This pimento cheese recipe needs just four ingredients and a few minutes to prepare for a quick appetizer that is sure to please a crowd.
I sometimes say that based on my cooking style you’d think I was born in the South. I’m all about biscuits, grits, iced tea, Southern comfort foods like chicken and dumplings and pimento cheese. In a pinch I’ll buy pimento cheese that is already made but it is so much better made from scratch. My recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare and includes a surprising ingredient that you might not expect.
What is pimento cheese?
It is a simple mix of mayonnaise, shredded cheddar cheese and diced pimentos. Pimentos are sweet peppers imported from Spain. They used to be canned and the name from Spain included an “i” – pimiento. Eventually the extra i was dropped and now today we call these peppers pimentos.
Where did pimento cheese originate?
While pimento cheese is now a Southern staple, it actually originated in New York. The original version started out as a mix of cream cheese and and the canned sweet pimento peppers. These were two popular ingredients at the start of the industrial food trade back in the 1800’s. I think I much prefer the current version of pimento cheese, which is also sometimes known as Southern paté.
Kitchen Tips:
- I rarely use pre-shredded cheese. Freshly grated cheese, especially for simple recipes like this pimento cheese, just tastes so much better.
- This is the brand of chili garlic sauce I use.
- I store cut celery submerged in water in the refrigerator until I am ready to use it. I swear it makes the celery taste better.
- Pimento cheese is Keto friendly served with celery.
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Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 oz jarred pimentos drained
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Can be made up to one day in advance.
Cliona keane says
I love a good cheese dip and this looks so tasty! Definitely one to make next time I have company!
foodtasticmom says
Agree. Thanks Cliona!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Pimento Cheese Dip sounds like a lot of fun and instant recipe. Definitely a keeper recipe!!
SHANIKA says
I’ve never tried making Pimento Cheese and this looks so easy!
Annissa Slusher says
I’ve always wondered how this creamy goodness was made. Now I know! I’m going to make some of this for my mother-in- law. She’s a pimento cheese addict. Come to think of it, I might as well make a double batch and keep one for myself!
Claudia says
I know the word “pimiento” in Spain refers to red bell peppers, so I’m wondering, how does “pimento” look like? Is it something different? Btw, this looks amazing!