
It is one of the most popular Mexican cheeses, and usually when you see anything with queso (cheese) on a menu in Mexico, it’s more than likely queso oaxaca.
Is Oaxaca cheese the same as mozzarella?
No — But Oaxaca cheese and buffalo mozzarella cheese are very similar in terms of taste and texture.
Is Oaxaca cheese the same as cotija cheese?
No — But they both have a similar mild flavor. However, Oaxaca cheese is stringy and cotija cheese is crumbly, similar to an aged parmesan cheese.
🧀 Fun fact: Quso cotija cheese is sometimes called Mexican parmesan cheese.
Is Oaxaca cheese the same as queso blanco?
No — Queso oaxaca and queso blanco (AKA queso fresco) both melt well, but otherwise don’t have much similarity.
What’s the texture of Oaxaca cheese?
Queso Oaxaca is part of the pasta filata family, which is a process of cheese-making that comes from Italy.
The term pasta filata translates to “spun paste,” and refers to the process of stretching out a cheese curd to make a long piece of cheese. Oaxaca cheese is essentially one long ribbon that’s rolled into a ball shape.
It’s similar to mozzarella in this way, and in fact, some say the Dominican monks who settled in Oaxaca from Italy brought this cheese-making process to Mexico.
How do I use Oaxaca cheese?
Queso Oaxaca is ideal as a melting cheese. It is a versatile cheese that’s used in many different recipes, both in Mexican dishes and also a lot of traditional Oaxaca foods.
In Oaxaca, you’ll see it used on nearly-all dishes with cheese, but it’s one of the beloved ingredients in a Oaxacan tlayuda. One of the most popular Oaxaca foods, tlayudas are sometimes called Mexican pizza.
🧀 Best Dishes With Oaxaca Cheese
Still want to know What is Oaxaca cheese used for? Here are eight more traditional Mexican food recipes that use queso Oaxaca:
- Chili Relleno: Poblano stuffed chili pepper
- Quesadillas
- Gorditas
- Enchiladas
- Empanadas
- Chile con Queso
- Oaxacan Memelas
- Queso Fundido (and other cheese dips)
What’s the best place to buy Oaxaca Cheese?
Oaxaca cheese isn’t usually easy to find in most major U.S. grocery stores. However, you can usually find it at specialty cheese markets, or upscale and organic grocers like Whole Foods.
When all else fails, you can buy Oaxaca cheese online from Amazon or Walmart — or just Google “Oaxaca cheese near me” and see what comes up!
If nothing comes up, this article featured 15 options that should help you tackle the What is similar to Oaxaca cheese? question.
Can you freeze Oaxaca Cheese?
Yes — Technically Oaxaca cheese can be frozen, but you probably don’t want to do so.
When you freeze then thaw it, you’ll lose its characteristic stringy texture and end up with a sticky, crumbly cheese. In short, this is a cheese best consumed as fresh as possible.
Final Thoughts: Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitutes
I hope this article answered all your What can I substitute for oaxaca cheese? and What can I use instead of oaxaca cheese? questions.
Since it was a lot of information, here are the Cliff’s Notes to recap so you know the best Oaxaca cheese substitutes:
- 🥇 Overall Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute: Buffalo mozzarella cheese
- 🧀 Closest in Texture to Oaxaca Cheese: American string cheese
- 🧀 Closest in Flavor to Oaxaca Cheese: Mexican asadero cheese
- 🧀 Easiest to Get Oaxaca Cheese Substitute: American string cheese
If you don’t need the cheese today (or right now), you can order Oaxaca cheese from Amazon here, and it will be delivered right to your door.
Doing this, you won’t need the most suitable substitute for Oaxaca cheese — because you’ll have the real thing.
You can also try a variety of different types of cheese to use as a queso oaxaca substitute. After all, the best substitute will depend on the recipe you’re making — and tasting is really the best way to find a great substitute.