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The Mexican cheese soup with queso fresco is a sponsored collaboration with Real California Milk.
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 original recipe comes from my family’s recipe box. My great-grandmother, Doña 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.
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!
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 crème fraîche. We use it to garnish many recipes and as a main ingredient for chiles en nogada and fresas con crema.
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.
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.
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-grandmother’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.
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.
Mexican Cheese Soup or Caldo de Queso
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 sauté.
- 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
Nutrition
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Made this soup last night and really enjoyed it! I’ve never made soup with queso fresco but I’m glad I gave it a try! we really enjoyed it and can’t wait to make it again soon.
This Mexican cheese soup looks and sounds really good. I’m not sure I can find all the cheeses where I live but I’ll do some research. I’d love to try this!
I’ve not tried this before but it sounds so incredibly delicious and comforting. I definitely need to make this for my family…I know they will absolutely love it! Fabulous find, Adriana! Thank you! ^_^
This was the perfect dish for last night! It’s getting cool and this is just what we needed. It was my first time having cheese soup, but it won’t be the last!
I’ve always wondered about all the styles of mexican cheeses – thanks for the descriptions so I got the right cheese for the soup. It was comforting and hearty!!