Perfect Party-Pleasing Pimento Cheese Recipe

Who needs a whole charcuterie board when you can serve a single, delicious cheese dip instead? This recipe yields the perfect, party-pleasing pimento cheese dip that your guests will love. Whether you want to eat it with veggies or crackers, this recipe aims for ultimate dip-ability, and there's plenty of cheese and flavor packed in each bite. 

Recipe developer Erin Johnson came up with this easy and crowd-pleasing recipe. "Pimento cheese is a party staple in the South, but this is more versatile than just putting it on a cracker. Use it to make a sandwich on fluffy white bread, to make a flavorful grilled cheese, [or on top of] a burger. Really, anywhere you'd want some melted cheese, consider using pimento cheese," Johnson says. She also reveals what makes her version a little different from others: "Whether or not pimento cheese should include cream cheese is the source of many arguments," she explains. "I don't think it needs it, so my recipe does not include it."

Keep reading to find out how to make this perfect, party-pleasing pimento cheese recipe.

If you're looking for a recipe with few ingredients, you're in luck. You will only need 4 things for this recipe: mayonnaise, hot sauce, diced pimentos with the juice, and shredded cheddar cheese. "The preferred mayonnaise in the South, and what I use in this is Duke's mayonnaise, but you can [opt for] whatever you have on hand," Johnson says. You can optionally serve this with crackers or vegetables, or garnish the finished dip with chopped green onions. 

Once you have those ingredients, you can whip up this perfect pimento cheese.

First, toss the mayonnaise and hot sauce in a large mixing bowl, and mix well to combine. 

"If you don't like hot sauce, feel free to exclude it," Johnson notes. "If you like some spice, add more." Next, stir the diced pimentos and juices in with mayonnaise mixture. 

Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese, until it's evenly distributed. "I like to use a mix of shredded cheddar, both the finer and thicker shreds, but this is optional," Johnson says. "I think that it helps to add a bit of texture."

After you finish mixing, you can plate, and enjoy as you wish, either with crackers or veggies for dipping. Be sure to serve the cheese immediately, or refrigerate until you are ready to serve. "I like to top my pimento cheese crackers with a little green onion, and a dash of hot sauce, but it is delicious on its own," Johnson adds.