Mexican Cheese Soup or Caldo de Queso

This post is also available in: EspaƱol

The Mexican cheese soup with queso fresco is a sponsored collaboration with Real California Milk.

a bowl with mexican cheese soup or caldo de queso

Queso Fresco (Key-so Fres-co)? Yes, Please!

In Mexican cuisine, queso fresco and crema fresca are two must-have ingredients. Especially when making classic recipes like this Mexican cheese soup called Caldo de Queso.

The ingredients for the soup include potatoes, corn, onion, garlic, queso fresco, roasted poblanos, milk, and seasonings

The original recipe comes from my familyā€™s recipe box. My great-grandmother, DoƱa Carlotita, used to cook this caldo for us during the cold weather months.

Enjoy this Caldo de Queso at Home!

The Mexican cheese soup is not only comforting, but it is also a complete meal. It has diced potatoes and onions, corn, chopped garlic, chile pasado (or roasted poblano), warm milk, chicken bouillon, and cubed queso fresco.

a collage with the process on how to make the caldo

The recipe is simple to follow – the hardest part is waiting for the caldo de queso to be ready. I love serving this soup with warm bread and garnishing it with ribbons of crema Mexicana and crumbled queso.

Learn about Real California Milk Hispanic-style queso fresco!

A round of queso fresco cheese and Mexican crema

As a Mexican living in the United States for the last twenty years, it has been a pleasant surprise to be able to find the dairy products and cheeses I grew up with.

Hispanic-style cheeses produced in the USA come in different forms and flavors. But all have one commonality – the best are made with Real California Milk, including the queso fresco and the crema (crem-ah) I used for the Mexican cheese soup recipe.

The crema Mexicana has a sweet, tangy flavor similar to crĆØme fraĆ®che. We use it to garnish many recipes and as a main ingredient for chiles en nogada and fresas con crema.

Real California Milk Hispanic dairy products pair well with many dishes

Queso Fresco (Key-so Fres-co): Fresh, mild flavor, softens when heated. We use it in soups, crumbled to stuff enchiladas, and it goes great with pasta too!

Queso Oaxaca (Wa-ha-ka): Fresh, mild flavor, very creamy, melts like Mozzarella. This is perfect for stringy quesadillas and to add to molletes and semitas for an authentic Mexican flavor.

Queso Cotija (Ko-tee-hah): Aged, robust flavor, salty, typically shredded or crumbled, similar to Feta or Parmesan. This is a classic on-top tostadas, flautas, and corn on the cob or refried beans. It adds a subtle finish and flavor contrast.

This is how you say Key-so-Fres-co

Queso Panela (Pah-neh-la): Fresh, light, and sweet flavor, like dry-pressed Ricotta. This is perfect for desserts and for pairing with jellies and fruit preserves.

Family Heritage and my Northern Roots.

My family is from the state of Chihuahua, located in the north of the Mexican republic and border with Texas. Our northern culture and cuisine are all about meat, milk, cheese, dried chilis, potatoes, corn, wheat, apples, pecans, and stone fruits.

One of my uncles was a farmer who owned an apple and quince orchard, which I used to visit with my family and aunts. The fresh produce often ended up on our table, and my Aunt Julieta would prepare heavenly apple pie and quince preserves for us.

Grab a spoon and enjoy this milky comforting soup with cheese and crema

Because Chihuahua is close to the border, its cuisine shares many American traditions, such as turkey, stuffing, steak, and eggs. But the caldo de queso con papas, or Mexican cheese soup, was a typical dish in our diet.

I still remember entering my great-grandmotherā€™s cocina and being greeted with the aromas of soup and milky cheese. Not to mention the freshly made flour tortillas.

Food is what brings us back to our roots!

Homemade dishes and those cooked by our ancestors are what bring us back to our roots. I like to prepare classic family dishes like this Mexican cheese soup to have the opportunity to connect back to who I am. Because bringing back the warmth of those family recipes nourishes my soul.

a bowl of creamy cheese soup

Are you ready to make the caldo de queso at home?

Make this recipe or experiment by remixing your own family recipe using Real California Milk Hispanic-style dairy items. Follow them on Instagram, too @RealCalifMilk!

Find Hispanic-style dairy products with the Real California Milk Seal at your local supermarket with this Product Locator Tool.

a bowl with mexican cheese soup or caldo de queso

Mexican Cheese Soup or Caldo de Queso

Chef Adriana Martin
The Mexican cheese soup is comforting and a complete meal. It has diced potatoes and onions, corn, chopped garlic, chile pasado (or roasted poblano), warm milk, chicken bouillon, and cubed queso fresco. Make this recipe with Real California Milk queso fresco and crema Mexicana.
5 from 68 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican Cuisine
Servings 8 people
Calories 417 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Chopping block
  • Knife
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon corn oil
  • 1/2 cup Vidalia onions one medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 4 cups white potatoes four medium-size potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 3 yellow corn ears approximately 2 cups of fresh corn kernels
  • 3 poblano peppers roasted, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
  • 8 cups Real California Milk or six cups of milk and two cups of chicken broth warmed
  • 2 cups Real California Milk queso fresco cubed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch diluted with water
  • 1 cup Real California Milk crema Mexicana
  • 1 cup Real CaliforniA Milk queso fresco crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Add the cooking oil to the pan and let it warm. Add the onions and sautĆ©.
  • Incorporate the garlic and the potatoes and let them cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the corn and the roasted poblano peppers. Season with chicken bouillon and pepper. You can add salt if needed.
  • Add warm milk and simmer the soup for a few minutes covered. The milk should be heated to avoid cutting and lumps.
  • Add corn starch diluted in water. This agent will thicken the soup for a velvety texture. Finally, add the queso fresco and serve.

Video

Notes

The soup is garnished with ribbons of crema Mexicana, more crumbled queso fresco, and warm bread.Ā  Ā 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 20gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 822mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1062IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 615mgIron: 3mg
Keyword crema, queso fresco, soup
Tried this recipe?Mention @adrianasbestrecipes or tag #abrecipes on Instagram
Chef Adriana Martin
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