After having consumed approximately half of Vermont’s supply of Cheddar cheese in the name of research, I’ve discovered that this pimento cheese recipe from Rebecca Lang is the best dang pimento cheese I’ve ever had. I also found that doing yourself a favor and making it a day ahead of time only improves the taste. The onion mellows, the pimento perks up, the color blends, and everything becomes, well, ambrosial. And it’s one less thing for you to do the day of when guests are on their way. And you can do waaaaay more than just slather the pimento cheese on crackers. You can also  set it out as part of a crudités platter, stuff it in sandwiches (whether petite tea party bites or gooey grilled cheese sandwiches), or perhaps even scoop it straight from the container at 2:00 a.m. as you lean against the sink. Not that I know anything about that.–David Leite

Mellow Yellow Cheddar Cheese Note

When a Southerner makes pimento cheese, he or she is usually pretty particular about the type of cheese. David isn’t a Southerner but he is plenty particular about his recipes. He instructed us to share with you that he uses white Cheddar, not orange. He prefers the flavor of white. Besides, you still get a lovely orange tint from the pimentos. We haven’t run this by the author of the recipe, Rebecca Lang, although we’re curious to hear what she thinks. Let’s see if she notices…

Crackers topped with pimento cheese.

Pimento Cheese

4.86 / 7 votes
This pimento cheese is a Southern classic made from Cheddar cheese, pimentos, sweet onion, and mayonnaise.
David Leite
CourseHors d’Oeuvres
CuisineSouthern
Servings12 servings
Calories253 kcal
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound sharp white Cheddar cheese, (or if you’re a true Southerner, by all means, stick with orange Cheddar)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • One (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained well
  • 2 tablespoons grated Vidalia or other sweet onion
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Crackers, toast points, crudités, or anything else you can think to serve with it

Instructions 

  • Grate the cheese in a food processor or on the large holes of a box grater. (Just between us, a food processor is the way to go. Five seconds max. Although you can do it by hand just for old-time's sake to get that Southern nostalgia mood going.)
  • In a bowl or your food processor, mix the grated cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, grated onion, and a few good grinds pepper until blended. Resist the urge to dig in immediately. Instead, cover it and stash it in the fridge for at least a couple hours and, preferably, 24 hours. (Trust us, the pimento cheese is unspeakably better after it rests. You can refrigerate it for up to 4 days, provided you can resist it that long.)
  • To serve, decant the pimento cheese into your loveliest serving dish. Serve with crackers, toast points, crudités, or anything you fancy.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 cupCalories: 253 kcalCarbohydrates: 2 gProtein: 9 gFat: 23 gSaturated Fat: 9 gMonounsaturated Fat: 5 gTrans Fat: 0.03 gCholesterol: 44 mgSodium: 338 mgFiber: 0.2 gSugar: 1 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2012 Rebecca Lang. Photos © 2012 David Leite. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

This pimento cheese is very addictive! It’s easy to prepare but the 2-hour to overnight waiting period is definitely difficult to endure. Your reward, though, is a pleasingly rich cheese dip that really shows itself off, especially at room temperature.

Using a food processor will save some time but I do recommend grating the cheese first. After that, put everything into the processor and pulse a few times until you get texture and orange color you’re after. I found some of the pimento from the jar were rather large, so if doing this all by hand, be sure to finely chop the pimento so they mix adequately with the cheese, mayo, and onion.




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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4.86 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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184 Comments

  1. Oh FL, Bless Your Heart! and all the rest of y’all too.

    The only way to improve on any Pimento cheese effort is to add pickled jalapeños to the mix. Yes, pickled jalapeños! And whether you use styrofoam crackers or a great biscuit–you can never get enough of this stuff. Biscuits, corn bread, flour tortillas, ritz crackers, cocktail rye, fingers, spoons, or knives–any vehicle works. Champagne, Prosecco (Sita, that was for YOU) or best–local icey cold (yes, in the middle of a snowstorm even) beer. What a feast! Happy 2014 Everyone. Now Y’all go get to the table!

      1. Oh Sugar, we girls don’t “think” at all about stuff like this. Really. Just sit back and enjoy – and yes, those boiled peanuts are the best. Honey, we need to get you back down here so you can have some more good fun. If you don’t like them boiled, just throw a few salted ones in your Co-cola bottle, give it a shake, and you’re off to the races!

        1. Now, tossing salted peanuts into my Co-Cola bottle is something I did as a kid. Now, tell me, girl, you got a spare room for The One and me?

          1. Sugar Pie, I always have a place for you and The One! And biscuits, and pimento cheese, and grits and shrimp, and coconut cake, and gumbo, and red beans and rice, and some bubbly to go with it all! Make your reservation now!

  2. David, thank you for your kind invitation to put my “puh-MIN-uh” cheese in a comment. Here it is:

    It calls for a third more mayonnaise than yours because I just reallyreallyreally like good mayonnaise, and it’s the particular combination of simple ingredients that makes my tastebuds sing!