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17 Cotija Cheese Recipes to Try

By Ita Mac Airt
March 09, 2021
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Lighter Skillet Mexican Street Corn
Credit: Buckwheat Queen

Cotija is a sharp, slightly salty, aged cow's cheese. Often referred to as the Parmesan of Mexico, it's a popular garnish in soups, salads, and on elotes (Mexican street corn). Give Cotija cheese a try in one of these top-rated recipes.

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Chilaquiles Scramble

Chilaquiles Scramble
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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"My landlady in Mexico used to make chilaquiles when she had stale tortillas," says recipe creator tomboy. "She used to make chilaquiles when she had stale tortillas. She always scrambled the eggs in, instead of the more typical fried egg on top."

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Mexican Rice Soup (Sopa Aguada de Arroz)

Mexican Rice and Beans in a white bowl
Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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This is a smooth, blended soup that's bursting with flavor from roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic. A generous portion of Cotija cheese is added to this comforting soup, making it hearty enough for colder days.

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Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)
Credit: Soup Loving Nicole
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Fresh ears of corn are grilled until sweet and tender, rolled in butter, and topped with mayo and crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges and a sprinkling of smoked paprika if you like.

  • All About Corn: Picking, Storing, and Cooking Corn

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Authentic Mexican Tostadas

Make these crunchy tostadas — filled with smashed beans, tender beef, spicy homemade salsa, pickled red onions, and crumbled Cotija cheese — for a magnificent feast.Ā 
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Make these crunchy tostadas — filled with smashed beans, tender beef, spicy homemade salsa, pickled red onions, and crumbled Cotija cheese — for a magnificent feast.Ā 

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Instant Pot Mexican-Style Meatballs and Quinoa

Instant PotĀ® Mexican-Style Meatballs and Quinoa
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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Tasty veal meatballs (made with Cotija cheese, red onion, breadcrumbs, and spices) are cooked with quinoa in a rich tomato sauce to make this satisfying stew in just under an hour.

  • Best Mexican Recipes for the Instant Pot

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Lighter Skillet Mexican Street Corn

Lighter Skillet Mexican Street Corn
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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Fresh corn is cooked in a skillet and combined with Cotija cheese, fat-free Greek yogurt, and chili powder for a lower calorie and speedier version of elotes. Serve corn topped with extra cheese, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges for a crowd-pleasing summer dish.

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Enchiladas Verdes

Enchiladas Verdes
Credit: Meredith
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Lightly fried tortillas are filled with shredded chicken and a spicy tomatillo sauce, then rolled up and covered with more sauce, lettuce, cilantro, crema, and Cotija cheese. Recipe submitter gem learned how to make these authentic enchiladas verdes from "an amazing cook in Puebla, [Mexico]."

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Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)

zucchini and corn recipe on a white plate
Credit: CookinBug
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This extremely popular Mexican side dish is made with fresh sweetcorn kernels, zucchini, tomatoes, poblano chile, and crumbled Cotija cheese. It's so tasty, you may want to double the recipe to serve as a main dish with warm tortillas.

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Mexican Pesto

Mexican Pesto
Credit: Marianne
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Traditional pesto gets kicked up a notch with this Mexican-inspired version that's packed with serrano chile pepper, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), grated Cotija cheese, garlic, and cilantro. Cotija cheese is naturally salty, so you may need to adjust the amount of salt in this recipe.

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Spicy Southwest Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde

Spicy Southwest Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde
Credit: linda2d
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Contrasting colors, textures and flavors make this spicy grilled chicken, corn, avocado, black bean, and Cotija cheese salad truly tasty. Top it with crushed tortilla chips for some crunch, if you like, and garnish with lime wedges to serve.

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Giant Nachos

Giant Nachos
Credit: Mackenzie Schieck
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Flour tortillas are sliced into wedges and baked to make giant chips. Layer with chorizo, Cheddar, Cotija, guacamole, green onions, and jalapeno slices for the ultimate plate of nachos to share with friends.

  • Nachos Recipes

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Creamy Cilantro Salad Dressing

Creamy Cilantro Salad Dressing
Credit: Treena
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This creamy salad dressing is flavored with cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, Cotija cheese, garlic, and roasted Anaheim chile peppers. Try it out on your next green salad and top with extra pepitas and crumbled Cotija cheese for a real treat.

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Chiles Rellenos Autenticos

Chiles Rellenos Autenticos
Credit: Baking Nana
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In this Mexican recipe for chiles rellenos (stuffed chile peppers), poblano chiles are roasted, then stuffed with Cotija and fried in hot oil until browned and the cheese has melted.Ā 

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Sopa de Tortilla (Real Mexican Tortilla Soup)

Sopa de Tortilla (Real Mexican Tortilla Soup)
Credit: gem
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Here's an authentic, delicious, and spicy Mexican soup with fried tortilla strips. Serve with sliced avocado, diced Cotija cheese, strips of pasilla peppers, and Mexican crema.

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Sarah's Creamy Veggie Enchiladas

Sarah's Creamy Veggie Enchiladas
Credit: Saz
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"They are full of fresh vegetables and my ace in the hole — Cotija cheese," recipe creator SazĀ says of this dish. These creamy enchiladas taste great on their own, or you can serve with beans and a tomato-avocado salad for a more filling meal.

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Walking Tacos with Campfire Chili

Walking Tacos with Campfire Chili
Credit: Ashley Baron Rodriguez
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A hearty chili is served on top of chips and garnished with a generous portion of Cotija cheese, pickled jalapeno peppers, limes, and cilantro in this fun meal that's perfect for block parties, campouts, and game nights.

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Capirotada a la Antigua (Mexican Bread Pudding)

Capirotada a la Antigua (Mexican Bread Pudding)
Credit: Allrecipes
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Sliced baguette is toasted then layered with raisins, peanuts, pecans, pineapple, Cotija cheese, and a spiced guava syrup in this gorgeous Mexican dessert that's traditionally served at Easter.

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By Ita Mac Airt

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    1 of 17 Chilaquiles Scramble
    2 of 17 Mexican Rice Soup (Sopa Aguada de Arroz)
    3 of 17 Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)
    4 of 17 Authentic Mexican Tostadas
    5 of 17 Instant Pot Mexican-Style Meatballs and Quinoa
    6 of 17 Lighter Skillet Mexican Street Corn
    7 of 17 Enchiladas Verdes
    8 of 17 Calabacitas con Elote (Zucchini with Corn)
    9 of 17 Mexican Pesto
    10 of 17 Spicy Southwest Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde
    11 of 17 Giant Nachos
    12 of 17 Creamy Cilantro Salad Dressing
    13 of 17 Chiles Rellenos Autenticos
    14 of 17 Sopa de Tortilla (Real Mexican Tortilla Soup)
    15 of 17 Sarah's Creamy Veggie Enchiladas
    16 of 17 Walking Tacos with Campfire Chili
    17 of 17 Capirotada a la Antigua (Mexican Bread Pudding)

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