All About Cotija cheese
Your complete guide to cotija cheese - discover how to store it properly, identify when it's gone bad, and find the best substitutes for your recipes.
How Long Does Cotija cheese Last?
Storage times and freshness tips for cotija cheese in different conditions.
Safety first: This guide provides general information. When in doubt, throw it out! Trust your senses and err on the side of caution. If something smells, looks, or tastes off, don't consume it.
Opened in Refrigerator2-3 weeks
Signs of Spoilage
Fuzzy or colored mold growth on the surface, strong sour or ammonia smell, slimy or excessively hard/dry texture, dark or unusual discoloration.
How to Check
Visual: Look closely for any spots of mold. Check for dark or unusual discoloration. Smell: Take a good whiff. It should smell milky, slightly salty, or nutty. Any sour, rancid, or strong ammonia smell indicates spoilage. Touch: The texture should be firm and crumbly. If it feels slimy, excessively soft, or has completely dried out and hardened to a rock-like consistency (beyond its natural dryness), it's best to discard.
Storage Tips
After opening, wrap cotija tightly in parchment paper or wax paper first, then in plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container. This allows it to breathe slightly while preventing drying out and absorbing odors from other foods. Store in the cheese drawer or a dedicated section of the fridge. For small, isolated spots of mold on hard cheese, you can often cut at least one inch around and below the mold, but if mold is extensive or you are unsure, it's safer to discard.
Freezer3-6 months
Signs of Spoilage
Freezer burn (discoloration, dry, icy patches), significant change in texture (becomes more crumbly, mealy, or dry upon thawing), noticeable loss of flavor. Microbial spoilage is highly unlikely in the freezer.
How to Check
Visual: Check for icy patches or discolored, dried-out areas (freezer burn). Texture (after thawing): It will be more crumbly and dry than fresh. This is a quality degradation, not necessarily spoilage in the food safety sense, but it impacts usability.
Storage Tips
While possible, freezing cotija is not ideal for maintaining its original texture, which will become more crumbly and dry. It's best used for cooking applications where its texture change is less noticeable (e.g., in cooked dishes, melted, or crumbled into hot food). For best results, grate the cheese before freezing and store it in an airtight freezer bag or container, removing as much air as possible. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Unopened in Refrigerator2-4 months
Signs of Spoilage
Visible mold (fuzzy, colored spots), strong ammonia or sour smell, slimy texture, unusual discoloration (beyond its natural white/pale yellow).
How to Check
Visual: Check for any fuzzy or colored mold growth. Ensure the packaging is intact and not bloated. Smell: Sniff for any pungent, sour, ammonia-like, or 'off' odors that aren't typical of fresh cheese. Touch: If you can feel it through the packaging, check for sliminess or unusual softness.
Storage Tips
Store in its original vacuum-sealed or tightly wrapped packaging in the coldest part of the refrigerator, typically the cheese drawer or back of the fridge. Cotija is a hard, aged cheese, which contributes to its longer shelf life.