Pimento Cheese Sandwich
intro
A tangy, creamy Southern American staple, this no-cook cheesy sandwich is packed with sharp cheddar and sweet pimentos for a satisfying, portable bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep spread components
First, set the 57g cream cheese out on the counter to soften to room temperature (21°C/70°F) for 30 minutes prior to mixing to avoid lumps in the final spread. Drain the 113g jarred pimento peppers completely, patting them dry with paper towels to remove excess brine, then finely dice into 3mm pieces. Grate the 226g block of sharp cheddar using the small holes of a box grater; avoid pre-shredded cheese for the creamiest texture.
Mix creamy spread base
In a 1.5L medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, 120ml full-fat mayonnaise, 15ml Dijon mustard, and 5ml Worcestershire sauce. Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula for 1 full minute until the mixture is completely smooth, with no visible lumps of cream cheese remaining.
Season and fold cheese
Add the 1g garlic powder, 1g onion powder, 1g smoked paprika, 3g kosher salt, and 1g freshly ground black pepper to the creamy base, stirring for 30 seconds to evenly distribute the spices. Fold in the freshly grated cheddar and diced pimentos, mixing gently for 45 seconds until all cheese is coated in the creamy base; do not overmix, as a slightly coarse, textured spread is ideal.
Chill pimento spread
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 as it chills. Refrigerate for 1 full hour at 4°C/40°F to allow the flavors to meld and the spread to firm to a perfect spreadable consistency.
Assemble sandwich layers
After chilling, remove the spread from the fridge and lay all 8 slices of soft white sandwich bread on a clean cutting board. Scoop approximately 120g (1/2 cup) of pimento cheese onto 4 of the bread slices, spreading it evenly in a 6mm thick layer all the way to the crust edges to prevent dry, unspread bites. Top each cheese-covered slice with a second piece of bread, pressing gently to help the layers adhere.
Cut and serve sandwiches
Use a sharp serrated bread knife to cut each sandwich diagonally into two neat triangular halves, wiping the knife blade with a damp paper towel between cuts to keep edges clean. Serve immediately, or wrap each sandwich tightly in parchment paper for transport. Do not leave assembled sandwiches out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours to follow food safety guidelines.
Tips
2.Pat drained pimentos fully dry with paper towels before dicing; leftover brine from the jar will make the spread watery and cause it to slide out of the sandwich while eating.
3.Customize the spread to taste: add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of finely diced pickled jalapeños for heat, or 3 slices of crispy crumbled bacon for smoky savoriness before chilling.
OMG this pimento cheese is SO good! I made it for our church potluck last Sunday and people were begging me for the recipe. I did add a tiny extra dash of cayenne for a little kick, and it was perfect on soft white bread with a side of dill pickles. Total game changer for summer lunches!
Took me right back to the 90s when my mom would make pimento cheese sandwiches for our after-school snacks. I did add a little sprinkle of paprika on top like she used to, and it was perfect. No fancy frills needed, just straight up good comfort food.
I make sandwiches for the high school lunch line a couple days a week, and I tested this recipe for a special lunch option last week. The kids went crazy for it! We sold out in 20 minutes, and I had multiple staff members ask for the recipe too. 10/10, easy to scale for a crowd.
Super easy to whip up for weekly meal prep! I make a batch on Sunday and make sandwiches all week for work lunches. Only thing I noticed is if you use pre-shredded cheese it’s a little grainier, so shredding your own sharp cheddar is 100% worth the extra 5 minutes.
I added a whole chopped pickled jalapeño to the cheese mix instead of just pimentos and wow, that zing is unreal. Don’t get me wrong, the classic recipe is perfect, but if you love heat you have to try this swap!
Packed these for our family picnic at the park last weekend and they held up perfectly even in the warm weather! I kept the container in a small cooler, and the bread didn’t get soggy at all after 2 hours. Served with potato chips and fresh fruit, it was the perfect easy picnic meal.
Made a batch before our cross-country road trip last week, and these sandwiches were perfect for quick stops on the road. No messy drips, packed great in the cooler, and kept us full between fast food stops. Will be making these for every road trip from now on.
The flavor of the pimento cheese itself is amazing, but I wish the recipe had a note about swapping bread for gluten free options! I used my regular GF sourdough and it worked fine, but it would be helpful to know if there are recommended bread types for people with dietary restrictions. Also, I subbed light cream cheese to cut a few calories and it still tasted great.
I skipped the bread and used this pimento cheese as a dip for celery sticks and cucumber slices for a low carb lunch, and it was chef’s kiss. The recipe is so versatile! It’ll be my new go-to dip for summer BBQs too.
I made this vegan by using dairy free cream cheese, vegan cheddar, and vegan mayo, and it still turned out so creamy and tasty! I was worried the vegan cheese would make it weird, but with the pimentos and a little onion powder, it was indistinguishable from the regular version. So good!
I grew up eating my grandma’s pimento cheese sandwiches in South Carolina, and this recipe tastes exactly like hers! I was nervous I’d never get that nostalgic creamy, tangy flavor right, but this nailed it. My kids loved it too—they ate two sandwiches each after soccer practice yesterday.
Wait, this is so easy even I can make it? I’m a total beginner in the kitchen and I was able to throw this together between study sessions. The 1 hour chill time was the hardest part because it smelled so good I wanted to eat it right out of the bowl 😂
I’ve made so many pimento cheese recipes over the years for work potlucks, and this one is hands down the best. The balance of tang from the cream cheese and pimentos, the sharpness of the cheddar, it’s all perfectly balanced. No weird lumps, no overly vinegary taste, just perfect.
Made these for our college football tailgate last weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes flat! I cut the sandwiches into quarters, stuck little toothpicks with an olive on top, and they were the perfect handheld bite. 10/10, will be making these for every game day this fall.
This was really tasty! The only thing I’d change next time is a little less mayonnaise for my personal taste—we like our pimento cheese a bit thicker, so I’ll cut the mayo by 2 tbsp next batch. Even with that, my kids devoured their sandwiches after school, so it was a win!
Served these at my weekend brunch alongside mimosas and tomato soup, and all my friends asked for the recipe. I used sourdough bread instead of plain white and grilled the sandwiches for a minute on each side to get the bread crispy—total game changer!
I’m super picky about pimento cheese—grew up in Georgia so I’ve had every version under the sun. This one is legit. Not too sweet, not too tangy, just the right ratio of pimento to cheese. Don’t sleep on toasting the bread just a tiny bit, it makes all the difference.
I needed a super fast lunch for my kid’s last minute playdate, and I had all the ingredients in the fridge! Threw it together in 10 minutes, let it chill while the kids played, and had sandwiches ready in no time. The other moms even stayed for an extra one, it was that good.
Really good pimento cheese! I left out the tiny bit of grated onion the recipe calls for because I can’t stand raw onion, and it was still super flavorful. Definitely will be making this again, just personal preference to skip the onion. Perfect for quick summer lunches!