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Last Updated on December 2, 2021 by laurenpacek

This classic Southern dip is so good

Pimiento Cheese is an iconic Southern dish. And it is a beautiful, beautiful thing. I mean, how could a combination of cheeses, mayo, and mild peppers be a bad thing? Answer: It can't.

What is pimiento cheese??

Essentially, it's cheese, mayo, and pimiento peppers. Maybe not the most figure friendly, but it's an undeniably delicious combination. Different varieties exist, of course. I think that mine is pretty standard. Nothing too too crazy here.

There is some debate about the spelling of the name. You can see that I've spelled it as "pimiento", but some folks insist that it's "pimento." For all the haters who might question how I've spelled Pimiento Cheese (coughMollycough), I would like to refer you to this article from Southern Living. 😉

Basically, both spellings are valid!

How does this pimiento cheese come together?

It's pretty simple, and really only requires you to dirty one bowl for both preparation and consumption. You start out by creaming your shredded cheese (freshly grated, please!), cream cheese, and mayo together until a smooth-ish mixture is formed.

Add in your chopped up pimiento peppers and spices and stir throughout the cheese/mayo mixture until they are well distributed. You'll want to stash this dip in the fridge for about an hour or so to chill and really let all of the flavors meld together. After that, have at it! Dip away.

This delicious dip doesn't have to be just a dip

In addition to being flat out delicious, you can do a number of things with pimiento cheese. Spread it on bread and make a grilled cheese! I'd also recommend slathering it on a hamburger in lieu of a slice of cheese (trust).

But yeah, of course it's also really great when eaten as a dip. Just grab your favorite crackers, veggies, or whatever and dip away! You won't want to stop.

Looking for other dip recipes? I gotchu

Pimiento Cheese

Name: Pimiento Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 oz cheddar cheese, freshly grated (see notes); 8 oz package of cream cheese, room temperature; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup pimientos, diced; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Pimiento Cheese is an iconic Southern dish. And it is a beautiful, beautiful thing. I mean, how could a combination of cheeses, mayo, and mild peppers be a bad thing. Answer: It can't.

Ingredients

16 oz cheddar cheese, freshly grated (see notes)
8 oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup pimientos, diced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), cream the cheese, cream cheese, and mayonnaise together until completely combined.
Add the pimientos, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper and stir until combined.
Refrigerate, covered, for about an hour before serving.
Serve with chips, crackers, and/or vegetables, for dipping.

Notes

Notes: Two notes about the cheese:

I used 8 oz of mild cheddar and 8 oz of sharp cheddar
It's important to freshly shred/grate your own cheese versus using the pre-shredded bagged stuff. It tastes better, has a better texture, and is cheaper!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 283Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 462mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g

What equipment will I need in order to make this?

While it's not 100% necessary, a hand mixer will make your job a lot easier
Silicone spatulas can be helpful in the absence of/in addition to a hand mixer. I have these silicone ones and LOVE them.