As with other fresh cheeses like paneer and mascarpone, queso blanco is simple to make. It’s also great for cooking or frying due to its more naturally springy texture. The apple cider vinegar give the cheese a nice brightness and a healthy kick. Our suggestion is to mix your queso with grilled corn kernels and salt, stuff peppers, and roast in the oven. Want to learn more about cheesemaking at home? Check out our virtual classes.
Homemade Queso Fresco Recipe
from Mother Earth News
- 1 gallon Whole milk
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- A dairy thermometer
- A large stainless steel cooking pot
- A strainer. A wooden spoon
- Cheesecloth
- Optional: Salt and/or fresh or dried herbs
- Gather your supplies.
- Pour your milk into your pot and place over medium low heat. You want your milk to heat slowly and gradually to reach a desired temperature of 180 degrees. It takes about an hour when given the patience to be done right. Stir every so often with a wooden spoon to distribute heat evenly and to prevent scalding.
- When your milk reaches 180 degrees, turn off the heat.
- * If you do not have a dairy thermometer, turn off the pot when the milk starts to foam a little, just before you think it's going to boil. You DO NOT want it to boil.
- Slowly add your vinegar and gently stir with your wooden spoon. You should see the curds start to separate from the whey.
- Let sit a few minutes.
- Very carefully (as it is HOT) pour your curds into a colander lined with cheesecloth. If you want to save your whey (which I recommend because it is the cat's meow as a substitute for milk in baked goods) place another large pot under the colander. If you do not have cheesecloth you can use a cotton t-shirt. Clean obviously. Just cut it at the seams and use the same way. Come on, you must have an old cotton shirt lying around.
- Pull up the edges and ring out to expel the main part of the whey.
- Transfer back to your cooking pot and hang from any surface that can comfortably fit the pot and bag of cheese. I use a magnet on the hood of my stove. Easy and convenient, but use your imagination. Let strain for about 3 hours. Less time will give you a wetter cheese, more will give you a firmer cheese.
- Yum! Unwrap from the cheese cloth and place in a resealable container to refrigerate. It will keep up to a week cold. Not that it lasts that long.
