Pimento Cheese

Serving up a cheese bowl with crackers and celery sticks.

This classic Southern food is addictive with sharp cheddar, mayonnaise, and sweet spicy pimento peppers. Creamy, slightly sweet, and flavor-packed, this soul food spread goes perfectly with crackers, veggies, sandwiches, and burgers!

Makes 3-4 cups

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Southern

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 173kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (100g) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (100g) grated Gouda (or more cheddar cheese)
½ cup (120g) mayonnaise
⅓ teaspoon (1g) garlic powder
⅓ teaspoon (1g) onion powder
¼ teaspoon (<1g) cayenne pepper
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (adjust to taste)
4 ounces (113g) diced pimentos, drained
½ teaspoon (3-4g) hot sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Soften the cream cheese at room temperature before proceeding. Cream it with a hand mixer in a large mixing bowl.
Then add the cheddar and Gouda cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, jalapeño, pimentos, and hot sauce.
Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer (or with a whisk if that's what you have) to thoroughly combine.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up and for the flavors to develop.

Notes

If you only have whole jarred pimentos, dice them before adding them to the spread.
I used Philadelphia cream cheese because it was on sale, but generic brands (even low-fat) work fine.
Gouda is a semi-soft cheese that is easier to grate if cold. If you love the flavor, grate it while cold, then let it come to room temperature before mixing with the softened cream cheese.
Soften the cream cheese so it mixes more easily with the rest of the ingredients.
Cheese and mayo are already salted. So do a taste test before adding more salt.
Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the ingredients used.

Nutrition