Best Pimento Cheese Recipe
Pimento cheese — official spelling, pimiento cheese — is a Southern staple that I always keep on hand. Once you’ve tried this recipe, you won’t want to be without it, either.
Its distinctive flavor and creamy texture make pimento cheese perfect as a:
- spread on Ritz crackers
- topping for burgers and sandwiches
- dip for vegetables
And it’s so easy to make a bowl of it fresh!
Cheese has to be one of my top 10 favorite recipe ingredients. What better way to bring out its pure flavor than to mix it with the most cheese-enhancing elements?
Southern Celebrations
There are particular foods that must make it to the party, depending on what celebration you’re attending. Weddings, graduations, and showers will be accompanied by perfectly delectable Southern finger foods, while game day celebrations require slightly heavier foods, such as chicken wings, burgers, and fried pickles.
I’ll admit it, I have a bad snacking habit, but I try to keep my snacks nutrient dense. I like to keep homemade pimento cheese in my refrigerator at all times for that reason. This spread has protein and calcium and is great for dipping veggies such as carrot and celery sticks, cucumber slices, and red bell pepper. Truly, it’s addictive.
Here in the South, we also slather it on slices of white bread to make cheese sandwiches. You can even use it as a filling for omelets.
What is pimento made of?
Pimentos are a mild red pepper that’s sometimes called a cherry pepper. As far back as the 18th century, Europeans were stuffing olives with pimento to make the perfect flavor combination. So how did pimentos become a Southern thing? In the 1930s, Georgia became the biggest American grower of these Spanish peppers. Ever since, pimentos have been a popular ingredient in Southern cuisine.
How to Make Pimento Cheese
This homemade pimento cheese dip is so much better than storebought. Once you taste it, you’ll never want to buy pimento cheese from the store again.
The green olives are the ticket to this recipe’s flavor. Pimientos are already in the olives, and their brininess is a perfect match for the cheese and mayonnaise. I can’t even imagine pimento cheese now without them.
What are the ingredients for pimento cheese?
Along with the pimiento green olives, you’ll need:
- cream cheese
- extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- good-quality mayo (I use Duke’s or Hellman’s)
- Seasonings: granulated garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper (freshly ground is best) and cayenne for a spicy kick
- Green onions for garnish
Do you need a food processor to make pimento spread?
Some people use a food processor or hand mixer to mix the pimento with the creamy ingredients. However, I just chop pimiento olives fine and then just mix them in with a spatula. Those olive and pimento chunks of flavor make it even better.
Storage Tips
You can store this pimento cheese in a jar or another airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for up to a week.
Stacy Lyn’s Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe
Pimento cheese on toast is the perfect way to try out this recipe. Let me know in the comments how you like it!
Pimiento Cheese with Green Olives
Ingredients
- 1 8- oz package cream cheese softened
- 2 cups cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise Duke’s or Hellman’s
- 1 cup green olives with pimientos chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered onion
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Bunch of green onions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise with a spatula. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use. Garnish with the green onions.
