Requeson substitute

Best substitute

Whole-Milk Ricotta

Use the same amount as the requeson you are replacing

Best for fillings for tlacoyos, enchiladas and chiles rellenos

Close match

Whole-milk ricotta is the substitute for requeson, used 1:1, and it is close enough that the difference is barely detectable. Drained small-curd cottage cheese, farmer's cheese and quark are the next best options, also 1:1. The one thing that ruins any of these swaps is water, so drain your substitute in a fine sieve for twenty to thirty minutes before using it in a filling. Requeson is usually barely salted, so taste and salt it yourself.

Other requeson substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Small-Curd Cottage Cheese
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
Same fresh-dairy background and it is in every supermarket, but it is distinctly tangier and much saltier than requeson, and the curds are bigger and squeakier.
What changes
A filling made with it straight from the tub tastes sharp and salty next to the gentle milkiness of requeson.
Best for
savory fillings, baked dishes, quick weeknight substitution, higher-protein versions of requeson dishes
Rinse briefly under cold water to wash off the salty dressing, drain well, then mash with a fork or pulse two or three times in a food processor to break the curds down. Do not over-blend or it turns to liquid.
3Farmer's Cheese, Quark or Pot Cheese
Different texture
Use the same amount
Fresh, mild, unsalted or barely salted, and very close to requeson in flavor.
What changes
The difference is dryness: these are pressed, so they are crumbly and stiff where requeson is loose and spoonable, and a filling made with them can taste pasty rather than creamy.
Best for
fillings that need to hold their shape, spreads, sweet dishes with honey or fruit, cheese-and-herb mixtures
Loosen with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or cream per cup, added a spoonful at a time until it drops from a spoon the way requeson does.
4Queso Fresco, Crumbled
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount by volume
The obvious pick because it sits next to requeson at the store, but it does a different job.
What changes
Queso fresco is pressed, salted and firm, so it crumbles and stays in distinct pieces instead of going soft and creamy. Sprinkled over enchiladas it is excellent; used as a stuffing it stays chalky and salty rather than melting into a smooth filling.
Best for
topping enchiladas, sopes and beans, salads, garnishing soups, dishes where the cheese should stay in pieces
Cut the added salt in the recipe. To make it behave more like requeson, mash it with a splash of cream or a spoonful of sour cream until it loosens.
5Whole-Milk Greek Yogurt, Strained
Different taste
¾ the amount
It gives you the right creamy, spoonable body and it is in most fridges, but it is clearly more tart than requeson, so a sweet requeson dish made with yogurt tastes like a yogurt dessert instead.
What changes
In a savory filling with garlic and herbs the tang is much less noticeable.
Best for
savory spreads and dips, uncooked fillings, quick substitution, lower-fat versions
Strain in a cheesecloth-lined sieve for at least an hour so it stops weeping. Avoid it in anything baked for a long time, where it can split and go watery.
6Blended Silken Tofu (dairy-free)
Different taste
Use the same amount
Blend silken tofu with 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar per cup.
What changes
The texture is startlingly close to requeson, smooth with a slight grain, but there is no dairy sweetness underneath, so it tastes clean rather than milky and needs more seasoning than you expect.
Best for
dairy-free fillings, vegan enchiladas and tlacoyos, savory spreads, baked dishes
Press firm silken tofu lightly before blending or the mixture will be too loose. Taste and add salt in stages, since the flat starting point makes under-seasoning very easy.

What is Requeson?

Requeson is Requeson is a soft, mild, slightly grainy fresh cheese made from whey, or from whey plus milk, that is eaten across Spain, Mexico and Latin America and is essentially the Spanish-speaking world's version of Italian ricotta.

Cooking tips

Water is the only thing that ruins a requeson swap. Any substitute you use should sit in a fine sieve until it stops dripping, because a wet filling turns a tlacoyo gummy, splits a chile relleno and leaves a puddle under enchiladas.
Requeson is not a melting cheese. It softens and goes creamy but it never stretches, so do not reach for mozzarella, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese as a substitute; you will get strings where the recipe wants a soft mass.
Most requeson is sold unsalted or barely salted, which is why recipes add salt separately. If you swap in cottage cheese or queso fresco, both of which are salted, taste the mixture before you add any salt at all.
Requeson is lovely on its own with a drizzle of honey and a few toasted nuts, which is exactly how the Catalan version, mato, is served. Any of the mild substitutes above work for that; the tangy ones do not.
Fresh whey cheeses spoil quickly. Requeson and its substitutes keep about three to five days in the fridge, so buy what you need rather than a big tub, and give it a smell before using leftovers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just leave requeson out?

Usually not, because requeson is normally the filling or the topping rather than a background seasoning. If it is the stuffing in a tlacoyo, a chile relleno or an enchilada, leaving it out means there is nothing inside. In a dish where it is sprinkled on top as a finishing touch, you can skip it and the dish still works, just with less richness. Ricotta is so close that there is rarely a reason to omit it.

Is requeson the same as ricotta?

Practically, yes. Both are traditionally made by coagulating the whey left over from making a firmer cheese, which gives that mild, slightly sweet, softly grainy result. There are regional differences in how much whole milk gets added and in salt levels, and requeson is often a little drier and less salty, but they are interchangeable in cooking. If a recipe calls for one and you have the other, use it.

Is requeson the same as requeijao?

No, and this catches people out. The Portuguese and Brazilian word requeijao usually refers to a smooth, pourable, spreadable cheese sold in jars, closer to a creamy cheese spread than to a fresh curd. If a Brazilian recipe calls for requeijao, cream cheese thinned with a little milk is a better match than ricotta or requeson.

Can I use cream cheese instead of requeson?

Only in a pinch and only in cooked dishes. Cream cheese is far denser, tangier and gummier because of the stabilizers, so a filling made with it is heavy and pasty rather than light. If you use it, thin it with milk or a little sour cream, about 2 tablespoons per cup, and cut back on any other richness in the dish.

How do I make requeson at home if I cannot buy it?

You can make a very close version the way ricotta is made in home kitchens. Heat whole milk with a pinch of salt to just below boiling, stir in lemon juice or white vinegar until the curds separate from the pale liquid, then ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined sieve and drain for twenty to forty minutes depending on how firm you want it. Season with salt at the end. It keeps three to five days.

Related substitutes

More dairy substitutes

Requeson substitute

Other requeson substitutes

2Small-Curd Cottage Cheese

3Farmer's Cheese, Quark or Pot Cheese

4Queso Fresco, Crumbled

5Whole-Milk Greek Yogurt, Strained

6Blended Silken Tofu (dairy-free)