Homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe
Sharp cheddar, Colby Jack and cream cheese are blended with spices to create this classic Southern staple. This Pimento Cheese recipe is easy to make and crazy addictive.
Pimento Cheese is one of those foods that looks kind of mysterious. I was a little scared to try it the first time it was served to me. We were visiting my mother-in-law, who just happened to live in South Carolina at the time, and she served Pimento Cheese Dip as part of a cheese platter.
There it was, heaped in a bowl…kinda orangish, pinkish, white with little flecks of red throughout. A little lumpy, not too smooth…I didn’t know what to make of it. When she told me what it was…it didn’t really sound like something I’d want to stuff my face in.
Like Pimento Loaf. Don’t love it. Not one bit. So, pimentos…I wasn’t a fan.
But I had just survived the longest train ride in history and if you have ever taken the train through the south recently….you will totally understand how I was feeling. The dining car was not worthing of dining so I was hungry….ravenous at that point and would have eaten squirrel if it was served up on a platter.
Or even a shoe. So, I dug in. And couldn’t stop. It was amazing, creamy, sharp and perfect on a crisp cracker. I was IN LOVE. Since that time I’ve had Pimento Cheese in some amazing recipes.
Grilled cheese sandwiches made with this stuff are phenomenal. Try it….you’ll never go back to your regular old american grilled cheese again. Unless you run out of Pimento Cheese but now I’ve solved that problem because it’s super easy to make.
FIRST….What is Pimento Cheese?
A staple at Southern gatherings, Pimento Cheese Dip is more like a spread or relish made of cheese, mayonnaise and pimentos. Commonly served with bread, crackers or vegetables, it also is fabulous in sandwiches or on a burger!
Pimento Cheese Sandwiches are a signature item at the professional gold Masters Tournament and the Kentucky Derby.
How to Make Pimento Cheese Spread
This Old Fashioned Pimento Cheese recipe is similar in style to Paula Deen’s Pimento Cheese.
To make your pimento dip, you will need:
- cream cheese
- mayonnaise
- cheddar cheese
- colby jack cheese
- cayenne pepper
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
- pimentos
My easy Pimento Cheese recipe has a little kick from the addition of cayenne pepper, which isn’t really traditional. If you want to omit it because you don’t like spicy food it’s fine but it really doesn’t make it super spicy.
It just lends a slight background kick after you had a few bites. This spread makes an excellent addition to your Super Bowl spread and I’ll be sharing a few recipes in the next few days to make your game day eats even more epic. It’s, seriously, the BEST Pimento Cheese recipe ever….in my opinion.
It would be fabulous served alongside my Sweet and Spicy Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms. Or it’s also perfect for your Kentucky Derby party along with this lighted up Kentucky Hot Brown or this Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake.
And if you have leftover Pimento Cheese spread….it goes so amazingly in this killer mashed potato recipe OR you can dress up some deviled eggs for a fun and tasty twist on the classic. OR make this CRAZY GOOD Pimento Cheese Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole Sandwich!!!
Looking for even more easy dip recipes? Try these reader FAVES:
- My favorite Hot Crab Dip
- Super simple Spinach Artichoke Dip
- This Buffalo Chicken Dip is the BEST EVER.
- Easy White Queso Dip
- Hot Asiago Artichoke Dip
- Quick Crab Rangoon Dip
- Pepperoni Pizza Dip ready in minutes!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram because I have some big plans for the rest of my Kentucky Derby spread this year….and let’s not forget the Master’s. This is fab for those lazy days watching all the golf and pretending it’s not snowing in April.
Pimento Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 6 ounce cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped pimentos
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whip the cream cheese using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the cheddar, colby jack, mayonnaise, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper and continue mixing on medium speed until well blended. Add the pimentos and mix to combine.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The spread will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Pimento cheese dip always takes me back to my Granny’s house in Arkansas. She made the best pimento cheese sammiches! This recipe looks pretty close to hers, I think.
Isn’t it the best! Whoever invented pimento cheese is a genius. I like the bit of spice in this version.
I love pimentos! Probably my favorite pepper!
Mine too!
Hopefully the 999 calories attributed to the fat in the recipe is an error.LOL Funny, in the north pimento cheese is a sandwich spread to be accompanied by some sort of deli meat but in the south it is the purists who win out and it is “The Sandwich.”
Ha ha ha!!! Yes, it’s based off a calculation per serving. I’ll adjust the serving size. 🙂 I’m all about just eating Pimento Cheese all by itself. So, sooooo good!
Yuck dude, all the ads with pictures of raw chicken scattered through the ingredients list made me want to hurl… talk about ‘cross contamination’… I mean sheeew! gross!
Anyway, the right pimento cheese can be one of the best things in the world, but when done wrong it is often extremely off-putting. This recipe, like most, shoots itself in the foot by over-complexifying a recipe that is best when kept simple. Pick a good cheddar cheese (I like Cracker Barrel white cheddar), diced pimentos, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and some pickled hot peppers if you’re feeling frisky. Smash is all together until it’s spreadable and you’re good to go (or if you’re a pathetic weakling you can cheat and use the food processor).
PS – anybody who puts velveta or miracle whip in pimento cheese deserves to be slapped silly
The ads pop up based on things you’ve been looking at on the internet, I tried to turn of the in recipe ads for you. 🙂 Anyway, thanks for the tips on the correct pimento cheese, I’m not from the south but this is the recipe my MIL (who lived in South Carolina) and I created together so it’s special to me. And I’m not a pathetic weakling when I use a food processor….just really lazy. 🙂 I love you….and hope you keep reading my blog/making the recipes/coming back with your witty comments. LOL!
Absolutely love this recipe! I’ve brought it to two parties now and it was a hit! Shared along your recipe to 3 people who just had to have it! And my husband just insisted I make a batch for just us this time! I serve them with pretzel crisps! Yummy!!!
Love the idea of serving with pretzel crisps! Thanks for the comment and so glad you loved it!