Pimento Cheese

At a glance

What stands out: From-scratch pimento cheese is creamy, tangy, and packed with sharp cheddar flavor, along with a little kick of cayenne if you like. It’s reliable as a dip, spread, or sandwich filling!

How long it takes: 20 minutes prep + 30 minutes chilling
Equipment you’ll need: medium mixing bowl, spatula or spoon
Servings: 10 (about 4 tablespoons each)

Just One More Bite…

Pimento cheese is the kind of thing you tell yourself you’re just going to try, and then suddenly you’ve had five more bites and you’re still standing at the counter.

The combination of sharp cheddar, sweet pimentos, with cream cheese and mayo for that soft, scoopable texture makes it straightforward to keep going back for more.

Serve pimento cheese with saltines (the classic way!) or Ritz crackers, spread it onto sandwiches and burgers, or melt it into a grilled cheese sandwich.

What makes ours special:

• Reliable creamy texture: Combining mayo and cream cheese gives you a standby of both worlds: a pimento cheese that’s smooth and spreadable, but still stands up well to scooping.
• Straightforward to mix ahead: This recipe needs at least thirty minutes to chill, which means it’s ideal as a make-ahead option for party snacks and cheese boards.

What goes in

You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card but here’s what you’ll need for this pimento cheese recipe.

• Sharp cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar gives a standby flavor and texture. We like to use extra sharp cheddar.
• Cream cheese: Be sure to soften the cream cheese first so you are able to mix it in smoothly with the other ingredients.
• Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand of mayonnaise (not salad dressing like Miracle Whip!). Mayonnaise makes the pimento cheese smooth and spreadable. We've tried this recipe without mayonnaise but the mixture was too thick and clumpy.
• Diced pimentos: Look for jars of diced pimentos in the pickle and olive section of the grocery store. These mild red peppers add a little sweetness and that classic color. Be sure to drain them well so the spread doesn’t become watery.
• Dijon mustard: We add just a ½ teaspoon for a subtle tang and depth but it doesn’t make the pimento cheese taste like mustard.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder and kosher salt are added as seasoning, and optional cayenne pepper. In testing, we found that the cayenne gave the spread a gentle background heat without being spicy.

How it comes together

Mix everything together. In a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. As you mix, lightly mash the cream cheese with the back of your spoon or spatula so it blends smoothly into the mixture. It should look smooth, creamy, and spreadable.

Chill. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate the pimento cheese for at least 30 minutes. This resting time helps the flavors develop and allows the spread to firm up slightly.

Serve. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with your favorite accompaniments.

Ways to change it

• Add spicy heat. If you want to make your pimento cheese a bit more spicy, there are a few options. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely diced pickled jalapeños, increase the cayenne pepper, add Frank’s RedHot, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Try a different cheese. We like extra-sharp cheddar instead of regular sharp cheddar; you could also choose a white cheddar. For variation on the classic, try pepper Jack or Gouda.
• Possible add-ins: Try smoked paprika, bacon bits, finely chopped onion, green onion or chives, diced dill pickles, fresh parsley or dill, or minced garlic.

Ways to serve it

With crackers: Saltines are a classic pairing but any kind of cracker will work! We love it with Ritz crackers (pictured).

For dipping: Sturdy dippers such as pita chips, crostini rounds, and pretzels are all fantastic with pimento cheese. From-scratch soft pretzels are great, too! For a healthier option, celery sticks, cauliflower florets, and bell pepper strips are especially good.

Stuff it: Stuff celery sticks, halved mini peppers, mushroom caps, or avocado halves with pimento cheese. Stuff your omelet with pimento cheese.

As a sandwich spread: Use it instead of mayo on any sandwich. It’s great on burgers (like these turkey burgers) and bagels instead of plain cream cheese. Try it on your favorite slider recipe.

In grilled cheese: This is one of our personal favorites! Spread it between slices of buttered bread and toast just until melty. You could also do an open face sandwich on a bagel, bun, or English muffin, and broil it, or even make a quesadilla or mini pizza! Be warned, it’s a little messy, but so good.

Keeping leftovers

Store pimento cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it sit on the counter briefly and stir before serving if it has firmed up during storage. (Freezing isn’t recommended since the recipe contains mayo, which is notorious for not freezing well!)

• Yield: 10
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, about 8 ounces (see note)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup diced pimentos, well drained ( 4 ounce jar)
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Add the shredded cheddar, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, diced pimentos (drained well!), Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl.
2. Stir until all the ingredients are well-combined and creamy, mashing lightly with a spoon or spatula to break up the cream cheese. The cream cheese should be completely blended in.
3. Check seasoning, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors develop.
4. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with crackers, celery sticks, pretzels, or spread onto sandwiches and sliders.

Notes

Cheese: Shred your own cheese for a standby flavor. Try extra-sharp cheddar cheese if you prefer. White cheddar is fine, or you can try a more non-traditional choice such as Gouda or pepper Jack.

Optional variations: Stir in finely diced pickled jalapeños, Frank’s RedHot sauce, extra cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, bacon bits, finely chopped onion, green onion or chives, diced dill pickles, fresh parsley or dill, or minced garlic. Make it your own (although it’s absolutely reliable as is!).

Storage: Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days. If the spread is too firm, allow it to warm up a bit at room temperature, and stir. Pimento cheese does not freeze well.

Yield: Makes about 2 ½ cups.