These 3 Cheeses Are Most Likely To Be Found In Mexican-Style Shredded Cheese Blend

Many brands sell their own Mexican-style shredded cheese blend, each aiming to provide a satisfying balance of creamy, tangy, and melty — as well as being in some way Mexican. However, the same three cheeses keep cropping up in Mexican-style shredded cheese blends, including those sold by Kraft, Trader Joe's, Kroger, as well as H-E-B: Monterey Jack, cheddar, and queso asadero. 

Monterey Jack is a mild, semi-hard cheese that was first produced in the 18th century by Franciscan missionaries in then-Spanish California, before being mass-marketed by the crooked land owner that gave Monterey Jack cheese its name. Also mild, queso asadero is a Mexican cheese from the northern Chihuahua region. Its name loosely translates to "melting cheese," reflecting its excellent melting characteristics. Cheddar cheese originated in Cheddar, England in the 12th century and is known for its sharp, salty taste with a creamy finish, as well as its sometimes bright orange color.

These three cheeses work well together thanks to their flavor harmony and combined function. Monterey Jack brings the desired meltiness for dishes like quesadillas, nachos, and enchiladas. Similarly, queso asadero is an excellent melting cheese which holds up to high temperatures without seeping oil, but it also brings with it authentic Mexican credentials and a buttery taste. Finally, cheddar is used for its strong, tangy flavor, as well as for the distinctive orange color some cheddars have. Though in no way Mexican, it works in combination, creating a balanced Mexican-style blend.

Not all Mexican-style cheese blends are the same, as shown when Tasting Table's taste tester tried and ranked nine Mexican cheese blends. The hands down best shredded cheese brand, Cabot Creamery, makes a 4 Cheese Mexican blend of Cheddar, queso asadero, Monterey Jack, and queso quesadilla, another cheese which melts fantastically well. The blend which took the number one spot in the ranking, however, was Supremo's Mexican 3 Cheese. Notably, Supremo's blend steps away from the common trinity of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and queso asadero, and instead uses only Mexican cheeses in their blend: queso quesadilla, Oaxaca, and cotija cheese. Whichever blend you settle on, it's better to avoid reduced-fat blends, as fat content is crucial for a cheese to melt well.

All-Mexican cheese blends like Supremo's aren't the norm in supermarkets. Authentic Mexican cheeses are more expensive than a U.S. origin cheese like Monterey Jack, and contrary to its English name, Cheddar can be made anywhere in the world. You may want to make your own cheese blend using only real Mexican cheeses. One cheese you should definitely consider is Oaxaca, Mexico's answer to mozzarella, a perfect melty cheese that's perfect for quesadillas and tacos — hence its inclusion in Supremo's Mexican cheese blend. Cotija has a feta-like punch, but it doesn't melt very well, so Supremo may have included this to balance the flavor of the other, milder but melty, cheeses in the blend.