Queso fresco, also called fresh cheese, is a Mexican cheese traditionally made from raw cow’s milk or sometimes a combination of cow’s and goat’s milk. This popular cheese has a trademark of a fresh creamy texture and salty-sour kick. However, it’s not rich or buttery tasting. Since Queso fresco is not a melting cheese, it’s usually crumbled and used as a topping on many dishes. This guide highlights a few tips on how to melt queso fresco by turning it into a dip or sauce.
Depending on your taste and preference, you can also make queso fresco a filling or add it to your soup. That way, you can incorporate queso fresco into various dishes and enjoy it while it is soft. Also note that queso fresco is naturally soft, and heating it up will make it extra soft. In this guide, we’ll show you some simple ways to incorporate queso fresco into warm or hot meals and enjoy it whilst it’s warm.
Can you melt queso fresco?
Yes, it is possible to melt some of this creamy cheese, but the question is extremely popular and brings in many arguments. While queso fresco is not a creamy cheese, it can be flavored with mild herbs, and you will get a subtle creaminess from melting it. Since it is very mild, queso fresco is a great cheese to melt. It can be used to make lots of different things and has a mild flavor that will not overpower other cheeses.
If you melt queso fresco, the cheese will become very soft and creamy, but it will not look like creamy cheese like cheddar or blue cheese. There are several ways to get queso fresco to melt, depending on the recipe you are using it for.
Queso fresco is incredibly flavorful, but when you just heat it in a pan on its own, it will not turn into something creamy and smooth. It will remain clumpy or become stringy in texture. But with some extra work, you can make delicious cheese dips with queso fresco.
It is great to add to other cheeses such as cheddar or fontina, and with some milk and other ingredients, you can make a delicious cheese dip or sauce that you can use over a dish like rice or enchiladas.
How to Use Queso Fresco Cheese
Queso fresco is a delicious milk dessert made from fresh milk from cows that have been curdled with acid, such as lemon or vinegar. Queso fresco is a sharp cheese similar to Greek feta and can be used to top different foods or melted and mixed in recipes.
It has a salty, somewhat acidic flavor profile that makes it versatile in a number of different recipes and cuisines. Here are the most common ways to use this cheese:
- Smeared on elote or street corn
- Crumbled on top of tacos or enchiladas
- Served on pizza
- Shredded with other cheeses in a quesadilla
- Used in a queso dip
- Served with fruit salads as a salty companion
- Used as a garnish over soup
How to Melt Queso Fresco
You can melt queso fresco cheese, but don’t expect to get the same results as if you were to melt plain white cheddar cheese. There are two common ways to melt queso fresco to get a creamy, smooth mixture:
1. Use a Stove
Heating up the oven before melting the queso fresco is useful as you can monitor it and prevent it from burning. Also, you can melt a large amount of butter on the stove.
Steps
- Start off by grating your queso to help the fresh cheese to heat evenly and fast, which aids in the process of melting it.
- Pour a generous amount of milk from a milk can (or any other milk that you like) into a large saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
- Stir constantly while the milk melts.
- When the heated milk starts to bubble and appears in the pan, add some shredded cheese to the pan. Stir the mixture continuously while it melts.
- Mix the milk and cheese mixture thoroughly while whisking constantly.
- Once it is cooled and the cheese is shredded, serve immediately!
During the whisking process, the cheese will start to break down into smaller pieces, allowing for a smooth consistency. It also helps the cheese get a better texture when mixed with the other ingredients. The milk that is evaporated helps it to be a more cohesive mixture. If the consistency of the liquid is a little thicker, add a tablespoon of milk at a time, whisking constantly.
2. Use The Microwave
A microwave is a good way to melt some queso fresco, but be careful not to let it burn.
Steps
- Grate or shred the queso fresco cheese and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Allow the bowl to cool completely before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Allow enough room for the cheese to start bubbling.
- Microwaving the queso fresco for one minute will help it melt evenly. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat until melted.
- Continue to microwave the cheese in 30-second increments, beating the cheese between each interval until it melts completely.
- Add a tablespoon or two of milk if you want to thin out the cheese slightly.
- Serve immediately if you plan to use the cheese as a dip.
You may be able to keep the cheese warm and melted by putting the bowl over a hot pot that is simmered. This makes it easy to use the queso fresco as a dip!
What If Queso Fresco Cheese Doesn’t Melt?
Queso fresco cheese doesn’t melt easily, and it may appear to be very different than what you are used to. If you have trouble melting the queso fresco cheese, try the following alternatives.
1. Turn it into a Sauce Using Evaporated Milk
This method is the cheapest and easiest for making a queso fresco-infused sauce. You will need to use evaporated milk and queso fresco only. Firstly, grate the queso fresco and put it in a bowl. Next, you need to get a non-stick pan which will help you to avoid having stuck things in your sauce.
When it starts to simmer, add the queso fresco in small amounts. Whisk it slowly until it melts. Make it a habit to often scrape the outside of the pot so that the heated milk and queso fresco does not start cling to the bottom. Depending on how much cheese you want to melt, it may take up to 20 minutes or so to melt the queso fresco. Whisk together the queso fresco and evaporate milk until you get a silky texture.
2. Turn it into a Sauce Using Different Ingredients
For this cheese recipe, you will also want 1 cup of flour, 3-4 cups of whole milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, 12 teaspoons of cumin, and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce. The first thing you should do is get a good cast iron pan to start the melting. If you don’t have a good cast iron pan, just get a large pot and put it on a stovetop that is heated to high.
Add butter to the pot but take care not to burn it. Then take some flour and mix it with the butter and the milk until you have a smooth paste. When the paste is smooth, add the remaining ingredients, such as hot sauce.
Stir the cream cheese, milk, and spices well so that they are well combined and that they are incorporated well into the sauce. You will need to bring the sauce to a boil, and when it starts to bubble, allow it to simmer for 2 minutes. It will take about 6 to 8 minutes to try and melt the queso fresco so that it will mix with the other ingredients.
3. Use it as Dip
This method is most convenient because you can melt your queso fresco in the microwave. For the first method, you will use a microwave-safe dish or a microwave-safe bowl. Put the quesadillas in a microwave-safe dish or bowl and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Cover a microwave-safe bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the microwave. Heat up the queso fresco and salsa in the microwave and allow it to melt. Set your microwave on medium and microwave the queso fresco and salsa for 2 minutes to create a smooth paste. Serve with chips for the best results!
4. Turn it into a Filling
This technique works well if you are filling a tortilla or a quesadilla. When making burritos and quesadillas, add queso fresco to the mixture. Once the cheese is heated, it will get very soft, but it will not melt. Queso fresco can also give a very tasty flavor to your burritos or quesadillas.
5. Use it as a Garnish for Soup
If you cannot melt queso fresco, you can try to soften it by adding it to your soup. Queso fresco works well with soups that have been heated, like black bean soup, tortilla soup, and gazpacho. It also mixes well with other soups that are warm. Queso fresco will become a little mushy and will add a nice flavor to your soup.
Wrapping Up
Although queso fresco is designed to be a crumbled cheese, it can still be melted and added to hot dishes. There is a lot that you can do with queso fresco. You can either spread it on other dishes or as a condiment or a very tasty dip. Queso fresco is also very useful as a filling for meat dishes and works well in soups. If you didn’t know how to properly apply the queso fresco, we hope this article has helped you.