Oaxaca cheese is a semi-soft, Mexican cheese known for its mild, buttery flavor and exceptional meltability.
Often compared to mozzarella, it has a stringy texture that pulls apart beautifully, making it a staple in quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, and cheese dips. Its ability to melt smoothly while maintaining a slight chewiness makes it one of the best choices for Mexican dishes.
However, Oaxaca cheese isn’t always available in every grocery store. If your recipe calls for its stretchy texture and mild taste, you’ll need a cheese that can melt well and provide a similar creamy consistency.
Some alternatives focus on Oaxaca’s signature stringiness, while others provide a similarly mild, buttery profile for melting applications.
We’ve tested different cheeses in melting, stuffing, and topping applications to find the best replacements for Oaxaca cheese. Whether you need a stretchy cheese for quesadillas, a mild alternative for tacos, or something to use in a cheese sauce, these seven substitutes will keep your dish authentic and flavorful.
7 Substitutes for Oaxaca Cheese
Each substitute brings something unique. Some replicate Oaxaca’s stringy texture, while others provide a similarly mild, creamy melt that works in most recipes.
1. Mozzarella – The Best Overall Substitute
Mozzarella is the closest match to Oaxaca cheese in both texture and flavor, making it one of the easiest substitutes to use.
Like Oaxaca, mozzarella is a fresh, semi-soft cheese with a mild, milky taste and excellent stretch. The biggest difference is that mozzarella is slightly more elastic and has a more pronounced chewiness when melted. If you’re looking for a cheese that will pull apart into long, stringy strands, mozzarella is your best bet.
Mozzarella works well in quesadillas, tacos, nachos, and stuffed peppers. It’s also an excellent alternative for cheese dips, enchiladas, and any dish where Oaxaca’s gooey texture is needed.
Use mozzarella in a 1:1 ratio when replacing Oaxaca cheese. If you need a closer match to traditional Oaxaca, choose low-moisture mozzarella and shred it before using.
For more stretchy cheese options, check out these Mozzarella cheese substitutes.
2. Queso Asadero – A Mexican Alternative with a Smooth Melt
Queso Asadero is one of the best Mexican substitutes for Oaxaca cheese, offering a similar mild flavor and exceptional melting ability.
This cheese is commonly used in Mexican cooking for its creamy texture and ability to blend well with other ingredients. While it lacks Oaxaca’s signature stringiness, it still provides a rich, buttery melt, making it ideal for quesadillas, grilled cheese, and cheese-based sauces.
Queso Asadero is best suited for melting applications, stuffed dishes, and creamy cheese dips. It’s not the best choice if you need a stringy, pull-apart texture, but it makes an excellent alternative when you need a smooth, even melt.
Use Queso Asadero in a 1:1 ratio when replacing Oaxaca. If you need more stretch, mix it with mozzarella for the best of both worlds.
3. Monterey Jack – A Mild, Buttery Substitute for Melting
Monterey Jack is a fantastic alternative to Oaxaca cheese, especially when you need a smooth, mild cheese that melts effortlessly.
It has a slightly firmer texture than Oaxaca, but when heated, it turns into a velvety, gooey consistency, making it ideal for quesadillas, enchiladas, and grilled cheese sandwiches. It lacks Oaxaca’s stringiness, but its buttery, slightly tangy profile makes up for it.
Monterey Jack works well for melted dishes, cheese dips, and stuffed peppers. If you want a closer match to Oaxaca’s texture, try mixing Monterey Jack with mozzarella for added stretch.
Use Monterey Jack in a 1:1 ratio when substituting for Oaxaca cheese. If you need a more elastic texture, blend it 50/50 with mozzarella.
For more creamy cheese options, check out these Monterey Jack cheese substitutes.
4. Provolone – A Firmer Cheese with a Stretchy Melt
Provolone is a great alternative if you’re looking for a firmer cheese that still melts beautifully.
While provolone doesn’t have Oaxaca’s ultra-stringy texture, it does provide a similar mild, slightly tangy flavor with a smooth, even melt. Aged provolone is firmer, so for the closest match, opt for young provolone, which has a creamier, more pliable consistency.
This cheese works best in grilled cheese sandwiches, tacos, and stuffed dishes. It’s also a great choice for melting over nachos or in quesadillas.
Use Provolone in a 1:1 ratio when replacing Oaxaca cheese. If you need more stretch, combine it with mozzarella for a balanced texture.
For more melt-friendly options, check out these Provolone cheese substitutes.
5. Queso Chihuahua – A Rich, Creamy Mexican Alternative
Queso Chihuahua is one of the best Mexican substitutes for Oaxaca cheese, offering a mild, buttery flavor with an exceptional melt. Originally from the Chihuahua region of Mexico, this cheese is widely used in queso fundido, nachos, and stuffed dishes.
While Queso Chihuahua lacks Oaxaca’s signature stringiness, it melts into a smooth, creamy consistency, making it ideal for sauces, dips, and baked dishes. If you’re looking for a cheese that melts effortlessly while keeping a mild, slightly salty profile, this is an excellent choice.
This cheese works well for quesadillas, stuffed poblano peppers, nachos, and enchiladas. It doesn’t stretch as much as Oaxaca, but if you mix it with mozzarella, you can achieve a closer texture.
Use Queso Chihuahua in a 1:1 ratio when replacing Oaxaca. If you need more elasticity, combine it with mozzarella for added stretch.
6. String Cheese – A Surprisingly Effective Substitute
String cheese might not be the first substitute that comes to mind, but it shares the same pulled-curd method as Oaxaca cheese, giving it a nearly identical stretchy texture.
While string cheese has a slightly firmer bite and a saltier flavor, it melts into long, gooey strands, making it an easy replacement in quesadillas, enchiladas, and melted cheese dishes. The main drawback is that string cheese comes in pre-formed sticks, so it needs to be shredded or pulled apart before use.
String cheese is perfect for melted dishes, quesadillas, and cheese-filled tamales. It’s not the best choice for cheese sauces, as it doesn’t melt as smoothly as Oaxaca.
Use string cheese in a 1:1 ratio for melting applications. For a closer match to Oaxaca’s mild flavor, mix it with Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
7. Caciocavallo – An Italian Alternative with a Mild Stretch
Caciocavallo is an Italian pasta filata cheese, similar to Oaxaca, that provides a mild, creamy flavor with a good melt.
This cheese is firmer than Oaxaca when cold, but when heated, it softens into a smooth, stretchable consistency, making it perfect for grilled cheese, quesadillas, and melted dishes. While it doesn’t pull apart into strands as easily as Oaxaca, it still gives a gooey, elastic melt when shredded.
Caciocavallo is best used in baked dishes, stuffed peppers, and grilled cheese. It’s not ideal for cheese dips, as it has a firmer texture compared to Oaxaca.
For substitution, use Caciocavallo in a 1:1 ratio for melted applications. If you need more stretch, combine it with mozzarella.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mozzarella is the best substitute for Oaxaca cheese in quesadillas. It has a similar mild flavor and stretchy texture, making it the closest match. If you want a more authentic Mexican option, Queso Chihuahua is another great choice.
Yes, Monterey Jack is a good substitute for Oaxaca cheese, especially for melting. It has a smooth, buttery texture and a mild flavor, but it lacks the signature stretchiness of Oaxaca. Mixing it with mozzarella can help replicate the texture.
Queso Asadero is the closest Mexican cheese to Oaxaca. It melts well and has a similar mild, buttery flavor. While it lacks Oaxaca’s stringy texture, it works well in quesadillas, enchiladas, and melted cheese dishes.
Queso Chihuahua is a great alternative for Oaxaca in nachos. It melts smoothly and has a mild, buttery taste that pairs well with nacho toppings. For a stretchier cheese, try mixing it with mozzarella.
