Best Worlds Best Pimiento Cheese Recipes

BASIC PIMIENTO CHEESE RECIPE

Basic Pimiento Cheese Recipe image

This classic recipe works as a dip, spread, or all by itself.

Provided by Southern Living Editors

Time 15m

Yield Makes 4 cups

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely grated yellow onion
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 (8-oz.) block sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded

Steps:

Stir together pimiento, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, onion, and cayenne in a large bowl.
Stir cheeses into pimiento mixture until well combined. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

PIMENTO CHEESE

Pimento Cheese image

This pimento cheese is the best! It's cheesy, tangy, peppery (spicy if you wish), and spreadable. Recipe yields 2 cups.

Provided by Cookie and Kate

Categories Dip or spread

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 cups freshly grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1″ cubes and softened at room temperature*
4 ounces pimento peppers**, well drained and chopped if in strips
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (Duke's is traditional but I also like Sir Kensington's)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (decrease or omit if sensitive to spice)
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and minced (about 1 tablespoon; omit if sensitive to spice)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Steps:

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the cheddar, cream cheese, pimento peppers, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and jalapeño (if using), and several twists of black pepper.
Beat the mixture together with a hand mixer, your stand mixer, or by hand with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula. Beat until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Taste, and add more black pepper if desired, and/or salt for more overall flavor (I usually add a pinch of two). If you'd like your pimento cheese to have more of a kick, add another pinch of cayenne. Blend again.
Transfer the mixture to a smaller serving bowl. Serve your pimento cheese immediately, or chill it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Pimento cheese hardens as it cools; let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature to soften.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1/4 cup, Calories 245 calories, Sugar 1.8 g, Sodium 355.9 mg, Fat 22.1 g, SaturatedFat 11.4 g, TransFat 0.3 g, Carbohydrate 3.5 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 8.4 g, Cholesterol 60.6 mg