Southern Pimento Cheese without Cream Cheese
This Southern Pimento Cheese (without cream cheese) recipe is quick and easy to make and great as a sandwich, spread or a dip for crackers!
This classic recipe is inspired by Southern Living™ and has been around forever! Why? It’s easy to make, delicious and versatile.
It’s based on simple ingredients: sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos and a few seasonings. Some recipes for pimento cheese include cream cheese, but this recipe is for pimento cheese without cream cheese.
A hint of cayenne pepper gives this Southern favorite just a smidgen of heat and it’s great with saltine crackers, celery or Fritos corn chips!
Ingredients
This Southern pimento cheese sandwich recipe stays true to what you’d most likely find at your local diner or at your best friend’s grandmother’s house.
- Block of sharp cheddar cheese – pre-shredded is not recommended
- Mayonnaise
- Diced and drained pimentos
- Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
- Grated sweet yellow onion
- Worcestershire sauce
How to make homemade pimento cheese
For quick and easy pimento cheese, use a food processor and shred the sharp cheddar cheese, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl, add in the drained, diced pimentos, mayonnaise, grated sweet onion (you can use a half teaspoon onion powder), a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a little cayenne pepper.
Use a spatula and combine the ingredients; taste for salt; add salt, freshly ground white or black pepper or a little garlic powder if you like. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir it up!
Pimento Cheese Variations
There are many variations of Southern Pimento Cheese that are equally delicious! Use a combination of cheeses or a cheese blend –
- Smoked Gouda pimento cheese – replace cheddar with gouda
- Pepper Jack pimento cheese sandwich – shredded spicy pepper jack cheese makes a jalapeno pimento cheese recipe. Another version I’ve seen is with White Cheddar.
If it’s too hot to cook and you need a quick sandwich, this Southern pimento cheese without cream cheese is quick and easy to make!
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♥ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!
Southern Pimento Cheese without Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar grated
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- 8 ounces chopped pimento drained
- 1 teaspoon grated sweet onion
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- salt and pepper ,to taste
Instructions
- Use a hand grater or food processor and grate the cheese; pour into a large mixing bowl16 ounces sharp cheddar
- Use the small side of a cheese grater and grate a little fresh sweet yellow onion; add this to the bowl of cheese1 teaspoon grated sweet onion
- Add drained pimentos, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder (optional); combine well; taste for salt and pepper1½ cups mayonnaise, 8 ounces chopped pimento, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper
- Serve as a sandwich, dip or spread
Notes
- This recipe tastes best if you use a block of sharp cheddar and grate it versus pre-shredded cheddar
- If you want it creamier, add more mayonnaise
Yum! I love pimento cheese. Low carb and keto friendly. It’s awesome. I’m on Team Mayonnaise. Just say no to Miracle Whip. hahahaha
I’m with you, Kim!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!
I just finished off a pimento cheese sandwich. Sooooo good! I make mine exactly like yours except I don’t add the cayenne pepper. I’ll have to try that next time!
The cayenne actually gives it a little kick! You can use black pepper, too!