Conventional Southern Pimento Cheese is creamy, tangy, spreadable, and finest served chilly on a membership cracker, when you ask me! Earlier than you choose to purchase it pre-made at a grocery retailer, you’re going to need to attempt my tremendous simple recipe made with only a handful of easy elements: sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped pimentos, and some pantry seasonings. That little jar of pimentos may not repeatedly grace your pantry shelf, however it’s simple to seek out with the opposite canned veggies on the grocery retailer, and it provides this traditional cheese unfold its signature candy pepper taste and fairly pink flecks!
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Creamy Pimento Cheese Dip
If I needed to record the highest meals I affiliate with Southern dwelling, conventional pimento cheese can be near the very high. It’s actually a traditional! Generally referred to as the “pâtĂ© of the South,” pimento cheese is a creamy, tacky unfold that’s simply nearly as good with crackers as it’s tucked into sandwiches, spooned onto burgers, or served with crunchy greens for events, potlucks, and sport days.
The largest debate with pimento cheese is whether or not you need to use cream cheese or no cream cheese, and I landed proper within the center for this model. Some recipes skip it to maintain the cheddar taste entrance and middle, however I like utilizing a bit as a result of it makes the unfold smoother, creamier, and tangier when scooped straight from the fridge. Utilizing simply 4 oz. retains the sharp cheddar from getting buried, so you continue to get a daring tacky taste with a softer, extra spreadable texture. It additionally helps the unfold soften properly if you wish to use it past crackers (like within the pimento grilled cheese I make in our do-it-yourself mayo video on YouTube!)
- Shred the cheese your self. Freshly shredded sharp cheddar provides pimento cheese one of the best texture and taste. Pre-shredded cheese is handy, however it’s normally coated with anti-caking elements that may make the unfold style a bit drier and fewer creamy.
- Be certain that the cream cheese is softened. Room-temperature cream cheese blends rather more easily with the mayonnaise. If it’s too chilly, you’ll find yourself chasing little cream cheese lumps across the bowl as an alternative of getting a creamy base!
- Fold within the cheese and peppers. As soon as the cheddar and pimentos go into the bowl, swap from beating to softly folding. This retains the cheddar shreds and pimentos intact, so the pimento cheese is creamy however nonetheless has the traditional chunky texture.
- Customise the warmth. I add cayenne pepper for a bit heat with out making the unfold too spicy. For extra kick, add 1-2 tsp sizzling sauce (any model), enhance the cayenne to ¼ tsp, or fold in 1-2 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeños with the seeds eliminated. Begin small, style, and add extra when you prefer it spicier.
- Style earlier than including salt. I don’t add salt as a result of cheddar, cream cheese, and mayonnaise already deliver loads of seasoning. Give it a style after you combine all the pieces, then add a pinch of salt when you want it.
Pimento Cheese
Value $5.74 recipe / $0.71 serving
This Southern Pimento Cheese recipe is creamy, spreadable, and stuffed with sharp cheddar taste with candy pimentos and easy pantry seasonings!
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Collect your elements.
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Shred the sharp cheddar and drain the jar of pimentos.
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Chop the pimentos into smaller items.
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Add the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise to a big bowl. Beat utilizing a hand mixer till easy and mixed.
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Add the shredded cheddar, chopped pimentos, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to the whipped cream cheese combination. Fold to evenly mix.
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Serve instantly, or cowl and refrigerate till able to serve.
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**I exploit Duke’s mayonnaise, which is a traditional Southern mayo with a wealthy and tangy taste. You should utilize any mayonnaise you want or have already got readily available.
Serving: 1serving (ÂĽ cup)Energy: 266kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fats: 25g (38%)Sodium: 321mg (14%)Fiber: 0.4g (2%)
the best way to make Pimento Cheese step-by-step photographs
Collect your entire elements.
Shred the cheese and drain the pimentos: Shred 8 oz. sharp cheddar, then drain one 4 oz. can of chopped pimentos very well. I like shredding the cheese by hand right here as a result of it provides the pimento cheese a softer, creamier texture as soon as I combine all the pieces collectively.
Chop the pimentos smaller: Finely chop the pimentos in order that they unfold evenly by the cheese combination. This offers you little pops of candy pepper taste all through as an alternative of massive items in just a few spots.
Whip the creamy base: Add 4 oz. room temperature cream cheese and ½ cup mayonnaise to a big mixing bowl. Beat till the combination appears to be like easy and largely lump-free. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl as wanted so no thick pockets of cream cheese are left behind.
Fold to mix: Add the shredded cheddar, drained chopped pimentos, ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper to the bowl. Fold all the pieces collectively gently till the cheddar is coated within the cream cheese-mayo combine and the pink pimentos are evenly scattered all through.
Serve or chill: This pimento cheese could be served immediately, however it will get even higher after chilling within the fridge for an hour or so, because the flavors have time to settle in. Get pleasure from!
Serving Options
Pimento cheese is clearly nice with membership crackers, butter crackers, saltines, pretzels, celery sticks, cucumber slices, mini candy peppers, or any veggies you’ve obtained. It IS made for dipping in spite of everything! Add it to a snack board for events, potlucks, tailgates, holidays, or informal weekend get-togethers, or flip it into a simple meal. Unfold it onto toast for a fast lunch, tuck it right into a sandwich, soften it into grilled cheese, or spoon it onto hamburgers for a tacky topping. My daughter additionally loves it combined into scrambled eggs for breakfast!
This recipe, as written, makes 8 servings (¼ cup every) and could be very simple to double or halve relying on how many individuals you’re serving. Simply modify the servings within the recipe card above, and the ingredient quantities will replace robotically.
Storage Directions
You may retailer leftover dip in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. It really will get even higher after a bit time within the fridge as a result of the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and pimentos have time to mingle with the creamy cheese base! Let it sit at room temperature for about 10-Quarter-hour earlier than serving once more so it softens barely and turns into simpler to scoop. Give it stir earlier than serving to recombine.
You can freeze do-it-yourself pimento cheese unfold in a freezer-safe container for as much as 2-3 months, however I don’t normally suggest it as a result of cream cheese and mayo can separate and switch grainy as soon as thawed. Should you do freeze it, stir it very well after thawing within the fridge and use it in one thing melted, like grilled cheese, the place the feel modifications received’t be as noticeable.
