Pimento Cheese Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Ready in 10 minutes, this creamy and tangy pimento cheese recipe gets a zippy kick from prepared horseradish and smokiness from a touch of smoked paprika. Use your food processor, or fold by hand for a chunkier dip. Perfect for crackers, sandwiches, and game day spreads!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer

Keyword: cheddar cheese, cream cheese, horseradish, pimento

Servings:

Calories: 209kcal

Equipment

Food Processor (optional)

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup jarred pimentos, or jarred roasted red peppers
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

If making pimento cheese with a food processor:
1. Add cream cheese, pepper or pimentos, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish to the food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add the spices and cheddar and pulse briefly until just combined. Remove to a serving bowl and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
If making horseradish pimento cheese by hand:
1. Add cream cheese, pepper or pimentos, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish to a medium mixing bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatular until well combined.
2. Add the spices and cheddar and fold together until well incorporated. Remove to a serving bowl and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Grate your own cheese! Pre-shredded cheese is not the right consistency, and contains stabilizers that will affect the final dip. You can grate with your food processor for fast and easy dip.

Soften cream cheese: Softened cream cheese blends much easier than cold. Leave it on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour to soften it.

Pulse the dip, don't purée it— you want a little texture, not a paste. Mix in even pulses of 2-3 seconds to keep some chunky texture to the dip.

Ingredient Notes:

You can use mild or sharp cheddar for this, or a combo of the 2.

Make sure to use smoked paprika for this recipe, rather than sweet or plain.

Nutrition