Pimiento cheese is one of those recipes that won’t win any prizes for how it looks, but it’s delicious and really easy to make! If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry, it’s a Southern thang.
Mix all the ingredients together and chill before serving.
*4 oz. pimientos or roasted red peppers, drained and diced (See the note below.)
¾ c. mayo
8 oz. Cheddar cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ t. soy sauce
¼ t. chili powder (Chipotle chili powder is especially good here.)
¼ t. garlic powder
¼ t. onion powder
*What’s the difference? Check it out here. I’ve used both because I can’t always find pimientos in my local area. Oh, and it’s also spelled “pimento.” I keep the extra “i” in there because it looks wrong to me without it. I suspect it’s because of my Spanish language knowledge, where “pimiento” means “pepper.”
Pimiento cheese tastes great on crackers or sandwiches, and it’s much tastier than the kind from the store. I like it better when it’s not been mixed together so much. The kind from the store tends to look orange and pasty and have a chemical aftertaste.
Find more dips and spreads here.


Pimiento Cheese (It’s a Southern Thang)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pimientos or roasted red peppers diced and drained
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder Chipotle is especially good.
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together and chill before serving.4 ounces pimientos or roasted red peppers, 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder