What Can I Add to Prepackaged Pimento Cheese
It doesn't get more Southern than a classic Pimento Cheese recipe. What a treat! This simple spread is made with sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and pimentos for an easy appetizer with crackers or vegetables, or for a delicious sandwich filling.
I was raised on pimento cheese, since it's one of my mom's all-time favorite foods. While I've tried zillions of versions over the years, this particular homemade pimento cheese recipe is the best I've ever tasted. An added bonus? You only need 3 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep to whip up your own batch!
What's Pimento Cheese?
A pimento (also spelled pimiento) is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepperthat's typically 3-4 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. The flesh of the pimento is sweet and more aromatic than that of a red bell pepper. While some varieties of pimentos are spicy, the type used in pimento cheese is definitely not.
Pimento cheese is popular in the cuisine of the Southern United States, and is a spread or relish made by combining cheese, mayonnaise and pimentos. It's often called the "pâté of the south," "Carolina caviar," and "the caviar of the South," and is typically served with crackers or vegetables, or spread between pieces of bread to make sandwiches.
While some versions include additional ingredients such as horseradish, cream cheese, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, paprika, jalapeños, onions, garlic or dill pickles, our family agrees that the classic combination of just sharp cheddar, mayonnaise and pimentos is the absolute best. Pimento cheese is not spicy, but instead tastes like a rich, creamy sharp cheddar spread.
How to make a Pimento Cheese Recipe from Scratch:
As I mentioned above, you really only need a few minutes of time and a handful of basic ingredients to whip up this easy recipe at home. Let's get started...
Ingredients for a Pimento Cheese Recipe without Cream Cheese:
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Diced pimentos
Step 1: Place Grated Cheese in a Bowl
Grate about 1 pound of sharp cheddar cheese by hand or with a food processor, and then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir together Mayonnaise and Pimentos
In a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and the pimentos (with their juices).
Step 3: Combine All Ingredients
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the grated cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and then refrigerate until you're ready to serve!
How to eat Pimento Cheese:
There are so many different ways to enjoy a homemade pimento cheese recipe. Here are a few ways to serve the delicious spread:
- On top of crackers
- Spread inside celery sticks or as a dip for vegetables
- As a filling for sandwiches (grilled pimentos cheese sandwiches are a personal favorite!)
- Scooped with tortilla chips or other corn chips like Fritos
- Mashed with yolks for Deviled Eggs
- Stirred into grits
- Rolled up in tortillas and sliced as pinwheels for appetizers
- As a topping on hamburgers or hotdogs
Preparation and Storage Tips:
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the pimento cheese recipe up to 3 or 4 days in advance. Store the cheese spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Allow the pimento cheese to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before serving. This will make it softer and easier to spread.
- Leftover pimento cheese will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Do not freeze pimento cheese, since mayonnaise tends to separate when it's thawed.
- This recipe yields a large amount of pimento cheese spread (about 3 ½ cups). If you are serving a smaller crowd, you can cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller batch.
- If you're preparing pimento cheese sandwiches, you'll need approximately ⅓ - ½ cup of pimento cheese per sandwich. This recipe will make about 6-7 sandwiches. For 10 -15 sandwiches, you'll need to double the recipe. For 50 sandwiches, you would need about 25 cups of pimento cheese spread (or about 7 batches of this recipe).
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Since you're only using three ingredients in this recipe, it's really important to choose the highest quality cheese and mayonnaise that you can find. Grab a really great block of sharp cheddar -- that's the flavor that you will taste the most!
- Do not use pre-shredded packaged cheese. It's best if you grate the cheese by hand or in a food processor just before using.
- I use a jar of diced pimentos for a shortcut, but you can also use whole pimentos and dice them yourself into small pieces. Remember to reserve the liquid that the pimentos are packed in.
- Depending on your taste preferences, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of grated Vidalia onion to the pimento cheese, stir in minced jalapeño peppers, cayenne or hot sauce for a spicy kick, or add dill pickle relish for a briny finish. We think that the basic recipe is best, though!
More classic appetizers that you might enjoy:
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- 5-Ingredient Spinach Dip
- 10-Minute Holiday Crab Dip
- 3-Ingredient Southern Cheese Straws Appetizer
Pimento Cheese Recipe
Just 3 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep for this classic Southern Pimento Cheese recipe!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Southern
Keyword pimento cheese recipe, pimento cheese without cream cheese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 3 ½ cups
Calories 228.5 kcal
- 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, NOT drained
- 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper, to taste
-
Place the cheese in a mixing bowl.
-
In a separate bowl, combine diced pimentos (with their juice) and mayonnaise. Add to the cheese, toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper.
-
Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables, spread on bread as a sandwich, or on top of crackers.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the pimento cheese recipe up to 3 or 4 days in advance. Store the cheese spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Allow the pimento cheese to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before serving. This will make it softer and easier to spread.
- Leftover pimento cheese will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Do not freeze pimento cheese, since mayonnaise tends to separate when it's thawed.
- This recipe yields a large amount of pimento cheese spread (about 3 ½ cups). If you are serving a smaller crowd, you can cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller batch.
- If you're preparing pimento cheese sandwiches, you'll need approximately ⅓ - ½ cup of pimento cheese per sandwich. This recipe will make about 6-7 sandwiches. For 10 -15 sandwiches, you'll need to double the recipe. For 50 sandwiches, you would need about 25 cups of pimento cheese spread (or about 7 batches of this recipe).
- Do not use pre-shredded packaged cheese. It's best if you grate the cheese by hand or in a food processor just before using.
- Depending on your taste preferences, you can 1-2 tablespoons of grated Vidalia onion to the pimento cheese, stir in minced jalapeño peppers, cayenne or hot sauce for a spicy kick, or add dill pickle relish for a briny finish. We think that the basic recipe is best, though!
Serving: 1 /4 cup | Calories: 228.5 kcal | Protein: 8.1 g | Fat: 21.7 g | Saturated Fat: 8.6 g | Cholesterol: 32.9 mg | Sodium: 274.2 mg | Potassium: 1.5 mg | Sugar: 1.7 g
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What Can I Add to Prepackaged Pimento Cheese
Source: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/pimento-cheese-recipe/