Simple and Easy Pimento Cheese recipe

gluten free gluten free appetizers gluten free from the 513 gluten free party food gluten free snack gluten free snack recipes gluten free snacks pimento cheese pimento cheese recipe Feb 25, 2026

This pimento cheese recipe comes courtesy of my brother and his husband, a true Southerner.

I always said I didn’t like pimentos growing up, but I probably had red bell peppers, because people use them as a substitute for pimentos.

In fact, when I was writing this article, I looked for pictures of pimentos, and instead of pimentos, all I could find were pictures of red bell peppers.

Real pimentos come from a cherry shaped pepper and are not the same as a red bell pepper.

They give pimento cheese its distinctive taste, and when you use the real thing, it makes all the difference.

It seems like every Southern family has a secret family recipe for pimento cheese, and they do not like to give them up.

The biggest secret, though, is that no one really measures anything, and they keep adding their favorite ingredients until the mix tastes just right.

I do the same most of the time, so use this recipe as a guide and make it the way your heart tells you too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe because it's truly a labor of love.

It has become a staple at our home, and I hope it becomes a staple at yours too.

Tips for Pimento Cheese Success

Let all of the ingredients come to room temperature.

If that freaks you out with the mayonnaise, you can skip that part.

My brother and I like to add as much shredded cheddar as the mix will tolerate and still be creamy enough to spread.

If you like less, then use less.

Some people prefer a more forward pimento taste and use the entire jar of diced pimentos.

Some prefer a milder taste and use less.

Important note: The hot sauce is crucial. Do not skip it.

As someone who is a complete baby when it comes to spicy food (I order a 0 when the scale is 1-5), I promise the hot sauce in this will not burn your mouth.

Without it your pimento cheese will taste bland and boring.

My brother sometimes adds a spicy pepper to give it a kick.

I never do.

We serve this dip with gluten free crackers and/or veggie dippers.

We especially love it on celery, and my husband thinks pimento grilled cheese is pretty darned tasty.

I recently made a pimento grilled cheese with gluten free sourdough bread, and I was not disappointed.

So Let’s Make This!

Easy Homemade Pimento Cheese

Yield: 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Cheesy and delicious in so many ways. Try some today!

Ingredients

1 – 8oz Cream cheese
1/4 cup Duke’s mayo (I tried others but Duke's tastes best)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (You can use pre-shredded, but this is one recipe that I recommend shredding your own)
2-4 oz diced pimentos
A few dashes of hot sauce (this is my favorite)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pour half the jar of pimentos into a strainer and let drain.
Combine the cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder and half of the mayo in a medium size bowl or stand mixer.
Keep adding mayo until the mixture is soft but not soupy. If you see me adding all of it in a video, know that I like it no matter the consistency, and it tends to stiffen up in the fridge.
Sprinkle in the grated sharp cheddar cheese an ounce or two at a time.
Add until you have a creamy, cheese filled mixture in the texture you want.
Add the strained pimentos into the cheese mixture.
Add hot sauce, a few dashes at a time, tasting as you go
Serve with gluten free crackers and/or celery

Notes

This dip doubles well and makes awesome deviled eggs