All Things Pimento Cheese: the Caviar of the South (with over 29 fabulous recipes)

Pimento cheese is a simple condiment that is highly revered: in fact, pimento cheese is often referred to as “the caviar of the south”. One taste, and you’ll understand why Southerners LOVE their pimento cheese so much.

I decided the other day I NEEDED some pimento cheese to go with the air fried green tomatoes that I WAS intending to make … but now my green garden tomatoes are ripening, so I may not even get to the fried green tomato thing. But guys I’m SUPER happy and absolutely reveling in my pimento cheese. Yesterday I googled pimento cheese images just to find photography inspiration but I found so many fun pimento-cheese ideas that I just HAD to share them with you.

A Very Brief History of Pimento Cheese

Although pimento cheese is often categorized as Southern food, it didn’t actually originate in the South. New York claims the title to inventing pimento cheese, but when it made its way south, it changed and morphed into what today is a Southern delicacy. The history of pimento cheese has many interesting twists and turns … it seems it really gained in popularity in the South (in the US) during the great depression when people took to making it themselves at home with whatever they could afford. And they improved it in the process.

Dixie Chik Cooks is the Southern belle that “taught” me how to make pimento cheese. You guys, it’s incredibly easy! You simply stir together everything in a bowl. She would hate that I used red bell pepper in my recipe, but hey, when you have LOADS of red peppers from the garden, you look for things to make with them. I know the Southerners would hate me, but you guys, it’s still ah-mazing as long as it’s made with good, sweet peppers even if it’s not made with authentic sweet Spanish cherry peppers (a.k.a. pimientos or pimentos). The advantage of using bell peppers is you can GRILL them and give your pimento cheese a nice smoky flavor. Yeah, I may have done that … tune in below for more.

Pimento Cheese Recipe Collection

To celebrate all things pimento cheese, I’ve collected over 29 pimento cheese recipes … and I included my own recipe for white cheddar jalapeno pimento cheese at the end! (Also, be sure to check out my chipotle pimento cheese recipe.) I love how the jalapeno gives it a gentle kick … I’ve also seen recipes where they include bacon, smoked paprika, green chile, or grated onion. There are SO many great twists on this classic recipe.

To make really good pimento cheese, choose a really good SHARP cheddar cheese. If you skimp on the quality of the cheese, you’ll miss out on the good flavor! I used my aged Irish white cheddar that I buy at Aldi. Their aged Irish white cheddar is grass-fed so it’s good for my cholesterol and it’s SO so good.

With the little flecks of red, I think pimento cheese is so festive and pretty and absolutely perfect for making your holiday season so much more delicious!

Appetizers

Aside from spreading your pimento cheese on crackers or crusty bread, there are SO many more options!

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• Pimento Cheese Stuffed Celery Sticks from Alekka’s Get Together
• Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs & Pinwheels from Julie Measures
• Pimento Cheese Stuffed Peppers from Peas & Crayons
• Pimento Cheese Fries from Frugal Haufrau
• Ham & Pimento Cheese Pinwheels from Spicy Southern Kitchen
• Pimento Cheese Poppers from How Sweet Treats
• Pimento Cheese Sausage Balls from Plain Chicken
• Air Fryer Pimento Cheese Wontons from the Food Hussy
• Pimento Cheese Gougeres from the Local Plate

Side Dishes

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• Pimento Cheese Creamed Spinach from Spicy Southern Kitchen
• Pimento Cheese Grilled Corn from Nikki Dinki Cooking
• Pimento Cheese Mashed Potatoes from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Pimento Cheese Macaroni Salad from Plain Chicken
• Pimento Cheese Green Bean Casserole from Southern Thing
• Pimento Cheese Roasted Tomatoes from Melissa’s Southern Style Cooking

Sandwiches

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• The classic pimento cheese sandwich: pimento cheese on your favorite bread – cold or grilled, it’s fantastic just like that
• Pimento Cheese Biscuit Sliders with Ham & Sweet n Spicy Pickles from Grilled Cheese Social
• BLT Pimento Cheese Sandwich from Peas & Crayons
• Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Emily Bites
• Pimento Cheese Egg Salad from Plain Chicken
• Keto Ham & Pimento Cheese Wraps from The Soccer Mom Blog
• Ham & Pimento Cheese Sandwich with Green Heirloom Tomatoes from This Mama Cooks
• Bacon & Pimento Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Drug Store Divas

Breakfast

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• Pimento Cheese Mini Quiches from Kroger
• Pimento Cheese Breakfast Casserole from Family Fresh Meals
• Tomato Pie with Pimento Cheese & Bacon from This is How I Cook

Breads

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• Pimento Cheese Drop Biscuits from the Beach House Kitchen
• Pimento Cheese Quick Bread from Go Bold with Butter
• Bacon Pimento Cheese Cornbread from Southern Cast Iron
• Pimiento Cheese Buns from the Pioneer Woman

Dinner (or is it Supper?)

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• BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Fried Green Tomato & Pimento Cheese from Dixie Chik Cooks
• Pimento Cheese Stuffed Chicken from Emily Bites
• Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Stuffed Burgers from Dixie Chik Cooks
• Pimento Cheese Burgers from Neighbor Food Blog
• Shrimp & Pimento Cheese Grits from Bon Appetit
• Pimento Macaroni & Cheese from Pizzazzerie

And, as promised, here’s my recipe for White Cheddar Jalapeno Pimento Cheese … you can use the jarred pimento peppers if you wish, but I like using my own peppers so I can grill them to get that good smoky flavor! Thanks for sticking with me and happy eating. I can’t wait to hear what YOU do with your pimento cheese. 🙂

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