Call me biased – but I really love my pimento cheese. There are some key features here: hand grating the cheese (rather that using pre-shredded) being the most important. For those who are new to my recipes, I have a pretty fervent vendetta against pre-shredded cheese. It is coated in a preservative (most often cellulose) that prevents caking, clumping and – in doing so – thwarts much possibility of even melting or mixing. Hand grate your cheese for everything, but especially for pimento cheese. Additionally this recipe includes a little Old Bay for depth, mustard powder for zing and jalapenos because they make everything better. Serve with Triscuits or on Pepperidge Farm “Very Thin” sandwich bread. I know you’re going to love it.

Summertime Pimento Cheese

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Author: Bebe Clement

The best summertime pimento cheese: perfect for light lunches, picnics and al fresco cocktail hours.

Time

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 packed cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 TB (1.5oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 TB mayonnaise – I like Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayo
¼ cup finely diced jarred pimentos (no juice)
1 scant tsp Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp ground mustard
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional but heavily encouraged)
Triscuits or Pepperidge Farm “Very Thin” bread for serving

Recipe

Grate your cheese if you haven’t already. Add in the Old Bay and ground mustard and stir. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the cream cheese and mayo until everything is thoroughly mixed. You started with the spices to make sure they are evenly dispersed throughout.
Then add in the cream cheese and mayo and fold and fold and fold until you get a thick but spreadable mixture. Last add the pimentos and the jalapenos, ditto on the folding. Taste and add salt and pepper if you’d like (I actually don’t like) and serve with Triscuits or on Pepperidge Farm “Very Thin” bread cut into lovely sandwiches.

Summertime Pimento Cheese