This addicting, easy, and delicious pimento cheese recipe is made with extra sharp cheddar, roasted red peppers, and mayonnaise. Add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper if you like a little spice.
It took me 10 years of living in the South before I liked Pimento cheese. Then, I became obsessed with this easy and simple pimento cheese recipe. Obsessed - like dreaming about it - craving it, making it and eating nothing else.
My friend Kim gave me a homemade jar of pimento cheese as a holiday gift one year.
Her version had grated onions, just a bit. I absolutely love her pimento cheese recipe. Don't skip the onions, but err on the side of less onions as the juice can be potent. Slowly add to taste.
What to Serve With Pimento Cheese?
Put pimento cheese on
- crackers
- bread, toast, sandwiches
- vegetables
- mashed potatoes
- steaks , meat, pork chops, chicken
- eat it by the spoonful if necessity calls - it's that good.
How Long Does Homemade Pimento Cheese Stay Good For?
Pimento cheese stays good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Don't double dip! If you double dip, it will go bad sooner 🙂
Variations on Simple and Easy Pimento Cheese
Some people put cream cheese in their pimento cheese. If you like cream cheese go for it but I LOVE the mayonnaise version instead. The cream cheese is chunkier and a little more powerful, in my opinion.
Don't want to grate fresh onion for this pimento cheese recipe? Make it even easier and skip the onion all together or try a pinch of onion powder.
Add a little fresh jalapeno to pimento cheese for texture and if you like it spicy.
Like garlic? Add a touch of fresh garlic or use garlic powder.
Pimento is the Spanish word for a smaller cherry pepper. Buy whole roasted red peppers in the can and chop yourself - they are not as mushy as the pre-chopped. Pre-chopped works in a pinch though 🙂
How To Roast Red Peppers For Pimento Cheese
This easy pimento cheese recipe is written using canned pimento peppers for ease. Having said that, you can also roast red peppers if you like.
Red peppers are great substitutes for smaller red pimento peppers. Wanna roast your own red pepper? The picture above shows how charred it should look with a little skin peeled away to reveal the vibrant red color underneath the char. You can do this on the grill or over an open flame gas stove.
Lay the red pepper directly on the grate above the stove burner and rotate as the skin turns black. You want charred black skin covering the pepper (the red pepper also becomes softer). Cook over open flame for about 6-8 minutes to get the red pepper completely charred.
Place it in a paper bag for 20 minutes to continue cooking so it gets softer. Run under cool water and take the skin off. Seed and chop.
Serving Suggestion
Serve this Pimento Cheese with some crackers and other Southern favorites like:
You May Also Like
If you like Pimento Cheese, you may also like these dip recipes:
Things In My Kitchen:
- Cheese Grater - You could also use your food processor & attachement for grating the cheese.
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Simple and Easy Pimento Cheese
EatSimpleFood.com
This addicting, simple, and easy pimento cheese recipe is made with extra sharp cheddar, roasted red peppers, and mayonnaise.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: ~ 3 Cups
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cooking Involved
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups ( 8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup (4 oz) roasted red pepper, canned, drained, & diced
- 2 tsp onion grated
- pinch ground cayenne pepper (skip this if you are sensitive to heat)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix.
- Add more mayonnaise if you want a creamier consistency.
- Add more cayenne and salt & pepper to taste if desired. Happy obsessive eating! Beckie
Notes
- Buy whole roasted red peppers in the can and chop yourself - they are not as mushy as the pre-chopped
- Wanna roast your own red pepper? The picture below shows how charred it should look with a little skin peeled away to reveal the vibrant red color underneath the char. You can do this on the grill or over an open flame gas stove (lay it right on the grate above the burner and rotate.)
- Don't want to grate fresh onion? Skip it or add a pinch of onion powder.
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