How to Make a Pimento Cheese Sandwich

A southern classic, this Pimento Cheese Sandwich recipe is quite possibly the easiest comfort food you’ll find! It’s a breeze to throw together and it’s always a hit whether it’s served as a simple lunch or at a party.

 

What’s In a Pimento Cheese Sandwich?

All you need is a few simple ingredients to whip up this tasty southern sandwich.

• Cheddar Cheese– We like to use sharp cheddar cheese for flavor and texture. You can switch it up and use a combination of sharp and regular cheddar, or even white cheddar. We strongly recommend shredding your own right off the block. Pre-shredded cheese has a light coating of starch to prevent sticking which can impact the texture of the spread.
• Cream Cheese– Adding more cream cheese makes a thicker spread that’s perfect for cheese balls and grilled cheese sandwiches, while less makes it easier to spread on crackers and bread. This is a matter of personal preference.
• Pimento Peppers– A pimento is technically a different type of pepper, but most folks just use roasted red peppers. Chopped pimentos are jarred and found near sandwich condiments while roasted red peppers are also jarred, but found in the International aisle near Italian cuisine.
• Mayonnaise– Southerners typically have very strong feelings about what brand of mayo to use. Duke’s seems to be the most preferred brand, but whatever you do, use a good quality brand since it is the base of the dip. You can also use homemade mayonnaise!
• Bread– Plain white bread is generally used for these hearty sandwiches. However, they would also be delicious with sprouted bread, whole wheat, rye, or even sourdough.

Variations

This pimento cheese sandwich recipe is basic but you can customize it, too.

• Heat– If you want to make your pimento cheese spread spicy, add 1-2 teaspoons of seeded and diced jalapenos. If you don’t want to mess around with chopping peppers, add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper powder.
• Light– It is hard to make a super light version of the dip due to the main ingredient being cheese, however, you can use reduced-fat cheese. You can also substitute light mayo or plain Greek yogurt for full-fat mayonnaise and use light or reduced-fat cream cheese.
• Cheese– While cheddar is the typical cheese found in pimento cheese spread, you can also substitute other varieties for some or all of the cheddar. Monterey Jack is another popular one to use and one of our favorite restaurant-made variations uses shredded smoked gouda!
• Spices– Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper are all great additions. Just season to taste.
• Fresh Herbs– Try adding chopped parsley or other fresh-flavored herbs from your garden.
• Vegetables– Add lettuce, tomatoes, or other veggies to the sandwich.

How to Make a Pimento Cheese Sandwich

This is a super easy sandwich to make and the spread can be made days in advance. The sandwiches wrap well for packed lunches too.

1. Mix the ingredients. Combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayo, pimento peppers, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse it several times until it’s fully combined but still chunky. You only need a few pulses — it should not be completely smooth.
2. Chill. Transfer the pimento cheese to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. It is better a little chilled but it will need to soften for it to spread smoothly.
3. Assemble. Equally divide the pimento cheese spread onto 4 slices of bread. Top with the remaining slices. Here you can add pickles or olives, if desired.

Make it a Meal

I like to serve my sandwich with a side of fruit or a salad. Coleslaw and potato salad are also popular. Crunchy, salty chips like potato chips or tortilla chips work well, too. You can even add them to the sandwich!

Storage

Pimento cheese sandwiches can be stored for short periods of time, 4 hours or less, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or even a plastic sandwich bag. Because they contain dairy they should be kept chilled.

Make Ahead

You can make the pimento spread ahead of time and then assemble them when time to serve. You can also make the actual sandwich up to 6 hours in advance and wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container. This is ideal for a packed lunch.

Refrigerator

While the sandwich itself shouldn’t be stored for more than a few hours, you can store the pimento cheese in an airtight container in the fridge on its own for up to 1 week. Be mindful that the bread will start to absorb moisture from the spread and the texture of the sandwich will change.

Freezer

We do not recommend freezing pimento cheese sandwiches. However, you can freeze the pimento cheese itself for up to 3 months, though its texture may not remain the same.

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