If there’s one thing I make every single summer, it’s this pimento cheese. For me it all started with a craving for that magical combination of smoky barbecue, tender chicken, and cool, creamy pimento cheese piled together. There’s just something about that trio that I absolutely love — and once I started making my own pimento cheese to go with my Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken, I never looked back.
This version is rich, creamy, and packed with cheddar. It works beautifully as a dip, a spread, a sandwich filling, and even as the base for other dishes. It’s a little different from the pimento cheese you may have grown up with, and that’s exactly the point — a few small tweaks turn a Southern classic into something that feels like my own.
First, a little love for traditional pimento cheese
Traditional pimento cheese is a beloved Southern staple, sometimes called “the caviar of the South.” At its heart it’s a simple mixture of grated cheddar, mayonnaise, and diced pimentos, seasoned and stirred together into a spreadable dip. It shows up at potlucks, cookouts, and church suppers, slathered on white bread or scooped up with crackers. It’s humble, nostalgic, and endlessly comforting.
I have so much respect for the classic, so I wanted to keep everything that makes it special while adding a few touches that make it uniquely mine.
What makes this version my own
A few things set this pimento cheese apart. I use a blend of mild and sharp cheddar so it’s creamy and approachable but still has that signature cheddar bite. I let it rest overnight so the flavors have time to fully develop and meld — it’s genuinely even better on day two.
And then there’s my secret ingredient: Worcestershire sauce. It isn’t traditionally used in pimento cheese, but it adds this deep, savory umami richness that becomes beautifully balanced after the spread rests. It’s the little something that makes people ask what’s in it.
How this became a whole obsession
Here’s the funny part. I originally made this for a summer cookout and set it out as a spread for barbecue chicken sandwiches. But before the sandwiches were even assembled, all my friends had grabbed bags of chips and started scooping it up as a dip. It disappeared before dinner.
That was the moment I realized just how far this pimento cheese could go. Since then I’ve been putting it on everything — I love it on sandwiches, and I even turned it into a ridiculously good pimento potato salad (recipe coming soon!). For this post, though, I want to show you the simplest way to enjoy it: as a dip. Just plate it up with whatever you love to dunk. My favorites are butter crackers, potato chips, barbecue potato chips, pretzel chips, and a little crudité if you want something fresh. Honestly, it’s so good with just about anything.
Can’t find pimentos? Use pickled red peppers
Let’s talk peppers, because this is where you get to make the recipe your own. Pimentos aren’t always easy to find — some stores (Trader Joe’s, I’m looking at you) don’t carry the little jars. If that’s the case for you, don’t worry: you can swap in finely diced sweet pickled red peppers instead.
It’s not technically traditional pimento cheese anymore, but it’s more than good enough — and I actually love the twist. Here’s how the two compare:
- Pimentos are small, red, heart-shaped peppers — you may also know them as cherry peppers, and “pimiento” is simply the Spanish spelling of the same pepper. (They’re the little red bits stuffed into green olives!) They’re very mild and naturally sweet and aromatic, even more so than a red bell pepper. You’ll usually find them jarred and pre-diced, which makes them wonderfully easy to use.
- Sweet pickled red peppers bring more tang and a peppery punch. Because they sit in a brine, they add a bright, pickle-forward acidity rather than the gentle sweetness of a classic pimento. The result is a pimento cheese that leans tangier and a touch more assertive — in the best way.
Either one works beautifully here, so use whichever you can find (or whichever flavor you’re in the mood for). If you go the pickled pepper route, just save a tablespoon of the brine to stir in for extra flavor.
Ten minutes now, even better tomorrow
The best news? This comes together in about ten minutes. If you’re in a pinch and need it fast, grab some pre-grated cheese, throw everything together, and it is still so good. But if you have the time, cover it and let it rest in the fridge overnight — it infuses and gets even more flavorful as it sits. Ten minutes of work for a spread that tastes like you fussed over it? Yes, please.
This version has such a nice balance: it still respects traditional pimento cheese, but the mild cheddar, Worcestershire, overnight rest, and optional pickled pepper variation make it feel like your own. I hope it becomes a summer staple in your kitchen the way it has in mine!
Homemade Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups freshly grated mild cheddar cheese about 10 ounces
- 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese about 2 ounces
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups diced pimentos well drained (or use finely diced sweet pickled red peppers); reserve 1 tablespoon of the liquid or brine
- 1 tablespoon reserved pimento liquid or pickled pepper brine
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste if needed
Directions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, reserved pimento liquid (or pickled pepper brine), Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the mild cheddar and sharp cheddar until evenly combined.
- Gently fold in the drained pimentos (or diced sweet pickled red peppers).
- Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to fully develop.
- Taste the next day and add additional kosher salt if needed before serving.
- Freshly grate your cheese for the creamiest texture and best flavor. In a pinch, pre-grated cheese works and it’s still delicious.
- Drain the pimentos or pickled peppers very well before adding them so the spread stays thick and creamy.
- I like using 1½ cups of diced pimentos (or sweet pickled red peppers) for plenty of color and little bursts of pepper in every bite. For an even more pepper-forward flavor, add a little more to taste.
- The Worcestershire sauce adds a deep, savory richness that becomes beautifully balanced after the pimento cheese rests overnight.
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