Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe
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This homemade Southern Pimento Cheese from my family recipe is delicious as a spread, dip, or sandwich. It has a secret ingredient and makes the best pimento cheese! Always a classic favorite in Southern homes and parties!
My grandmother made her pimento cheese the old-fashioned way. She had a dedicated meat grinder she used to grind her cheese. It was a process I enjoyed watching as a little girl. And it resulted in the best pimento cheese I’ve ever tasted.
Southern Pimento Cheese is a recognized staple in southern kitchens, just like good sweet tea and flaky buttermilk biscuits! And one thing I love most about pimento cheese is its versatility! It’s just as perfect for serving at a bridal shower as it is at a football tailgate or on a tasty sandwich for lunch! So whether you serve it as a dip or as a pimento cheese sandwich with a side of chips and a pickle, it’s always a crowd favorite! And you should try my hot pimento cheese dip recipe, too!
How to Make Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Cheddar Cheese – You’ll use both Sharp and Mild Cheddar Cheese and shred it from the blocks of cheese.
- Cream Cheese – Softened
- Pimentos – Diced
- Salt and Pepper – Use kosher salt (see note in recipe regarding salt)
- Mayonnaise – Optional but delicious
Step-by-Step Instructions
Not having my grandmother’s meat grinder, I quickly shred the cheese and add it to a few other ingredients to make the quickest, easiest, and most delicious pimento cheese I’ve ever tasted! And it includes my grandmother’s other secret ingredient (cream cheese).
Shred Your Cheese
You can easily shred your cheese in a food processor or even with a box grater, but I recommend shredding your cheese instead of storing pre-shredded cheese.
Can I use packaged pre-shredded cheese?
Store-bought pre-shredded cheese includes a coating to prevent clumping, which causes the cheese not to cream together, as does cheese that is freshly shredded from a block of cheese.
Now, if you are in a pinch, you certainly can use pre-shredded cheese. But shred your cheese sometimes when making it, and I think you’ll see the difference.
Combine
Once I shred my cheese, I mix in my softened cream cheese until well combined. Since I was already using my food processor, I switched out my blades and continued using it. Of course, you can easily mix it by hand or even use an electric mixer if you like.
Once my cheeses are well combined, I stir in the remaining ingredients: pimentos, salt and pepper, and any mayonnaise or Greek yogurt that I may be using.
Optional Add-ins
You can also include other spices and seasonings if you prefer. Garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or even a couple of dashes of hot sauce. I think I’ve tasted and love them all! But I always begin with my Grandmother Verdie’s base recipe. I usually stop there since it is practically perfect in every single way, but sometimes I spice it up a bit, depending on my mood.
What to Serve with Pimento Cheese
Pimento cheese is delicious served with bagel chips, pretzels, or crackers, and I especially love it spread on a sandwich or wrap or served with veggies. Basically, it just goes well with anything and just about everything!
And one thing is for certain: it always disappears!
More Favorite Appetizers or Snacks
Here’s how I make Grandmother’s recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (8-ounce) mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup diced pimentos
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, optional
Instructions
- Cream together cheddar cheese with the softened cream cheese until well combined.
- Stir in pimentos and salt and pepper.
- If you prefer your pimento cheese to be a bit thinner for spreading, add in optional mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or liquid from the diced pimentos to preference.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Optional Ingredients:
Add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper or hot sauce to your preference.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
my grandmother used that old crank meat grinder too. Wouldn’t use a shredder, salad shooter, food processor- nothing else. I tried but prefer the salad shooter. It’s the best, shred in the pimentos and small piece of green onion and sweet pickels. I could bathe in this stuff!! Oh and make a grilled cheese with it. Pure heaven!!!
I for one don’t eat cheese… But I just made pimento cheese for my bf tonight… I used Colby and swiss I think it was and pepper jack cheese and mayo.. Dukes.. Never heard anyone using cream cheese in it until now. May try that on next batch. Thanks for the tip!!
We have a vegetable garden. Every year we plant a few pimento plants. I roast the red ripe pimentos, peel them and store them, layered in groups equalling a quarter to a half cup in each quarter inch thick layer. You use a double sheet of plastic wrap between layers. I seal them tight in a plastic freezer box and store in the freezer for later use. When you want to make pimento cheese, just use one layer. It will thaw quickly. You can chop it up while it is frozen. There is nothing like fresh pimento, compared to the jars. I hope, one day, you will get a chance to try it. We add a dash of cayenne, Tabasco, onion powder, some very finely chopped onion and sometimes garlic. I wonder, if you make it in a food frocessor, if a few teaspoonfuls of your favorite oil would make it more spreadable.
Add a touch of garlic powder and some black pepper. Oh My Word! Good stuff!
I sprinkle a little garlic powder on my sandwich.
Do you use a mixer, food processor or squish with your hands?
Hi Ann,
I use my stand mixer to cream together all of the cheeses. However, you can also use a food processor if you’d prefer.
This sounds really good. I have never used cream cheese. I have always used mayo but I am going to try the cream cheese. I also chop up just a little onion and put in it. It gives it an amazing taste. My 15 year old granddaughter says it is so good we need to open a restaurant and just serve our pimento and cheese sandwiches. Don’t knock the onion until you try it.
My mom’s pimento cheese was always made with grated Kraft Sharp Cheddar, a jar of pimentos & juice (crushed), and lots of mayonnaise, much more than 2 or 3 tablespoons, plus salt & pepper. That is a simple southern pimento recipe. If it used 8 ounces of cheese, then the mayo would be at least half a cup, maybe more. She never measured, just mixed it until it looked the right consistency. The consistency when you mix it will be creamier than after it has been refrigerated for a few hours.
Diced. Green Chiles. They add a little kick if you like that sort of thing. I do.
Oh my! Sounds delicious!
I made this today and it was awesome. Best I’ve ever tasted.
One can never go wrong with cream cheese in the reicpe. This sounds devine. We love pimento cheese, and this recipe goes to the front of the line. I’m thinking of variations too…olive juice, pickle juice, jalapenos, smoked gouda, or white cheddar. I can’t wait to try this. Yum!
Love pimento cheese with cream cheese!! For those who do not like mayo but find this a little thick – try adding a little plain greek yogurt! Wonderful substitute for Mayo and/or sour cream in almost anything!
another yummy flavor addition is a little dill pickle juice and a dash of cayenne!