When it comes to Mexican food, nothing can beat homemade Mexican cheese blend! Here’s how to make this number one taco topping on your own.
What is Mexican Cheese Blend?
For those who like Mexican food, there are a lot of things in your pantry that you can do away with, and one of these is Mexican cheese blend. You know, the assorted shredded cheese that you sprinkle on top of quesadillas, nachos, and other Mexican specialties. But to be more exact, we’re talking about the ready-made, pre-shredded variety here that you can get at any local supermarket.
This might seem to be a bit too nitpicky, but if you’re very particular about your cheeses, then store-bought Mexican cheese blend just won’t cut it. Oftentimes, low quality cheeses are used in these kinds of blends. Or if not, the blend ratio is just wrong- you might prefer having more (or less) of one particular type of cheese in the blend, or you want the whole thing with a bit more seasoning.
That’s why the best Mexican cheese blend is always homemade. Making the blend from scratch is infinitely cheaper too, and you can adjust the cheese ratio according to your own preferences.
With that said, here’s a quick how-to on making your own Mexican shredded cheese blend:
How To Make Mexican Cheese Blend
What You’ll Need
- Cheddar cheese – provides a distinctive sharp and nutty flavor to the blend
- Monterey jack – slightly tart, gives a nice acidity that complements the other two cheeses
- Colby cheese – mild flavored, balances out the sharpness of the Cheddar
- Taco seasoning
1. Shred all of your cheeses separately. You can use a fine grater, but a food processor will make this step easier.
2. Combine the shredded cheeses in a large bowl and gently toss everything together (with the taco seasoning) until it is all mixed well.
3. This Mexican shredded cheese blend can be stored in Ziploc or freezer bags. You can also store it inside any food container provided that the container is airtight.
Tips and Tricks
1. The three cheeses mentioned above (Cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, and Colby cheese) taste perfect for a Mexican cheese blend, but you can incorporate your favorite cheese if you like!
2. For example, you can also use Mozzarella cheese in this blend (especially if you like the creaminess that Mozzarella brings to the table). However, if your Mozzarella has been stored in the refrigerator, better fully thaw it out first to soften it because the hard texture can be off-putting.
3. Most people keep the ratio of each cheese equal to one another. however, feel free to experiment. If you like the blend to be more sharp, then add more Cheddar. If it’s a milder flavored blend that you want, then cut back on the Cheddar and Monterey jack and add more of the Colby cheese.
4. Sure, you can have this blend on nachos, tacos, enchiladas, chili con carnes and quesadillas, but you can also use this cheese blend on non-Mexican specialties too. It’s great if you just want to add a unique cheesy kick to a dish. For example, you can sprinkle it on pizza, or use it in Mac and Cheese.
Quick and Easy Smooth Queso Dip
This is a recipe for a “queso” dip, which is something you would usually find served in Mexican restaurants or sold in jars in a supermarket near you.
3 cups of your homemade Mexican cheese blend- One tablespoon of cornstarch
- Half tablespoon of butter
- Two cloves of garlic, minced
- One small white onion, minced
- One small can of evaporated milk
- One tomato, diced finely
- One green chili, chopped into small pieces
- Quarter teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder
- Quarter cup of coriander leaves, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Mix cheese and cornflour in a bowl.
2. In a small pot, melt the butter over medium, then cook the garlic and onion for about 3 minutes.
3. Add in the milk and cheese. Stir for a few minutes, then add in the chopped green chili and spices.
4. Stir well until cheese is melted through and the dip has the consistency of a thick sauce.
5. You can adjust the consistency by adding more milk. Just take note that the dip thickens when it cools.
