Protein content
5.6 g of protein in 1 oz (28 g) of cotija cheese, or 5.5 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.5 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 20 g |
| Protein per serving | 5.6 g in 1 oz (28 g) |
| Calories from protein | 22% |
| Protein to fat | 0.7 g per 1 g fat |
| Rank in dairy foods, per 100 kcal | 58th of 81 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 276th of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 11% per serving |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
One 1 oz, 5.6 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of cotija cheese brings 5.5 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 58th of the 81 dairy foods in this database and 442nd of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 20 g per 100 g ranks 34th in its group.
Around 22% of the calories in cotija cheese come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
By weight, fat outweighs protein in cotija cheese: 30 g of fat per 100 g against 20 g of protein, a ratio of 0.7 to 1.
Set against frozen yogurt, another dairy food entry in the database, a serving carries about 1.4 g less protein (frozen yogurt has 7 g per 1 cup).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving quoted here is measured by weight at 28 g, and it covers about 11% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 20 g | 366 kcal |
| 1 oz (serving used here) | 28 g | 5.6 g | 102 kcal |
| 2 tsp | 5 g | 1 g | 18 kcal |
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Related
Highest-protein dairy foods per serving · Most protein-dense foods · Highest protein per 100 g
Quick answers
20 g. The 1 oz serving used on this page weighs 28 g and so carries 5.6 g.
5.5 g. That figure divides its 20 g of protein per 100 g by its 366 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Yes. The protein in cotija cheese supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
About 11%. One 1 oz serving has 5.6 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #170898 (Cheese, mexican, queso cotija), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.