Pimento Cheese Spread
The South’s favorite cheese spread: sharp cheddar, mayo and sweet pimentos with a hint of heat. Scoop it with celery, stuff it into mini peppers or melt it on a burger.
Nutrition per serving
3 tbsp- Net carbs
- 1.4g
- Calories
- 158kcal
- Protein
- 4.8g
- Fat
- 15g
- Total carbs
- 1.6 g
- Fiber
- 0.2 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Jalapeño & pepper Jack: Minced jalapeño and some pepper Jack give the spread a lively, Tex-Mex kick.
- Fold the jalapeños and pepper Jack in with the cheddar. Add a splash more mayonnaise if it feels stiff.
Bacon pimento cheese: Crisp, crumbled bacon folded through adds smoky crunch. It’s especially good melted on burgers.
- Fold most of the bacon into the spread and sprinkle the rest on top just before serving.
Egg-free (no mayo): Cream cheese and sour cream replace the mayonnaise, so egg-allergic guests can enjoy it. It’s tangier and a little firmer.
- Beat the larger amount of cream cheese with the sour cream until smooth, then continue as written.
- Also add
- Also add
-
½ cup mayonnaiseleave out - Also add
Estimated cost $4.84 for 12 servings ($0.40 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Grate the cheddar on the small holes of a box grater (or half fine, half coarse for more texture).
-
Beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth, then stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cayenne and pepper.
-
Fold in the cheddar and pimentos until evenly combined. Taste and add salt only if needed, since cheddar is salty.
-
Cover and chill at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the spread firms up.
-
Serve with celery, cucumber, mini sweet peppers or pork rinds, or spoon it onto a hot bacon cheeseburger.
Tips for success
-
Grate your own cheese: bagged shreds are dusted with starch and make a dry, grainy spread. - Pimentos are mild red peppers. A jarred roasted red pepper, finely chopped, works if you can’t find them.
- Let it stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving so it’s soft and spreadable.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 7 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve chilled, after 10 minutes at room temperature.
Prep tip: Spoon it into small jars with celery and mini peppers for an easy grab-and-go lunch.
Refrigerate in a sealed container up to 1 week.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosJalapeño & pepper Jack
FlavorMinced jalapeño and some pepper Jack give the spread a lively, Tex-Mex kick.
- + 2 jalapeños
- + ½ cup finely grated pepper Jack
1.5 g net · 176 kcal · 6 g protein · 16 g fat · ≈$0.47 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Bacon pimento cheese
FlavorCrisp, crumbled bacon folded through adds smoky crunch. It’s especially good melted on burgers.
- + 5 slices cooked bacon
1.5 g net · 177 kcal · 6.2 g protein · 16 g fat · ≈$0.46 per serving (+0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Egg-free (no mayo)
DietCream cheese and sour cream replace the mayonnaise, so egg-allergic guests can enjoy it. It’s tangier and a little firmer.
- cream cheese → cream cheese (a larger amount)
- + ¼ cup sour cream
- no mayonnaise
1.8 g net · 122 kcal · 5.1 g protein · 11 g fat · ≈$0.43 per serving (+0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
Save it for later
Pin this recipe to your keto board so it’s there when you plan next week.
Save to Pinterest
