Pimento Cheese

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Updated Aug 13, 2025, Published Nov 30, 2010

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I love my Southern heritage. Its culinary treats from barbecue to biscuits have enriched my life. There is so much to love and eat!

I think it is safe to say that every true southerner has a recipe for pimento cheese. There are acceptable versions of it in the store, but there is nothing like homemade pimento cheese.

Southerners eat this stuff like peanut butter. Whether it is on crustless white bread for a garden party, stuffed in celery for bridge club, or served with good butter crackers for a football tailgate, they eat pimento cheese by the bucket loads. And I understand why. Cheese, mayonnaise, sweet peppers, and hot sauce…what’s not to love?

Fortunately, I am able to share my Southern roots with my husband and children to expand their culinary world. They love this stuff! Actually, my children do not know life without it. They were eating pimento cheese when they were babies. We mostly eat it with crackers, but I enjoy it on white bread with a thin slice of ham. Yum!

There are countless recipes out there for pimento cheese. I feel like I have tried them all. But this one is the keeper! I keep the heat to a minimum for the kiddos and serve extra hot sauce on the side. To turn up the heat, add some diced pickled jalapeños. Just remember, like my Sweet Onion Cheddar Spread, get the good stuff and grate it yourself. It makes a difference.

So, whether you are from the North, South, East, or West, serve this at your next party or get-together. Because even if your guests have never heard of pimento cheese, they will quickly hop on board!

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Pimento or Pimiento Cheese

Prep: 10

Refrigeration Time: 2

Total: 2 10

Servings: cups

A white bowl filled with pimento cheese spread sits on a white plate, surrounded by round, golden crackers.

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This creamy cheese spread is like the peanut butter of the South!

Ingredients

▢ ½ pound (8 ounces) extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated by hand
▢ ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
▢ 1 (4 ounce) jar of pimientos, undrained
▢ ½ cup mayonnaise, I use Hellman’s
▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
▢ ½ teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce
▢ ¼ cup pickled jalapeños, diced (optional)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the Cheddar and Parmesan cheese.
In a small bowl add the mayonnaise, pimento, Worcestershire, Tabasco, black pepper and optional jalapeños. Stir until combined. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the cheese mixture and stir until completely combined. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop. Let the pimento cheese come to room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers, on white bread, or as a dip with crudité. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 84g, Saturated Fat: 30g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 1670mg, Potassium: 241mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2329IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 928mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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