For as long as I can remember, my mom has been buying pimento cheese spread from a local grocery store. Pimento Cheese Spread is such a “southern thing”, commonly referred to as the Pate of the South or Carolina Caviar. It’s as southern as fried green tomatoes, boiled peanuts or sweet tea. Fun fact: about 80% of all pimento cheese spreads are sold in the Southeast.
My mom always made Pimento Cheese spread sandwiches, on a Martin’s Potato Roll of course. But I prefer to use it as a dip for chips, crackers or pretzels.
What I didn’t know about pimento cheese spread is how easy it is to make. And, the ingredients themselves are usually stocked in my pantry. Except for the pimentos. I actually didn’t know that pimentos were peppers?! Pimento peppers have a sweet flavor and a very mild heat and are also known as cherry peppers because of their red color and round shape. I love green olives stuffed with pimentos more than anyone else in the world. As a kid, I even drank the juice straight from the bottle, and now my mouth is watering just thinking about green olives. What I’m trying to say is that I have been eating pimentos all my life, how did I now know they were peppers?!
In a side by side comparison, this dips tastes nearly identical to the store bought spread. It’s much cheaper if I make it myself and it’s perfect for parties.
A magical mix of tangy and sweet.
I used a milder Colby cheese for this particular recipe, but you could kick it up a notch with a sharp cheddar or toss in some feta. It’s good as a sandwich spread or grilled cheese filling and equally as good served with crackers of fresh veggies.
Pimento Cheese Spread
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oz. jar of pimentos, drained and diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
a sprinkle of onion powder
Mix mayonnaise, 1/2 of diced pimentos, onion powder, cheddar cheese and Colby cheese together. I blended my spread for a few seconds in a food processor to thoroughly mix and to break down the cheese. You don’t have to if you like it more chunky. After blending, add in the remaining pimentos and serve.
This is perfect as a stand alone dip but equally delicious served on a grilled burger!
*To the best of my ability, I have tried to indicate all ingredients, products and equipment that are available at Johnnies in Bold Print.