Also known as “caviar of the South” or “pâté of the South”, this Pimento Cheese Recipe is a classic and delicious Southern delicacy.
A creamy, spreadable dip made with cheddar cheese and pimento peppers is simple to make, requires no cooking at all, and makes the perfect snack!
What is Pimento Cheese?
If you’re from the South, you’ve probably enjoyed some version of Pimento Cheese a hundred times. It’s often served at casual get-togethers, holidays, or any time that friends and family come together to enjoy some good food.
If you’re from another place, you’re going to be so happy to have found this homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe! You have to try it, it is just so good.
While you’re enjoying this Southern specialty, you should also try my Sweet Potato Pie, Buttermilk Biscuits, and Fried Chicken Tenders.
I’m always amazed by how a few simple ingredients can be mixed together to create such an amazingly flavorful dip!
Buttery Ritz crackers are perfect for dipping into this creamy spread, or you can serve pimento cheese as a veggie dip or sandwich spread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a Classic! By history, anything that is popular in the South is going to be delicious, and pimento cheese is one of those recipes. You can’t go wrong with this creamy and flavorful cheese spread. The base recipe isn’t too spicy, so kids love it too!
- An Easy Appetizer – It only takes a few minutes to make Pimento Cheese, so it’s perfect for last-minute guests. And just like my bacon ranch cheese ball, You can make it up to a few days ahead of time and have it in the fridge, ready to enjoy at a moment’s notice.
- Versatile Recipe – Feel free to adjust this recipe to suit your preferences. Make it spicy or mild, try it with different types of cheese, or add any seasonings your like!
Ingredients In Pimento Cheese
Here’s what you need to make the best pimento cheese recipe:
- Cream Cheese – This keeps the pimento cheese thick but still soft enough to dip into with celery sticks. Be sure to soften the cream cheese before trying to mix up the dip.
- Mayo – Mayonnaise is a key ingredient in pimento cheese and lends a silky texture. Some pimento cheese recipes use just mayo, but I’m using both mayo and cream cheese to get the perfect amount of creaminess.
- Pimento Peppers – Of course, we need pimentos for pimento cheese! These mild little red peppers are typically found in jars. They can be whole or already chopped. For our dip, we’ll want to chop the pimentos into small diced pieces.
- Cheddar Cheese – Look for sharp or extra sharp cheddar for this recipe. While you can use white cheddar, I like the color that yellow cheese adds.
- Seasonings – My pimento cheese recipe is mildly spicy with the addition of red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Pimento Cheese
- Add the ingredients to a bowl: I usually start by mixing the softened cream cheese and mayo together with a hand mixer or a spatula. Then I add the shredded cheddar, chopped pimentos, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Mix Well: Use your mixer to combine the ingredients fully, then taste and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you’d like a bit of a kick.
- Chill: Cover and store the pimento cheese in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
Tip!
Use freshly shredded cheddar cheese! The kind that comes pre-shredded in a bag often has additives such as corn starch that make the cheese less tasty.
Recipe Tips
- Add More Spice: If you want to make a spicy pimento cheese, add a bit of cayenne pepper to the mixture. You can also mix in finely chopped fresh jalapeno or a bit of hot sauce.
- Serve at Room Temperature: in order for this cream cheese mixture to be spreadable and dippable, you should let it sit out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Season to Taste: Pimentos are usually salty from the preservation process, so be sure to taste the dip before adding too much extra salt.
- Use a Mixer: If you have an electric hand mixer, it works really well to combine all of these ingredients into a smooth mixture. Otherwise, use a flexible spatula and a little bit of elbow grease to get the job done! I don’t suggest using a food processor as the blades will chop up the peppers and cheese too much.
- Can’t Find Pimentos? If you’re in the UK, look for Fragata Pimiento Piquillo Peppers in Tesco and Waitrose, or use Peppadew Sweet Piquante Peppers (available in Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s). They aren’t exactly the same as pimentos, but they have a sweet and spicy profile that works just as well.
Storing Tips
If properly stored in a sealed container in the fridge you can keep pimento cheese for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.
What To Serve With Pimento Cheese
I like to serve this pimento cheese recipe as an appetizer. With some carrot and celery sticks and your favorite crackers, you have an instantly tasty and satisfying snack!
You can spread pimento cheese on bread or flatbread to make an amazing sandwich or use it as a topping for hamburgers or deli meat sandwiches.
Recipe FAQs
Try to find pimentos for this recipe, but if you can’t, jarred or homemade roasted red peppers are a good substitute. You can also use them to make my delicious Roasted Red Pepper Hummus!
No, they are not! Pimentos are very mild and sweet. They are the same type of pepper that is usually stuffed into green olives and are more flavorful than spicy. To add spice to pimento cheese, try crushed red pepper or a bit of cayenne.
Take two pieces of bread, spread a generous amount of pimento cheese spread in between them, and enjoy! You can also make a grilled pimento cheese sandwich that will knock your socks off!
This delicious Pimento Cheese Dip is easy, foolproof, and will be enjoyed by all! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe to save it for your next gathering.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pimento Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
- ½ cup (4 ounces) jarred pimento finely diced (approximately 4 ounces drained weight)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper optional, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and mayonnaise. Using a spatula or a hand mixer on low speed, mix until well combined.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar and finely diced pimento until evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle the onion powder and garlic powder into the cheese mixture. Season with salt, black pepper, and if you prefer a kick, add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Store your pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. It can be served as a spread on crackers, as a filling in sandwiches, or as a dip with vegetables like celery sticks, carrots, and bell peppers.
Notes:
- Add More Spice: If you want to make a spicy pimento cheese, add a bit of cayenne pepper to the mixture. You can also mix in finely chopped fresh jalapeno or a bit of hot sauce.
- Season to Taste: Pimentos are usually salty from the preservation process, so be sure to taste the dip before adding too much extra salt.
- Use a Mixer: If you have an electric hand mixer, it works really well to combine all of these ingredients into a smooth mixture. Otherwise, use a flexible spatula and a little bit of elbow grease to get the job done! I don’t suggest using a food processor as the blades will chop up the peppers and cheese too much.
- Can’t Find Pimentos? If you’re in the UK, look for Fragata Pimiento Piquillo Peppers in Tesco and Waitrose, or use Peppadew Sweet Piquante Peppers (available in Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s). They aren’t exactly the same as pimentos, but they have a sweet and spicy profile that works just as well.
- Serve at Room Temperature: in order for this cream cheese mixture to be spreadable and dippable, you should let it sit out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
- To Store: Keep pimento cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Wendy says
Delish! I love to top my fried green tomatoes with this, perfect pairing!
Diana says
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Wendy! Topping fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese sounds like a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing!