Pimento Cheese – The Perfect Spread

Once upon a time, pimento met cheese and they became best friends. Together they formed lasting bonds with biscuits, veggies, crackers and flat breads of all kinds. Through the ages they’ve partied in lunchrooms, at picnics, church gatherings, and lately on many a restaurant menu. Their inseparable bond has left a legacy for the ages.

On a recent adventure to the grocery store, I picked up some hoop cheese. There’s a whole history you can read about its origins, but consider it to be a tangy medium cheddar-ish cheese, identifiable by its red rind. I set out to make something wonderful with this treasure and decided upon a homemade pimento cheese. The night I finally went for it, I found myself lacking much mayo and cream cheese but had plenty of plain yogurt to spare. Together, the three coupled with the hoop cheese and a few other ingredients created an awesome, creamy spread that will be a staple in our home when the pimento cheese cravings hit.

We served this pimento cheese on day 1 with veggies and a hodgepodge of tortilla chips, toasted pita chips and bread. The day after, it served as the perfect spread for bacon and fried eggs on top of homemade biscuits. The yogurt plus a “secret” ingredient lightens up this familiar favorite just a bit and now my family officially has our own version of the beloved pimento cheese spread. Let me know what you think if you try it – we sure do love it in our home ❤️.

Recipe (makes about 2 cups)

8 oz of hoop cheese, rind removed (sharp or medium cheddar o.k. if you can’t find it)
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tbsp mayo
3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used whole milk but any percentage will do)
1/2 cup or 4 oz jar diced pimentos
Salt/pepper to taste
Squeeze of honey – just a drizzle 😉
2 tbsp pickled jalapeño peppers (optional)
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional)

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until ingredients come together and desired consistency is reached. If too thick, feel free to add a little more yogurt and pulse again. Season to taste along the way. That’s it! Serve with fresh cut veggies, crackers, flat breads, on sandwiches, biscuits, or simply with a spoon. Enjoy!