Skip to main content

Homemade Requesón Cheese

Requesón is a salty, spreadable Mexican cheese that tastes like a creamier, more acidic version of ricotta. Making it from scratch is easy: You curdle milk with vinegar or another acid such as lime juice, and then warm it and watch the curds form. Most street vendors use it as a tlacoyo filling, but you can use requesón for all sorts of things—stirred into scrambled eggs and tomatoes, smeared into a corn tortilla with salsa, or spread onto a piece of toast with honey or mixed in a dip of fresh herbs and olive oil.

Homogenized, pasteurized milk works fine here, but make sure the milk is not ultra-homogenized, or else the curds may not come together. This recipe also divides and multiplies easily. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk
½ cup white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
  1. Step 1

    Stir together the milk and vinegar in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium-high heat until large, thick curds form on the milk's surface and the curds have clearly separated from the thinner, clearer whey, 35 to 40 minutes if using cold milk directly from the fridge, or slightly less if using room-temperature milk. The curds won't necessarily look big and lumpy—think more of a layer of algae on a lake. Try not to disturb the milk too much while it cooks, in order to give the curds more time to come together.

    Step 2

    Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes, to allow the curds to continue to thicken.

    Step 3

    Line a fine-mesh strainer with a layer of cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to the cheesecloth and let sit for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until room temperature. (This gives the cheese time to set and cool off.)

    Step 4

    将奶酪一碗密封的集装箱r. Stir in the salt, mixing until thoroughly combined. Use immediately, or chill first in the refrigerator.

Reprinted fromEat Mexico: Recipes from Mexico City's Streets, Markets & Fondas, by Lesley Téllez, copyright © 2015, published by Kyle Books. All rights reserved. Buy the full book fromAmazon.
Sign InorSubscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Homemade Requesón Cheese?

Leave a Review

Read More
Pad Thai
Unless there’s a Thai restaurant right next door, there’s a good chance you can make this easy pad Thai recipe faster than having it delivered.
Yellow Rice Pilaf
Store-bought fried onions are the secret savory bonus in this easy recipe. Toasting the spices in butter makes for a fragrant, flavorful dish.
Tacos de Pobre
These budget-friendly tacos de pobre are packed with crispy, shallow-fried potato skins, plus sautéed onions and chile peppers.
Crunchy and Bright Greek Salad
A classic that’s happy alongside a hearty, meaty main or alone as a vegetarian lunch.
Celebration Salmon
This dinner party salmon recipe is a joy to look at, a joy to eat, and what’s more, it’s incredibly easy to make, which is a celebration in itself.
Cajun Chicken With Peach Salsa
Seasoned with store-bought Cajun spice mix and topped with homemade peach salsa, these weeknight chicken thighs can be on the table in under 30 minutes.
Anchoïade
Serve this zippy anchovy-forward vinaigrette with crudités or ribbons of raw root vegetables.
Pork Vindaloo
In this fiery Indian classic, chunks of pork shoulder and succulent pork belly are cooked until tender in a tangy, spicy chile-vinegar sauce.