Hey, y'all! Pimento cheese is sometimes referred to as the "pâté of the south" and/or the "caviar of the South". While it is certainly both of those things, it is also - simply put - my favorite food. As such, I'm excited to share the most popular dish that comes out of my kitchen (hands down!) with you today: my Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe! I always joke that it's "Better Than MeeMaw's" -- but don't tell her that... she'll be awfully offended!
This post was updated on 4/20/21.
Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe
Enjoy my Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe? Read my other blog posts here.
Southern Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 c Monterey Jack shredded/freshly grated
- 1 c Sharp Cheddar shredded/freshly grated
- 1 c Parmesan Cheese shredded/freshly grated
- ¾ c Mayonnaise
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 6 tbsp Diced Pimentos
- 4 tablespoon Vidalia Onion grated
- Garlic Powder to taste
- Kosher Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- Hot Sauce to taste/optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix until well-incorporated. I typically make mine in my stand mixer!
- Add more kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to your desired taste. If the pimento cheese is too thick, slowly add more mayonnaise. Add hot sauce for a little kick.
- Serve on a croissant or artisan bread with lettuce.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
About Pimento Cheese & The Mayonnaise Debate
According to Southern Kitchen, "the earliest home recipes were a mix of grated hoop or “rat” cheese, the cheddar-type sold at country stores, along with canned pimento peppers and mayonnaise, either homemade or one of the new store brands. There was Hellman’s, born in 1905 and popular in much of the upper South, specifically Kentucky and Tennessee. Duke’s was the regional brand of South Carolina. In fact, founder Eugenia Duke sold pimento cheese sandwiches to soldiers at Camp Sevier near Greenville, South Carolina, before she sold her mayonnaise in 1917."
JC's note: While I am from the upper South (Kentucky), I am team Duke's. Duke's is the "southerner's mayonnaise" and I find both the taste and the quality to be exemplary.
Y'all come back now, ya hear?
My best,
JC
Did you enjoy my Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe? Read my other blog posts here.
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 sister website to JCP Eats, Unabashedly Southern, on which I write about southern lifestyle. Read Unabashedly Southern here.
jennifer
Amazing! We ate the whole thing in one night
JCP
Jennifer -- thank you for your comment. It made my night!