Pimento Cheese

This amazing tangy and creamy Pimento Cheese is southern comfort food heaven. Spread on light bread, crackers or a croissant, or topped on a burger, it’s perfect for a light lunch or for entertaining!

Pimento cheese is a Southern food delicacy, and there are SO many delicious variations. It’s gained popularity outside of the south and can now be found in many parts of the country. While store-bought versions are available and super yummy, making it homemade is easy and allows you to customize it to your preferences.

We served this pimento cheese in our restaurant many years ago. It was ordered with crackers, grilled on a croissant, or served on light bread. To this day, we still get messages expressing how much folks miss it. There’s no reason to hide the recipe, so here it is for you to make and enjoy any time you want! Whether it's for a light lunch, family gathering, a picnic, or a casual get-together with family and friends, this pimento cheese is always a crowd-pleaser.

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

• Swiss Cheese
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Cayenne Pepper
• Ground Mustard
• Sugar
• Fresh Garlic
• Pimentos

Tools You’ll Need

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Hand Mixer (optional)

Why You’ll like this Recipe

• It’s a delicious go-to for a light lunch or for entertaining!
• It’s incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in various ways!
• It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare!
• It’s a symbol of southern comfort food!

How to Make this Recipe

1. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

2. Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or spatula, blend the ingredients until well combined. 

3. Taste and add more seasonings and/or mayonnaise for creaminess as desired.

Tips and Substitutions

• Serve this pimento cheese with vegetables, on light bread, on croissants, with crackers or topped on burgers. It’s also perfect to use in my Sausage Balls or Cheesy Barbecue Pork Dip recipes!
• Our restaurant’s recipe had “a kiss” of pimentos. We would add about 1-2 teaspoons of drained and finely diced pimentos. However, you can use as much as you’d like.
• While the combination of Swiss and Cheddar are what make this pimento cheese unique, you can substitute the cheese with whatever variety of cheeses you prefer.
• Pre-shredded cheese can be used, but freshly shredded blocks is preferred. Pre-shredded is coated in powder which can mute the flavor and interfere with its creamy texture.
• If you want to make it spicy, add more cayenne pepper or finely diced fresh or canned jalapeño.

Storage

• Pimento cheese can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It's important to note that the texture and flavor may change slightly over time, so it's best enjoyed within a few days of making it. Freezing and thawing compromises the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are pimentos spicy and what do they taste like?
  • Pimentos, which are typically canned or jarred, are a variety of chile peppers that bring a slightly sweet and tangy taste to pimento cheese. They are not spicy.
• Is this recipe spicy?
  • The little bit of cayenne added does not make this a spicy pimento cheese. It’s more for flavor elevation, but you can omit it if you’d prefer.
• Is pimento cheese called by other names?
  • It’s most widely known as pimento cheese, but it’s also been called pimento pepper dip, pâté du Sud or Southern pâté.
• What brand of mayonnaise do you prefer?
  • I prefer Duke’s Mayonnaise, but your favorite variety will work beautifully in this recipe.
• What size container did you put the prepared pimento cheese in?
  • These are the plastic container this recipe will perfectly fill: Food Storage Containers 32oz.
• Can I make pimento cheese without mayonnaise?
  • Mayonnaise is a key ingredient as it adds creaminess and tanginess. However, you can try substituting it with a plant-based mayonnaise, cream cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream for a slightly different flavor and texture.
• Is pimento cheese gluten-free?
  • Pimento cheese does not contain any gluten-containing ingredients. However, it's important to check the labels of the specific ingredients you use to ensure they are gluten-free.

More Recipes Like This 

These recipes were some of our most popular menu items at our restaurant:

• Southern Chicken Salad
• Frozen Hot Chocolate
• Apple Ham and Swiss
• Cornbread Chicken Salad

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4.58 from 19 votes

Pimento Cheese

This amazing tangy and creamy Pimento Cheese is southern comfort food heaven. Spread on light bread, crackers or a croissant, or topped on a burger, it’s perfect for a light lunch or for entertaining!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 243kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x4x5x

• 4 oz shredded Swiss cheese
• 14 oz shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 ⅓ cups mayo
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Drained and Diced Pimentos amount as desired

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or spatula, blend the ingredients until well combined.
• Taste and add seasonings and mayonnaise for creaminess as desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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