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Oaxaca Cheese for Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Oaxaca cheese products
With so many different types of cheeses available, how does one choose the perfect melty cheese? If cheese dips are a favorite, look no further than Oaxaca cheese. Oaxaca (pronounced Wah-ha-ka) cheese is a semi-hard cheese that is stretchy and creamy. When heated, it is the perfect melty cheese for cheese dips, nachos, chicken enchiladas, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwich, or soup. Long strands of cheese will follow your fork or spoon when eating Oaxaca cheese!
Oaxaca has a mild, buttery taste, so it pairs nicely with spicy Mexican foods. This mild taste makes it a great snacking cheese too. It is quite versatile, so it can be a snack by itself or baked into a dish.
Oaxaca cheese is popular for dips. Hint: do not use shredded versions for dips. Use the Oaxaca cheese ball or rope segments. A homemade dip is the quintessential Mexican side dish that can be used in various ways: on top of tacos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tamales, and taquitos.
To perfectly melt the cheese, heat it with half & half or milk on the stove top. Adding the milk allows the cheese to become soft and melt. Just simmer it because too much heat can add a crust along the edges. Then add green chiles, diced tomatoes, or cilantro to the dip. Dips can also be made in a slow cooker and kept soft for longer periods of time. The cheese tends to stay creamier with the even warming of a slow cooker. Be sure to stir it up occasionally. If microwaving the cheese, be sure to stir it at least halfway through for more even heating.
About Oaxaca cheese
Oaxaca cheese was first produced in Oaxaca, Mexico, located in southern Mexico. It is part of the mozzarella family and is a white, artisan cheese made from cow's milk. Traditionally, it is made with part-skim milk, but some varieties are now made with whole milk.
When a group of Dominican friars from Italy settled in Oaxaca, they brought a technique for making string cheese called pasta filata with them. A fresh cheese, Oaxaca cheese is made by kneading the curd in very hot water and stretching it into thin strips. These strips are cooled in salted water and cut into segments.
These segments are packaged in a variety of ways. The segments can be braided together to form a ball like Nuestro Queso, Cacique Cheese, and La Chona brands. Some brands such as Don Francisco's and El Mexicano package the cheese as rope segments while others are sold shredded. Each type is used for a certain kind of meal.
How long does Oaxaca cheese last?
Oaxaca is meant to be eaten fresh and within a couple of hours of opening. Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in waxed or parchment paper, then placed in a plastic container or plastic bag, preferably with some small holes so the cheese can breathe.
Each time you take the cheese out to enjoy more, rewrap it in new waxed or parchment paper to increase its shelf life. This trick helps prevent mold growth. Properly stored Oaxaca will last up to 2 weeks once opened. Once mold starts to grow, or the cheese has a bad odor, it has gone bad and should be thrown out.
To freeze Oaxaca, it should be properly wrapped in waxed or parchment paper, placed in a freezer bag or container, and frozen for a short period of time only.
Oaxaca Cheese Near Me
Buy your favorite Oaxaca Cheese online with Instacart. Order Oaxaca Cheese from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Oaxaca cheese
A common substitute is Asadero cheese from the northern part of Mexico. It is like Oaxaca cheese, just a bit drier. If Asadero is unavailable, another good substitute is mozzarella, which is widely available in most stores. Mozzarella is a common Italian cheese. Mozzarella labeled as low moisture closely resembles Oaxaca cheese. While mozzarella can be made with cow's milk or buffalo milk, Oaxaca cheese is made from cow's milk. Muenster or Monterey jack are also great substitutes for Oaxaca cheese.
A: Most cheeses can be frozen, and some freeze better than others. It is recommended that you only freeze cheese that is meant to be used in cooked dishes rather than eaten fresh, as the freezing process can change the texture.
Oaxaca cheese can be found in the specialty cheese section or the refrigerated cheese aisle of most stores. Save yourself some time and order via the Instacart app and add it to your cart. Once the order is complete and submitted, an Instacart shopper will fill your order and deliver it right to your door, with same-day delivery when possible! So, relax while an Instacart shopper does the work for you.