Pimento Cheese
intro
Creamy, tangy, sharp Southern pimento cheese, a beloved no-cook spread perfect for crackers, sandwiches, or veggie dippers, with bold, comforting flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and drain ingredients
First, set the 226g block of full-fat cream cheese on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to soften to room temperature (65-70°F / 18-21°C). Open the 113g jar of diced pimentos, pour into a fine-mesh sieve, and press firmly with paper towels to remove all excess brine—wet pimentos cause a runny spread. Shred 450g sharp yellow cheddar on the small holes of a box grater; skip pre-shredded cheese, which has anti-caking additives that create a grainy texture.
Mix the creamy base
In a large 2-quart glass mixing bowl, combine the softened room-temperature cream cheese, 120ml full-fat mayonnaise, and 15ml (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce. Use a flexible rubber spatula to mash and stir the mixture for 2 full minutes until completely smooth, with no visible lumps of cream cheese remaining.
Incorporate dry seasonings
Add 1g (1/4 tsp) garlic powder, 1g (1/4 tsp) onion powder, 2g (1/2 tsp) smoked paprika, 0.5g (1/8 tsp) cayenne pepper, 1g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt, and 1g (1/4 tsp) freshly ground black pepper to the smooth creamy base. Stir for 30 seconds until all spices are evenly distributed, with no clumps of dry spice visible.
Fold in cheese and pimentos
Add the freshly shredded sharp cheddar and thoroughly drained diced pimentos to the seasoned creamy base. Use the rubber spatula to fold the mixture gently for 1 minute, just until all cheese shreds are evenly coated in cream—do not overmix, as this breaks down cheese shreds and creates a mushy, uniform texture.
Chill to meld flavors
Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the pimento cheese to prevent a dry skin from forming. Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) for 1 full hour to let the flavors meld and the spread firm to a scoopable, spreadable consistency.
Serve and enjoy
After chilling, remove the pimento cheese from the refrigerator, give it a quick 10-second stir, and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes for the creamiest texture. Serve alongside buttery round crackers, crisp celery sticks, toasted white bread for tea sandwiches, or as a tangy topping for grilled burgers.
Tips
2.Drain pimentos as thoroughly as possible: excess brine from the jar will thin the spread and make it watery, so press pimentos between layers of paper towel until no more red liquid seeps out before adding to the mix.
3.Customize the flavor to your taste: add 2 tablespoons finely diced pickled jalapeños for extra heat, 2 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon for smoky saltiness, or a dash of your favorite hot sauce for a zippier spread.
OMG this pimento cheese is a total game changer! I brought it to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging me for the recipe before I even left. So creamy, the perfect amount of sharp cheddar kick, and that little hint of cayenne? *Chef’s kiss* My kids ate half the batch on celery sticks before I even got it out the door to the potluck lmao
This was SO good, but I had a quick question—can I make this ahead of time for meal prep and keep it in the fridge for the week? I want to have it on hand for quick lunch sandwiches this week
Tastes exactly like the pimento cheese my grandma used to make at every family dinner growing up. I was worried I’d never find a recipe that hit that same nostalgic note, but this is spot on. No weird extra add-ins, just the classic, perfect flavor.
I was looking for an easy, no-fuss appetizer for my book club meetup and this did not disappoint. It was so quick to throw together, even with my chaotic work schedule, and everyone raved about it. I served it with buttery crackers and sliced bell peppers, and the whole bowl was gone in 15 minutes flat.
Really solid recipe! My only tweak was using a little extra mayo because I like my pimento cheese extra spreadable, but otherwise the flavor was perfect. My husband even used the leftovers to make grilled cheese for the kids’ lunch yesterday and said it was the best grilled cheese he’s ever made.
Absolute staple for our watch parties now. We made this for the NFL playoff game last week and it was gone before halftime. Way better than the store-bought tubs I used to grab, and so easy even I can’t mess it up (and I burn toast 90% of the time).
I grew up in North Carolina and have been craving real Southern pimento cheese ever since I moved up north—all the grocery stores up here sell these weird, watery versions that taste like plastic. This recipe is exactly what I was missing! I’ve already made it twice in two weeks.
Good base recipe, but I swapped the regular mayo for Greek yogurt to cut down on calories and it worked really well! Flavor was still great, just a little tangier. I know that’s not traditional, but it was a good swap for my fitness goals.
I’ve been making pimento cheese for 40 years and I have to say, this recipe is one of the best I’ve ever tried. The ratio of cheddar to pimento to mayo is perfect, no need to tweak a single thing. I’ll be adding this to my regular rotation for every church potluck from now on.
First time ever making pimento cheese and it was so easy! I was intimidated because I thought it would be super complicated, but it was just shredding cheese and mixing stuff together. My roommates lost their minds over it, we ate the whole batch while we were studying for midterms.
Made this for our family picnic at the park over the weekend and it was a total hit. We spread it on white bread for little tea sandwiches, paired with pickles and potato chips, and it felt like the perfect summer meal. Even my super picky 7 year old ate two whole sandwiches!
Loved the base flavor! I added a little extra pickled jalapeño to mine because I love that extra zing, and it was chef’s kiss. Next time I might even add a little crumbled bacon for a fun twist. Has anyone tried that?
This is my new go-to weekly meal prep staple. I make a batch every Sunday, and use it for sandwiches, veggie dip, even a topping for my baked potatoes throughout the week. It holds up so well in the fridge, and I never get bored of it. 10/10
I just started learning how to cook a few months ago, and this is the first recipe I’ve made that got my whole family to compliment my cooking! I was so nervous I’d mess it up, but the instructions were so clear and easy to follow. Thank you for this!
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I brought it to my friend’s barbecue and I didn’t have to worry about cross contamination issues since I could make it fresh at home. Served it with gluten free crackers and carrot sticks, and even the non-gluten free folks were raving about it.
Wait, the recipe says to let it chill for an hour before serving? I almost skipped that step because I was in a hurry, but I’m so glad I didn’t! The flavors meld so much better after it sits in the fridge, it’s like night and day. Don’t skip the chill time, y’all!
Really great flavor! I used a mix of sharp yellow cheddar and white cheddar because that’s what I had in the fridge, and it came out amazing. The only thing I’ll do differently next time is shred my own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded—pre-shredded has that anti-caking coating that makes it a little grainy.
My partner and I made this for our road trip snack stash last week, and it was the perfect travel snack. We kept it in a cooler, and ate it with crackers at rest stops along the way. Way better than stopping for fast food, and it held up great for 4 days in the cooler.
Added this to our Easter brunch spread this year and it was such a hit! I served it alongside warm biscuits, and people were slathering it on everything—biscuits, ham, even deviled eggs? Wild, but it worked. This is going to be a holiday staple for us from now on.