Meaning & use
cotija cheese
Last updated
UK/koʊˈtiːhɑː tʃiːz/
US/koʊˈtiːhɑː tʃiːz/
Meaning
noununcountable
A hard, crumbly Mexican cheese with a salty taste, often grated over dishes.
Grammar: Uncountable; use 'some cotija cheese' or 'a piece of cotija cheese'.
Patterns
- grate cotija cheese
- sprinkle cotija cheese on something
- a piece of cotija cheese
She grated cotija cheese over the elote.
This salad needs a sprinkle of cotija cheese.
I bought a block of cotija cheese at the market.
Common combinations
- grated cotija cheese
- Top the beans with grated cotija cheese.
- crumbled cotija cheese
- Add crumbled cotija cheese to the tacos.
- cotija cheese on top
- The soup came with cotija cheese on top.
Synonyms and how they differ
- feta
- Feta is a Greek brined cheese; it is softer and tangier than cotija.
- parmesan
- Parmesan is an Italian hard cheese; it is less salty and more nutty than cotija.
Commonly confused: cotija cheese or cotija?
cotija cheese vs cotija
Cotija is the cheese itself; 'cotija cheese' just adds the word 'cheese' for clarity.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'cotija cheese' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Cotija cheese is uncountable and used as a topping, so 'sprinkled' fits. 'A cotija cheese' is wrong because it is uncountable; 'drank' and 'fruit' are incorrect meanings.
Make it your own
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