My Pimento Cheese recipe is a classic Southern favorite made with simple ingredients like extra-sharp Cheddar, mayonnaise, pimentos, and cayenne pepper. This homemade pimento cheese is easy to make and great as either a delicious dip or for sandwiches! I’ve got some tips that will help you make it from start to finish in about 15 minutes.
The very best pimento cheese recipe!
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Homemade pimento cheese spread is one of those classic Southern dishes that many of us remember from childhood as something we never gave much thought to, kind of like banana pudding or pound cake.
If you were hungry, you were likely to get a pimento cheese sandwich.
If you were going to a church dinner, your mama probably took pimento cheese sandwiches (cut in half), which consisted of slices of white bread slathered with homemade pimento cheese spread.
If you were attending a bridal shower, there was probably a tray of “fancier” sandwiches, cut into dainty squares with the crusts cut off.
The Masters pimento cheese sandwich is, of course, the most famous iteration of pimento cheese, and it still costs just $1.50. If you’re lucky enough to go to the Masters tournament, be sure and try it. (I think the sandwich is actually pretty bland, but it’s still an iconic tradition.)
Some people call this dip the caviar of the South or the pâté of the South. Around here, we just call it lunch. Although it’s trendy now and restaurants across the country serve it, Southern pimento cheese is still the best.
Testing results for pimento cheese
- I know a lot of folks put stuff like cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, or onion in pimento cheese, and I’ve tried it with all of those. I like old-fashioned pimento cheese best, which is why I don’t include any of that stuff.
- I have tested using different cheeses, but my tasters prefer regular old Cheddar.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
This recipe makes enough pimento cheese dip for a party with leftovers for sandwiches. You can keep it in the fridge for several days, though it probably won’t last that long.
Not having made pimento cheese for a long while, I was sure I must have made a recipe card, but evidently I always just made it and never wrote it down. At 70, I seldom cook unless it’s something I can’t get made properly anywhere else, and if you look for them there are some pretty decent pimento cheese places around.
I couldn’t remember my pimento-to-cheese ratio and was so shocked when I went online and couldn’t find the delicious, basic, unadulterated pimento cheese recipe. I’ve already been disgusted while eating out at the addition of onion, but now I know the addition of cream cheese is what has been wrong with those thick, tasteless ones, I kept being served. Not for me. Thank-you again for helping me with my recipe. Yum!
ND
Secret tip
When grating your cheese for this recipe, be sure and use the small side of your hand-held grater. Or better yet, use your food processor to grate the cheese! It’s so quick and easy.
But here’s my new secret trick for this pimento cheese recipe: you can mix it up using a stand mixer! If you don’t have a Kitchen Aid or any stand mixer (this one is my favorite), get yourself one! You can use it for so much more than just baking recipes!
By using the food processor to grate the cheese and the stand mixer to stir it all together, you can have perfect Southern Pimento Cheese ready in about 6 minutes. It takes longer to clean the machines’ blades than to make this simple recipe!
Alternatively, just put everything in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. This method takes a lot of elbow grease!
Pimento cheese ingredients
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Cheese: Since the cheese is the star of the show, I use a high-quality Cheddar. I like Tillamook, Cabot, or Cracker Barrel.
Pimentos: If you’re feeling ambitious, you can roast your own red peppers. I’m not usually feeling that ambitious, so I use a jar of diced pimentos.
Mayonnaise: I think I’ve covered it enough on this blog, but Duke’s mayonnaise is all I ever use.
How to make pimento cheese
- Grate the cheese. Do not use pre-shredded cheese, as it won’t mix well.
- Place grated cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, cayenne pepper, and (optionally) a little freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl of a stand mixer. (No added salt as the cheese is usually salty enough by itself.)
- Mix until creamy and the mayonnaise is fully incorporated.
What’s good with pimento cheese?
Um, no, the question should be…What’s not good with pimento cheese?
We love this classic Southern recipe with almost everything:
- Celery sticks and/or carrot sticks
- Red bell pepper strips
- Slapped between two slices of bread (please, for the love of God, use regular old white bread or Sourdough bread!)
- With your favorite crackers or bagel chips – ours is Ritz
- Make a grilled pimento cheese sandwich – best sandwich EVER!
- As a spread with fried green tomatoes
You may also like my spicy Jalapeño Pimento Cheese.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Pimento Cheese Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce blocks extra sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ – ¾ cup Duke's mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- To start, take 2 8-ounce blocks extra sharp Cheddar cheese and grate in the food processor. Alternatively, you can grate some on the small side of the handheld grater and some on the large side until you have a bowl full.
- Drain 1 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained and add to cheese.
- Sprinkle 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (start with 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon and taste after mixing) and black pepper over the cheese. (No added salt as the cheese is usually salty enough by itself.)
- Stir in 1/2 cup of 1/2 – 3/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise. You may decide to add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup, depending on how creamy you like it.
- Starting on low, mix for a minute just to blend and then turn mixer to medium-high to mix well and incorporate all the ingredients. Should take 2-3 minutes.
- Mix everything until it's smooth and creamy, and the mayonnaise is completely mixed in. And taste. This is the most important part.
- Add more mayo and cayenne to taste.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
You can store homemade pimento cheese in an airtight container.
No, because of the separation of the oil that is in the mayonnaise and the cheese.
This is a good recipe to make ahead because it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. I like to serve it at room temperature.
There are plenty of times when I grab something from the store in a hurry, and if that’s the case, I always choose the My Three Sons brand, which you can find at many grocery stores. This one is the closest I’ve found to my recipe.
This post is part of my favorite Southern Foods at Home collection.
I have a similar recipe and would like to make this one!
Thank you
It’s me again…I use my grandmother’s old cast iron hand crank food grinder. One to grate the cheese, and again to thoroughly blend before adding the mayonnaise.
I know it is old fashioned and a bit of work, but it reminds me of wonderful days in my grandmother’s kitchen many years ago
I love homemade pimento cheese. My recipe is similar, but I add a small can of chopped green chiles and 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish. Some of our family are diabetic, so I use no sugar pickle relish made with Splenda.
How long will the pimento cheese last in the fridge?
4-5 days
This is my first time making Pimento Cheese and it turned out delicious!
This recipe is so simple. Thank you.
Simple also means EASY haha! Thank you!
The very best pimento cheese recipe!
Thank you!
My go to recipe! I always make some when my Grandson-in-law comes for dinner. He does love it. Just for him I add in diced fresh jalenops.He loves it. I must say it does taste rather nice. But for most part you just have to use this recipe for the best pimento cheese. Love your recipes.I’m a displaced southern gal in Texas and love my southern cooking.
Thank you so much! I’m so grateful that you follow Southern Food and Fun. xoxo
@Etta Mae Milhoan, I bet adding CANDIED jalapeños would take this up a notch! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you!
Not having made pimento cheese for a long while, I was sure I must have made a recipe card, but evidently I always just made it and never wrote it down. At 70, I seldom cook unless it’s something I can’t get made properly anywhere else, and if you look for them there are some pretty decent pimento cheese places around. I couldn’t remember my pimento-to-cheese ratio and was so shocked when I went online and couldn’t find the delicious, basic, unadulterated pimento cheese recipe. I’ve already been disgusted while eating out at the addition of onion, but now I know the addition of cream cheese is what has been wrong with those thick, tasteless ones, I kept being served. Not for me. Thank-you again for helping me with my recipe. (By the way, though it wouldn’t work well in large batches, I like it better when the cheese, Duke’s, pimento, and pepper(s) are tossed together with a fork rather than thickened in a blender.) Yum!
I agree with you about the fork! I’ve made it that way for many years. However, I usually make a pretty large batch so tossing it in my mixer is so much easier. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.