Homemade Pimento Cheese is easy to make and SO much tastier than the store-bought stuff! Inexpensive ingredients mix together to create this classic creamy, flavorful cheese spread. Serve it as a dip, in a sandwich, or however else you love to enjoy Pimento Cheese!

pimento cheese in a bowl

What is Pimento Cheese

If you’re wondering what Pimento Cheese is, I have one response for you – it’s a Southern delicacy! With that being said, you don’t need to be below the Mason Dixon line to enjoy this cheese spread. Over the years, it’s gained popularity all over the States! Essentially, Pimento Cheese is a smooth cream cheese based spread that’s made flavorful with key ingredients like cheddar cheese, pimentos, green onions, and more. Serve it as an appetizer with all of your favorite dippers and watch it disappear with a quickness!  If you love this dip, try out our Club Sandwich Dip this summer too, it’s a family favorite!

How should I serve Pimento Cheese?
Pimento Cheese is most popularly served in a bowl with plenty of dipping options placed with it. Pretzels, celery, crackers, carrots, crostini, and bell peppers are some of my favorite dippers to enjoy Pimento Cheese with. Another great way to get the most out of this homemade spread is to use it in a sandwich! It can get slathered between two pieces of white bread and enjoyed all by itself, or sandwich it with your favorite deli meat.

pimento cheese in a large serving bowl

How to Make Ahead of Time
Since this cheese stays fresh in the fridge for up to one week, you can absolutely make it ahead of time! Just make sure that it’s stored in an airtight container so it doesn’t develop a film or spoil quickly. Also, if you scoop some Pimento Cheese out of the container at any point prior to serving, do so with a clean spoon! Any new bacteria will cause the spread to go bad, and you won’t be able to serve it when you’d like to.

Ingredients Notes: 
Pimentos – Make sure they’re drained well before you mix them with the other ingredients! If you don’t drain the juices, the spread will be far too liquidy and not have the right consistency.
Cream Cheese – Before you try to mix the ingredients together, your cream cheese will be softened. Have you ever tried to impatiently mix a cold block of cream cheese with other ingredients? Not fun! Leave your cream cheese on your kitchen counter an hour before you try to mix it.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese – I know it sounds like a pain, but freshly grated cheddar cheese truly is SO much better than the bagged stuff. For the best tasting Pimento Cheese, freshly grate the cheddar cheese yourself and make sure it’s sharp!

pimento cheese spread on bread

Enjoy!

~Nichole

5 from 1 vote

Pimento Cheese

Homemade Pimento Cheese is easy to make and SO much tastier than the store-bought stuff! Inexpensive ingredients mix together to create this classic creamy, flavorful cheese spread. Serve it as a dip, in a sandwich, or however else you love to enjoy Pimento Cheese!
Prep 10 minutes
Total 10 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 4 Ounce Jar Pimentos, Drained
  • 2 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened
  • 2 Tablespoons Finely Minced Green Onion
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Hot Sauce OPTIONAL
  • Pinch Salt & Pepper TO TASTE
  • 3 Cups Coarsely Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl using a hand mixer beat together the mayonnaise, pimentos, cream cheese, green onion, worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper until smooth.
  • Add the cheese and beat again just until cheese is incorporated.
  • Place the pimento cheese into a large bowl with a tight fitting lid and chill for at least 2 hours before serving, and up to one week.

Notes

NOTE:  The hot sauce does not make this dip spicy, it just ads flavor!  I like to use Cholula, but use your favorite and add more or less to taste.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
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Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

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