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Corazón de Leche · cheese brand

Mexican cheeses, made in Spain.

Three classic Mexican cheeses elaborated in Spain by our brand Corazón de Leche, with Spanish pasteurised milk and the original Mexican techniques. Oaxaca melts and stretches (the "Mexican mozzarella"), Cotija crumbles and seasons (the "Mexican Parmesan"), Panela stays firm under heat. Available at El Corte Inglés and through HoReCa across Spain.

The three cheeses

Each one solves a different cooking problem. Oaxaca for melting and stretching. Cotija for crumbling on top. Panela for grilling and pan-frying without melting.

Oaxaca cheese — hand-rolled Mexican string cheese ball
Stretched-curd · 500 g ball

Oaxaca cheese

Hand-rolled string cheese — the Mexican "pasta filata" tradition, similar in family to mozzarella but with its own techniques. Pull apart into long elastic threads, melt for quesadillas or tlayudas, stretch on a grilled cheese.

  • Best for: quesadillas, tlayudas, grilled cheese, queso fundido
  • 500 g pasteurised cow's milk ball — keeps refrigerated for weeks
  • Made in Madrid by a Mexican cheesemaker following the Oaxacan stretched-curd method
Read full Oaxaca cheese guide →
Cotija cheese — aged Mexican cheese, crumbly
Aged · 250 g wedge

Cotija cheese

The "Mexican Parmesan" — aged, salty and crumbly, with deep umami flavour. You don't melt Cotija; you crumble it on top to finish a dish. The signature topping for elotes (Mexican corn) and esquites.

  • Best for: elotes, esquites, beans, tacos, salads
  • 250 g aged wedge — pungent, salty, deeply savoury
  • Closest European cousin: aged Parmigiano or feta — but with its own character
Ask about Cotija →
Panela cheese — fresh Mexican cheese, mild and firm
Fresh · 250 g wedge

Panela cheese

Fresh, mild and firm — the cheese that doesn't melt. You can grill it, pan-fry it, eat it raw with chili and lime. Cousin to halloumi or paneer, but lighter and less salty. The everyday Mexican table cheese.

  • Best for: grilling, frying, salads, breakfast (huevos rancheros)
  • 250 g wedge — mild, milky, low salt
  • Closest European cousin: halloumi or paneer, slightly softer
Ask about Panela →

How they compare

Quick reference to pick the right cheese. None of them substitute the others — they're built for different jobs in Mexican cooking.

CheeseTextureBehaviour with heatUse it forEuropean cousin
OaxacaStretched-curd, stringMelts and stretchesQuesadillas, tlayudas, queso fundidoLow-moisture mozzarella
CotijaAged, crumblyHolds shape (doesn't really melt)Topping elotes, esquites, beans, saladsParmigiano, feta
PanelaFresh, firmDoesn't melt — grills and friesGrilled, fried, sliced raw, saladsHalloumi, paneer
— Available also at

Find Corazón de Leche Oaxaca cheese at the gourmet cheese counter of El Corte Inglés in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and Bilbao. Cotija and Panela available through our HoReCa channel — ask your local restaurant or message us directly.

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