If you’ve been making your tacos with Mozzarella, Cheddar, or that shredded three-cheese blend, you might not have any complaints, but you’re probably not receiving any rave reviews either. If you’re tired of experiencing the same mediocre taco every Tuesday night, look to your choice of cheeses. A quick and easy way to adjust and revolutionize your taco’s taste is to switch up the cheeses you’re stuffing inside. From mild and buttery Oaxaca to the deep and caramelized notes of Spanish Manchego, there are many delicious options when it comes to the best cheese for tacos!
How to Choose the Right Cheese
When attempting to successfully swap cheeses, be sure to consider how each distinct, cheese will play off the other elements within. While cheddar might have worked well with the traditional American pairings of ground beef and iceberg lettuce, the sharp and salty taste of Idiazabal, for example, might shine more brightly when combined with pulled pork, cilantro, and creamy avocado.
While technically, you could probably put almost any cheese on a taco (if you paired it with the right ingredients), there are some combinations that work exceptionally well. These offer something new and exciting while not being so radically different as to make one feel as if they’re no longer eating a taco at all. Below we suggest some of our personal favorites; to get the tasty ideas flowing.
Burrata and Parmesan
The milky and luxurious taste of
Burrata, when mixed with the sharp, salty notes of
Parmesan, is magic when combined and offers the perfect counter to roasted poblano peppers. Simple yet definitively tasty, stuff this into anything from a traditional hard shell to a soft steamed one.
Fontina
Italian
Fontina’s incredibly rich and creamy characteristics and mushroomy notes are brought to the forefront of the palette by pairing it with garlic, Mexican oregano, and roasted mushrooms for a vegetarian option full of robust, savory flavor.
Feta
Greek
Feta’s intensely briny salt-forward flavor profile is tempered by sweet pork belly, pineapple, and aromatic mint. This sensational combination is sure to be a hit with all who try it, offering big, bold flavor in so many unexpected ways!
Manchego
While this may seem unimaginative, there is truly nothing that compliments the well-rounded toasty notes of Spanish Manchego more than the spicy piquancy of Chorizo sausage. A generous dollop of sour cream to balance the spice and a spoonful of salsa Fresca to remind us of it makes a welcome addition to the union.
When constructing your taco, we encourage you to think about cheeses you may not traditionally consider taco-friendly; they might inspire you to start getting creative in the kitchen and thinking outside the shell. Consider the bulk of the interior and how the flavors you choose can complement your cheese of choice. Stuffing something new between the crispy folds of your tortillas may result in your tastiest creation yet!