Pimento cheese is a quintessential Southern food that is pure addiction. Sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and sweet spicy pimento peppers have never tasted so good. Creamy, slightly sweet, and flavor-packed, this soul food spread goes perfectly with crackers, veggies, sandwiches, and burgers!
The last time I reviewed my go-to recipes for Black History Month, this one popped out. At first, I didn’t understand why people (especially Southerners) go gaga over this bright orange creamy spread. But on a trip to visit my sister in South Carolina, I finally got the courage to taste her homemade pimento cheese.
Now that I live there, it has become a staple cracker spread year-round. And while I’ve been known to happily down the store-bought version, I feel much more comfortable feeding my family with homemade food.
What Are Pimentos?
Those cute red cherry peppers they use to fill pitted Spanish olives come by themselves. Pickling them makes them a pantry staple must-have with a beautiful, sweet tartness that goes great with cheese. The really cool thing is that you can get them mild or spicy, and they’re more flavorful than a red bell pepper.
How to Make Homemade Pimento Cheese
- Soften the cream cheese at room temperature and put it in a large mixing bowl.
- Fold in the cheddar and Gouda cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, jalapeño, pimentos, and hot sauce, and mix thoroughly. (Photo 1)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let it chill out in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight before serving. (Cheese is already salty, so you may not need to add more.) (Photo 2)
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Feel free to swap out the cheeses. Sharp cheddar gives it the most authentic flavor, but don’t be afraid to experiment with Fontina, Swiss, Colby, and even cottage cheese. They’re all good.
- Softer cheeses are harder to grate at room temperature. With a bit of planning ahead, you can grate them cold, then let them soften at room temperature before mixing with the cream cheese.
- While pimentos are traditional, feel free to use other types of red peppers.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Since we don’t add preservatives, you’ll want to keep it in the fridge and use it up within a week.
Freezing is an option, but it’s not ideal because it will probably separate. If you need to, simply let it come back to room temperature and stir the liquids back in after it thaws. It will last frozen for 2-3 months.
How to Use Pimento Cheese
Besides being a fantastic spread for crackers, celery sticks, and other vegetables, it’s also excellent with tortilla and plantain chips. Or spread it on bread like you would peanut butter for a pimento cheese sandwich (toasting it in a cast-iron skillet makes an elevated grilled cheese sandwich). Plus, if you’re planning a game day menu, you can include this one on your charcuterie board.
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Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
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