Pimento cheese is totally a Southern thing. Me being from South Carolina grew up eating pimento cheese spread on crackers or what was even more popular the pimento cheese sandwich. In this post, I am going to show you how to make homemade pimento cheese.
Best pimento cheese recipe EVER!
What is pimento cheese? You may think it’s another type of cheese. But it’s actually a spread made with cheese and pimentos, along with some seasonings, and a few other ingredients.
Yes, it sounds gross. But don’t knock it till you try it, friend. My picky kids will even eat this stuff.
Store-bought pimento cheese is nothing compared to homemade pimento cheese. The closest I have found would be the stuff from Costco, Palmetto Cheese.
You can also find it in the grocery store (or you can at ours anyways) but you get more bang for your buck if you purchase in bulk from Costco. Grocery stores tend to ass rape you (just sayin).
Costco’s Palmetto Cheese is a little more creamy than my homemade pimento cheese, but I love both equally.
An appetizer is usually the route people take when serving this delicious spread. Serve it in a nice fancy bowl with a cute little cheese spreader, surround it with crackers or raw vegetables, and call it a day. It’s an especially popular food to serve at a baby shower.
I myself do like pimento cheese and crackers, but for the most part, I typically put it on a sandwich. Sometimes even toasting the bread, mmmm.
Enough babbling, let’s move on to the recipe itself.
Southern Pimento Cheese
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Cream Cheese (softened)
- Mayonnaise
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Jar of Diced Pimentos (drained)
- Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- Seeded and Diced Jalapeno (optional)
Before we start mixing ingredients, I want you to know that the cayenne pepper and seeded diced jalapeno is totally optional. If you prefer a spicy pimento cheese then by all means add those two ingredients. Otherwise, veto the spice and just fix the old-fashioned pimento cheese recipe.
Back to the task at hand; making an easy pimento cheese recipe.
In a medium-sized bowl add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 8 oz block of cream cheese (softened or room temperature is a huge plus), 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, and 4 oz jar of diced pimentos (drained).
If you want to spice it up then you would also add include the cayenne pepper and jalapeno to the above. I like it the original way so you won’t see any spice in my bowl.
On a side note, the cream cheese really needs to be softened or at room temperature. Otherwise, it will not mix well with all the other ingredients.
I suppose you can give it a little nuke in the microwave but then you will need to refrigerate it even longer. Unless you like lumpy then by all means just pull the cream cheese from the fridge and carry on.
Mix everything together until it is well combined. I find it easiest to use my handheld mixer. Then using my spoon to get all the excess off the sides of the bowl and make sure it all combined well.
Store in an air-tight container and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.
Serve it on crackers, make a sandwich, put it on your burger, make a quesadilla with it, make a grilled cheese sandwich with it, or you can even spread it over your chicken breast next time before baking.
Here are a few other great recipes you could also serve at your next get-together:
Easy Pimento Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 8 oz Block of Cream Cheese (softened or room temp)
- 4 oz Jar Diced Pimentos (drained)
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- 1 Seeded and Diced Jalapeno (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl add shredded cheese, cream cheese, mayo, pimentos, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you would like to make spicy pimento cheese then also add cayenne pepper and jalapeno
- Mix everything together until well combined.A handheld mixer works great for this.
- Place in an air-tight container and put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to chill before serving.
- Enjoy!