BackgroundGrowing up in the south, pimento cheese was always around but I never tried it because I thought it was like pimento loaf which is gross looking. Needless to say, I was super upset that I’d eschewed this tasty treat when I finally tried it a couple of years ago at Empire State South.
This creamy, cheesy, bacony spread is as good on crackers as it is on a sandwich. If you’ve never tried pimento cheese, I highly recommend you take a few minutes to mix up a batch. Your taste buds will thank you regardless of what your belt may say.
Recipe- 4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 4 oz Jar Chopped Pimentos, Drained
- 8 oz Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 4 oz Swiss Cheese, Shredded
- 6 Pieces of Bacon, Cooked Crisp and Crumbled
- Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, and cayenne pepper until thoroughly combined.
- Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Tips and TricksShred your own cheese! It’s quick and easy and you need the oil from freshly shredded cheese to help bind this together. The pre-shredded stuff is engineered to not bind together. Mmmmmm…engineered cheese.
Feed the FreezerThe longer this spread hangs out in the refrigerator, the more time the flavors get to mingle. Don’t go crazy (and if you see mold toss it out) but this spread will last for a while in cold storage.
Fun FactsPimento cheese sandwiches were a very popular lunch staple for working-class southerners because it was easy to make and the ingredients were inexpensive and readily available.