Oaxaca Cheese (Quesillo): How It’s Made and Why Everyone Loves It

If you’ve eaten quesadillas, tlayudas, or empanadas in Oaxaca, chances are you’ve already fallen in love with Oaxaca cheese – known locally as quesillo.

Stretchy, mild, and perfect for melting, it’s one of the most famous foods in the state and a big part of everyday cooking here. I’ve lived in Oaxaca City for over 10 years, and it’s still one of my favourite things to eat.

Here’s what makes quesillo special, where it comes from, and where to try the real thing.

👉  Oaxaca Cheese Making Tour

What is Oaxaca cheese (Quesillo)?

Oaxaca cheese is a semi-soft, white cheese made from cow’s milk and stretched by hand into long ribbons, then rolled into a ball or knot.

It belongs to the same “stretched-curd” family as mozzarella, but it has its own personality: slightly firmer, a little saltier, and with an incredible melt that stays creamy instead of greasy.

You’ll find quesillo in almost every traditional dish here – tlayudas, quesadillas, empanadas, memelas – and often served simply pulled apart by hand as a snack.

Quesillo or Oaxaca cheese? The local debate

This is where Oaxacans get serious.

Inside Oaxaca, it’s quesillo. No debate.
Outside the state, it’s usually called “Oaxaca cheese” or “queso Oaxaca.”

Locals prefer quesillo – it’s the original name, and it carries a lot of pride with it. “Oaxaca cheese” is just what it became known as once it spread to the rest of Mexico and abroad.

If you ask for quesillo at a market here, you’ll get a nod of approval.

Where did quesillo come from?

Quesillo originated more than a century ago in Etla, a town about 30 minutes from Oaxaca City.

According to local legend, a young girl accidentally overheated cheese curds and, instead of throwing them away, stretched them by hand into long strands. The result was this elastic, ribbon-style cheese that quickly became a regional favourite.

Today, many families in the valleys around Oaxaca still make it using very similar methods.

What does Oaxaca cheese taste like?

Quesillo has a mild, creamy, slightly buttery flavour with just a hint of salt.

The real magic is the texture. It melts beautifully, stretches without breaking, and stays smooth rather than oily. That’s why it works so well in hot dishes and why it’s hard to replace with anything else.

People often compare it to mozzarella, but quesillo is firmer, saltier, and stretches more. Mozzarella shines on pizza. Quesillo owns the quesadilla.

How do people eat quesillo in Oaxaca?

The most common ways:

• Melted – in quesadillas, tlayudas, empanadas, and tortillas
• Fresh – pulled apart by hand and eaten as a snack
• Grilled – lightly fried for a crispy outside and gooey centre

You’ll find it on menus everywhere, from street stalls to good restaurants.

👉 50 Best things to See, Do and Eat in Oaxaca City: Your Ultimate Guide

Where to buy authentic Oaxaca cheese

If you’re in Oaxaca City, the best place to buy quesillo is at the markets.

Look for:

• Mercado Benito Juárez
• Mercado 20 de Noviembre
• Sánchez Pascuas market

Here it’s usually made fresh daily and sold in big ribbon balls.

Supermarkets like Chedraui and Walmart sell it too, but the market version is fresher and better.

How much does Oaxaca cheese cost?

In Oaxaca in 2026, expect to pay around 50 pesos (about USD $2.50) for 250 grams at the market.

Prices vary slightly by quality and location, but it’s still very affordable.

Learn to make it yourself

If you want to see how quesillo is made, there are a couple of excellent cheese-making experiences near Oaxaca City where you can meet local families, stretch the curds by hand, and taste fresh cheese straight from the source.

It’s one of the best food experiences you can do in the area.

⭐️ 5 Star – Oaxaca Artisanal Cheese Experience

⭐️ 5 Star – Quesillo and Organic Fresh Cheese only in Oaxaca!

Final thoughts

Quesillo isn’t just another cheese — it’s part of daily life in Oaxaca.

Simple, fresh, and incredibly versatile, it’s one of those foods that explains Oaxacan cooking perfectly: humble ingredients, done well, with a lot of tradition behind them.

If you’re visiting Oaxaca, make sure you try it properly — melted, fresh, and straight from the market. Once you do, it’s hard to go back.

👉 Top 5 Street Foods in Oaxaca You Have To Try!