Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe

Looking for traditional Southern food recipes? Homemade pimento cheese spread is a classic Southern recipe that is easy to make at home. Loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and diced pimentos, this Southern Pimento Cheese recipe makes a great appetizer recipe or just a simple snack to enjoy at home.

What is pimento cheese?

Would you believe that I have lived in the south for 25 years and have never made  homemade pimento cheese? In fact, I had not even TRIED pimento cheese until this year. How is that possible? Especially given the fact that I absolutely love cheese!

In partnership with Cabot, I decided to try my hand at making this delicious pimento cheese spread recipe and boy am I glad I did. It tastes SO good! It is an easy appetizer recipe that I think will be a huge hit with your guests. That is if you don’t eat it all yourself first! If you are looking for more cheese recipes, check out my Broccoli Cheese Soup!

What are pimentos actually?

So, if you are like me, you are maybe wondering what the heck a pimento actually is. Seriously…I knew it was pepper but that is about it. A pimento is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper.

The flesh is sort of sweet and aromatic and it is often pickled. That is what you find in the store in tiny jars. If you have trouble finding them, look near the artichokes or olives.  If you can’t find them in the store, you can buy diced pimentos on Amazon.

Tips for making pimento cheese spread

The most important thing about making pimento cheese from scratch is to use a very sharp cheddar cheese. I have seen recipes for pimento cheese that use the fake processed orange block of pseudo cheese in a box. Seriously! That is NOT a traditional southern pimento cheese spread!

Use a high-quality cheddar for the best flavor. I used the Cabot Alpine Cheddar Cheese and it was deliciously sharp. What do you eat pimento cheese with? To serve, spread this on crackers or scoop up with celery or tortilla chips.

Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe

How do you make pimento cheese from scratch?  This simple blend of cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and sweet pimento peppers may be a ‘Southern thing’ but it is so delicious that everyone needs to be eating it! If you are looking for more traditional Southern food, check out my homemade cheese grits recipe!

Yield: 8 servings

Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe

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Loaded with sharp cheddar cheese and diced pimentos, this easy cheese spread makes a great appetizer recipe or just a simple snack to enjoy at home.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cabot Cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 4 ounce jar diced pimento, drained

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl
   
2. Add additional seasonings to taste if desired
   
3. Spread on crackers or scoop up with celery or tortilla chips.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 449mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 9g

Nutrition information not always accurate

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