• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
JCP Eats
  • About
  • Work With JC
  • Recipes
  • Explore Kentucky
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Work With JC
  • Recipes
  • Explore Kentucky
×
Home » Recipes

Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

May 2, 2022 by JCP

Hey, y'all! With Derby Season and summer upon us, one thing is sure in my Kentucky household: Benedictine is on the menu. Benedictine was created by Jennie Carter Benedict, a caterer and restaurateur from Derby City (Louisville, KY). She started catering in 1893 and opened a restaurant/tea room called Benedict's in 1900. While Benedictine has received international acclaim in publications, no one does it quite like we do in Kentucky. As such, I'm so thrilled to share my Benedictine Spread recipe with y'all today!

Jump to Recipe
Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

This post is in partnership with Duke's Mayonnaise. All opinions expressed, as always, are my own. Thank you for supporting those that make JCP Eats possible!

Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

Benedictine is a deliciously light spread that combines cucumbers with cream cheese + mayonnaise. Many people traditionally used only cream cheese, though the addition of mayonnaise brings the spread to the correct consistency. Originally made as a spread for cucumber sandwiches, I - like many Kentuckians - toss diced cucumbers into the spread. It's perfect for the warm summer months; I most certainly eat it all summer long!

Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of cucumber should I use for this recipe?

You can use an American or English Cucumber for this recipe, though I prefer to use English. The skin in thinner, they are usually sweeter, and don't have large seeds.

What makes benedictine green?

Many would say cucumber out of instinct. While the skin of the cucumber is green, a traditionally green benedictine spread has green food coloring added. That is purely an aesthetic choice and you can choose to color the spread or not (I do)!

Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

Shopping List: Benedictine Spread

  • English Cucumber
  • purple onion
  • cream cheese
  • Duke's Mayonnaise
  • hot sauce
  • kosher salt
  • garlic powder
  • green food coloring
  • white bread, for serving
Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

How To Make Benedictine Spread

  1. Remove seeds from cucumber; diced into small pieces.
  2. Dice onion into small bits (tip: can pulse in a food processor!).
  3. Add cucumber, onion, cream cheese, Duke's Mayonnaise, hot sauce, kosher salt, and garlic powder into a bowl. Mix until well-combined. Taste and season additionally according to preference.
  4. Add 3-4 drops of green food coloring; mix + stir. Add until the benedictine has reached your desired level of greenness.
Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

About Duke's Mayonnaise

Duke's is, hands down, the mayonnaise of the American South. It's the most commonly used ingredient in my kitchen and I always have a jar - or four - on deck. The southern legacy of Duke's goes back to Camp Sevier in 1917 and Eugenia Duke (Greenville, SC). Her sandwiches that were sold to army canteens during WWI were so legendary that army vets wrote to Eugenia years later begging for her sandwich recipes and jars of her delectable spread. Because of this, she began bottling it as a product on its own in 1923. Duke's is readily available in supermarkets around the US; you can also order online here.

Duke's Mayonnaise

The Recipe

Benedictine Spread: A Kentucky Classic

Kentucky Benedictine Spread

JC Phelps
This spread, which was popularized in the early 20th century in Derby City, is next level delicious. If you love cucumbers, this is for you!
5 from 58 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American, Southern
Servings 8 servings
Calories 145 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor for chopping, optional

Ingredients
  

  • 1 English Cucumber diced into small pieces
  • ½ purple onion finely chopped
  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 3 tbsp. Duke's Mayonnaise
  • 4-6 dashes hot sauce
  • kosher salt to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • 3-4 drops green food coloring if desired for color

Instructions
 

  • Remove seeds from cucumber; diced into small pieces.
  • Dice onion into small bits (tip: can pulse in a food processor!).
  • Add cucumber, onion, cream cheese, Duke's Mayonnaise, hot sauce, kosher salt, and garlic powder into a bowl. Mix until well-combined. Taste and season additionally according to preference.
  • Add 3-4 drops of green food coloring; mix + stir. Add until the benedictine has reached your desired level of greenness.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 127mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 424IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Keyword benedicine spread, kentucky benedictine
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Y’all come back now, ya hear?

My best,

JC

Keep Up With JCP Eats

Thank you so much for visiting the blog today! I’d love to keep in touch via social media. You can follow my content on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I also author a second website, Notable Kentucky, on which I write about all things of note in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Read Notable Kentucky here.

More Recipes

  • Air Fryer Cinnamon Granola
    Air Fryer Cinnamon Granola
  • Parmesan Squash Orzo
    Parmesan Squash Orzo
  • Homemade Salisbury Steak
    Homemade Salisbury Steak
  • Old Fashioned Macaroni and Tomatoes
    Old Fashioned Macaroni and Tomatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a ReplyCancel reply

  1. Janice Vranicar

    May 06, 2023 at 7:01 am

    What size block of cream cheese?

    Reply
    • JCP

      May 28, 2023 at 9:09 pm

      Hi, Janice! A standard 8 oz. block! Thanks for writing. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Patricia

    August 16, 2023 at 8:23 am

    Hi ! Want to try this. Can I add a jalapeño pepper for some kick?

    Reply
    • JCP

      August 20, 2023 at 8:50 am

      I've never added jalapeno, but I think it would be delicious!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hey, y'all! I'm JC - and I thank you for stopping by my nook and cranny of the internet. Sit on down and I'll pour ya a glass of sweet tea! I'm a fiercely loyal southerner, the most devout mayonnaise fan below the Mason-Dixon Line, and pimento cheese's biggest cheerleader. Welcome to my Kentucky Kitchen!

More about me →

Let's Connect, Y'all!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter

Join My Facebook Family

Join My Facebook Family

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Footer

↑ back to top

Content of this website is the property of JCP Eats, LLC © 2023.

Theme Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme.

 

Loading Comments...