What Is The Best Oaxaca Cheese Substitute? 10 Best Options

What Is Oaxaca Cheese?

Oaxaca cheese, also called Quesillo, Queso de Hebra, or Queso Oaxaca cheese, is a white, semi-hard cheese made originally in Mexico. It has a creamy texture like Mozzarella or ricotta, a mild, slightly sweet taste, and a hint of tanginess.

Oaxaca cheese is made by heating fresh cow's milk and adding rennet to form curds. These curds are cut and heated in hot water, which makes them stretchy.

The curds are then kneaded and stretched repeatedly, shaped into long ropes. Finally, the cheese is cooled before being stored.

This process concentrates the milk's nutrients by creating a high-fat and high-protein cheese. The curds formed during coagulation keep most of the milk's fat and protein.

You can see the nutritional values of 100 grams of Oaxaca cheese in the following table [1].

The soft and creamy texture of Oaxaca cheese and its mild flavor makes it suitable for many dishes, including the ones below.

Learn More: Cheese on The Carnivore Diet: Yes or NO? Best and Worst Cheese

What Is Oaxaca Cheese Best for?

Oaxaca cheese is often used in Mexican dishes and can be an integral part of many recipes with mild flavor, such as:

• Quesadillas: The cheese is placed between two tortillas and heated. It becomes stretchy and binds the tortillas together as it melts, creating a delicious filling.
• Queso Fundido: It is a hot cheese dip. Oaxaca cheese is melted, often with other ingredients like chorizo or peppers, and served as a dip for tortilla chips or bread.
• Empanadas: These are stuffed pastries. Oaxaca cheese can be used as a filling, alone, or mixed with other ingredients. When baked, it melts inside the Empanada, creating a creamy center.
• Tlayudas: This Oaxacan dish consists of a large, crispy tortilla topped with refried beans, meat, and melted Oaxaca cheese. The cheese adds a creamy texture in contrast to the crispy base.
• Chiles Rellenos: Large peppers are stuffed with Oaxaca cheese, then battered and fried. The cheese melts inside the pepper, creating a molten core.
• Pizza Topping: Like Mozzarella, Oaxaca cheese melts well on pizza, with a slightly different flavor profile for a Mexican pizza.
• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: The cheese melts between slices of bread, creating long, appetizing cheese pulls when the sandwich is pulled apart.
• Salads: Oaxaca cheese can be torn into strips and added to salads for a mild, creamy ingredient that contrasts with crisp vegetables.
• Garnish: Shredded Oaxaca cheese can be sprinkled over soups, tostadas, or other dishes for garnish.

If you want to make these dishes but Oaxaca cheese is not available in your local grocery stores or you have dietary restrictions, you need to look for substitutes.

Learn More: Is Cream Cheese Keto? The Best Keto Cream Cheese

The Best Substitutes for Oaxaca Cheese

These Oaxaca cheese substitute options are good additions to your recipes because their taste, texture, and nutritional values are similar to Oaxaca cheese.

• Mozzarella Cheese,
• Muenster Cheese,
• String Cheese,
• Queso Asadero Cheese,
• Cheddar Cheese Curds,
• Un-Aged Monterey Jack Cheese,
• Queso Panela Cheese,
• Queso Cotija Cheese,
• Queso Chihuahua Cheese, and
• Manchego Cheese

Choosing the best Oaxaca cheese substitute depends on your preferences and diet goals. For example, if you’re looking for a zero-carb option, Muenster cheese can be a good choice. Also, if want to select the best similar cheese in texture, Mozzarella can be a good option.

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella, also called Italian Mozzarella, is a pizza cheese that complements salads and various Italian dishes.

Fresh Mozzarella can be the best substitute for Oaxaca cheese as it has a similar appearance and texture.

To compare Oaxaca cheese vs. Mozzarella, we can start with their carbohydrate content. Mozzarella has a lower carb content (2.77 g per 100 g), making it suitable for low-carb diets like Carnivore.

100 grams of Mozzarella cheese contains [2]:

• Calories: 254 kcal
• Protein: 24.3 g
• Fat: 15.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 2.77 g
• Sugar: 1.13 g
• Calcium: 782 mg
• Iron: 0.22 mg
• Sodium: 619 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.07 mg
• Vitamin E: 0.14 mg
• Vitamin A: 481 IU
• Vitamin D: 12 IU

Muenster Cheese

American Muenster cheese is a semi-soft cheese that melts easily and has a mild flavor similar to Oaxaca cheese.

It’s also a zero-carb cheese, suitable for low-carb recipes, especially used in diets like Keto and Carnivore. Muenster cheese provides the following nutrients per 100 grams [3]:

• Calories: 393 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 32.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 714 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 643 mg
• Vitamin A: 1070 IU

Armenian String Cheese

Armenian string cheese is a traditional white, semi-soft, and stringy cheese like Mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese.

Because Armenian and Oaxaca cheese share similar textures, Armenian string cheese can be a good substitute for dishes that typically use Oaxaca cheese. Here are the nutrients found in 100 grams of this cheese [4]:

• Calories: 286 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 17.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 7.14 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 536 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 1000 mg
• Vitamin A: 357 IU

Queso Asadero Cheese

Queso Asadero is a cow milk cheese from Chihuahua in northern Mexico. Like Oaxaca cheese, it's a kind of string cheese, but it’s drier than Oaxaca cheese because it combines with whey.

You can find the following nutrients in 100 grams of Queso Asadero cheese [5].

• Calories: 356 kcal
• Protein: 22.6 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 4.13 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 661 mg
• Iron: 0.51 mg
• Sodium: 607 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.053 mg
• Vitamin A: 190 IU
• Vitamin D: 21 IU

Cheddar Cheese Curds

Cheddar cheese curds are originally from the UK but are also popular in Canada and the United States, where they’re used in dishes like Poutine or fried cheese curds.

They are made from cow’s milk and have a mild flavor with a crumbly texture similar to mild feta cheese. They melt nicely so they can be a good Queso Oaxaca cheese substitute in dishes such as Quesadillas.

Each 100 grams of Cheddar cheese contains the following nutrients [6]:

• Calories: 393 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 32.14 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 714mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 643 mg
• Vitamin A: 1071 IU

Monterey Jack Cheese

Monterey Jack is a white, semi-soft cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a stronger flavor than Oaxaca cheese but melts similarly, making it a good substitute.

Regular Monterey Jack has a tangy and sharp taste similar to cheddar, while the non-aged variety is milder and more like Oaxaca cheese.

It also has a similar nutrition profile to Oaxaca cheese, with almost the same protein, fat, and calorie content but zero carbohydrates.

Here are the nutritional values of 100 grams of Monterey Jack cheese [7]:

• Calories: 357 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 28.57 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 714 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 607 mg
• Vitamin A: 1071 IU

Queso Panela Cheese

Queso Panela is a white cheese with a smooth texture. Its mild flavor absorbs the taste of other ingredients in your dish, making it an excellent substitute for Oaxaca cheese or any soft cheese.

Unlike Oaxaca cheese, Panela comes in a block rather than a stringy form and contains the following nutrients per 100 grams [8].

• Calories: 321 kcal
• Protein: 21.43 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 3.57 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 357 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 571 mg

Queso Cotija Cheese

Queso Cotija cheese, also called the Parmesan of Mexico, is a crumbly white cheese that looks like feta. It melts well, like Oaxaca cheese, but aged Cotija is much saltier than Oaxaca cheese, so you need to adjust the salt in your recipe.

You can find the following nutrients in 100 grams of Queso Cotija cheese [9].

• Calories: 321 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 21.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 714 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 1710 mg
• Vitamin A: 714 IU

Queso Chihuahua Cheese

Queso de Chihuahua is a semi-soft cheese from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which is the same place that makes Queso Asadero cheese.

Unlike stringy Queso Oaxaca, Queso Chihuahua is dry and comes in square or rectangular blocks. Here are the nutritional values of 100 grams of this cheese [10]:

• Calories: 357 kcal
• Protein: 21.4 g
• Fat: 28.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 5.56 g
• Calcium: 651 mg
• Iron: 0.47 mg
• Sodium: 617 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.055 mg
• Vitamin E: 0.26 mg
• Vitamin A: 193 IU
• Vitamin D: 22 IU

Manchego Cheese

Manchego is a sheep’s milk cheese from La Mancha, Spain, but it’s also very popular in Mexico. It has a soft, buttery texture similar to Oaxaca, but its flavor is different because sheep milk gives it a richer and creamier taste.

However, because of sheep's milk and stiffer texture, Manchego is not a good substitute for Oaxaca cheese in dip sauces, but it's great for baked dishes like baked pasta.

You'll find the following nutrients in 100 grams of Manchego cheese [11].

• Calories: 321 kcal
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 714 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 500 mg
• Vitamin A: 714 IU

While these cheeses are typically made from cow or sheep milk, there are vegan substitutes available that include ingredients like nuts instead of animal milk.

Learn More: Is Tofu Keto? How to Eat Tofu on Keto?

The Best Vegan Substitutes for Oaxaca Cheese

Here are some of the best vegan alternatives for Oaxaca cheese:

• Vegan Mozzarella Cheese,
• Cashew Cheese,
• Almond Cheese, and
• Soy Cheese

Please note that these vegan options generally have higher carbohydrates than Oaxaca cheese. So, it’s better to check their nutrition profile before adding them to your diet.

Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Vegan Mozzarella has the stretchy quality of traditional Mozzarella, making it a good substitute for Oaxaca cheese.

It melts smoothly and has a mild flavor that can be used in Quesadillas, pizzas, and other dishes that require melted cheese.

This cheese contains the following nutrients per 100 grams [12].

• Calories: 321 kcal
• Protein: 3.57 g
• Fat: 21.43 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 936 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 750 mg

Cashew Cheese

Cashew cheese is made from blended cashews and has a creamy texture. It can be made stretchier by adding ingredients like agar-agar or tapioca starch.

This cheese has a rich and nutty flavor and works well in dishes that need creamy and meltable cheese like Oaxaca. Here are the nutrients you'll get from 100 grams of Cashew cheese [13].

• Calories: 321 kcal
• Protein: 10.7 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 17.9 g
• Sugar: 3.57 g
• Calcium: 71 mg
• Iron: 3.86 mg
• Sodium: 464 mg

Almond Cheese

Like cashew cheese, almond cheese offers a creamy texture with a slightly different flavor profile. It's a good option for vegans who need nut-based cheese that melts well and adds a mild and nutty flavor to dishes.

Almond cheese provides the following nutrients per 100 grams [14].

• Calories: 355 kcal
• Protein: 19.4 g
• Fat: 29 g
• Carbohydrates: 3.23 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 484 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 452 mg
• Vitamin A: 116 mcg

Soy Cheese

Soy cheese is made from soy protein. It melts easily and has a mild flavor, similar to Oaxaca cheese.

It's a good choice for those looking for a plant-based cheese with a good taste and melting properties. 100 grams of soy cheese provides the following nutrients [15].

• Calories: 263 kcal
• Protein: 10.53 g
• Fat: 21.05 g
• Carbohydrates: 10.53 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Calcium: 421 mg
• Iron: 0 mg
• Sodium: 947 mg

Learn More: Can You Drink Milk on the Carnivore Diet? Benefits and Side Effects

Conclusion

Oaxaca cheese stands out for its mild flavor and unique silky and stringy texture. However, as it's moderate in carbohydrates, it’s not suitable for those following a strict version of low-carb diets.

Also, if you’re vegan or allergic to high-sodium foods, you need to find a substitute for Oaxaca cheese.

Muenster cheese tastes most like Oaxaca, so choose it if taste matters most to you. Also, Mozzarella can be a good option if you’re looking for a texture similar to Oaxaca.