Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread

I hate to openly admit this, being a Southerner, 40 years in the making, but I have never ever liked pimento cheese spread. I know it's a classic here in the south, but the flavors just never sang to me… Until now.

I went about making a spread that I thought I might like, replacing briny pimentos with smoky roasted red pepper. I continued the smoky theme by adding smoked cheddar (or smoked Gouda) in place of the traditional cheddar cheese.

Success! A most delicious, smoky, pimento cheese spread that my husband declared was very good, very, very good, very, very, very good! I think that's pretty high praise from him.

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SUCH AN EASY RECIPE YOU'LL WONDER WHY YOU NEVER MADE PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD BEFORE

I was even better the next day, so I was making some deviled eggs for a Kentucky Derby themed shoot.  I decided to use this in the filling for the deviled eggs as well. A second success. What a lovely, smoky accent and a creamy deviled egg filling.

I served this then to my Monday night dinner group and they proclaimed it a very yummy spread.

While I served this with crackers, I understand it is a thing now to put pimento cheese spread on a hot crispy chicken sandwich. If you give this spread a try and use some of it on your next CFA sandwich, let me know what you think. I believe the flavors would be absolutely on point.

This is also easy to make dairy free, which I will definitely do next time around, substituting in , vegan cream cheese, and goat or sheep's milk cheeses for the standard cow's milk cheese. Perhaps we can't classify it as dairy free then, but I do find sheep and goats milk products easily digestible, as opposed to anything made of cow's milk.

Put your Kentucky Derby bonnet on and whip up this speedy spread for your Kentucky Derby party, or any random Tuesday night. Enjoy!

USED IN MY PIMENTO CHEESE DEVILED EGGS, THIS IS FABULOUS!

You can use a food processor if you like, but not necessary for this old school recipe.

Using a box grater ensures you can shred your own cheese of choice in 60 seconds.

Pyrex Mixing bowls are a work horse in my kitchen.

Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread


1 cup shredded smoked cheddar or gouda (you can use regular shredded cheddar, but then you'll miss that smoky flavor.)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 roasted red pepper, chopped finely and patted dry to remove excess liquid
1/3 cup mayonnaise. (I like to use olive oil or avocado oil mayo)
1 teaspoon Aleppo chili flake or regular chili flake (omit if you don't want any spice)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt


Mix all ingredients together very well either by hand in a medium sized bowl, or you can use a food processor if you want a smoother spread. Personally, I like the chunkier texture, so mix mine by hand.


This stores nicely in the fridge for a week or 2 and is definitely better the next day as the flavors have time to marry.