Looking for a healthier homemade pimento cheese recipe? Or just not a huge fan of mayonnaise? This lightened up recipe uses lots of lemon and Greek yogurt for a delicious party dip!
Healthier Homemade Pimento Cheese
This is an age-old post that deserved to be front a center before a holiday weekend! I just served this delicious dip to my girlfriends and it got us all chatting about what exactly is inside of pimento cheese.
“What are those red things” someone asked. Those are pimentos aka peppers.
This recipe goes back over a decade to my friend Kelsey
Remember my friend Kelsey from when I lived in Charlotte?
She was one of my best friends when we were both getting our RD at Winthrop. She was my study partner, yoga buddy and the author of Bites + Bowls, a fantastic food site that has gone to blog heaven.
My very favorite recipe of Kelsey’s was her pimento cheese. She is a master at creation, and I still make this recipe over and over.
Mayo Is Swapped Out For Greek Yogurt
Instead of mayonnaise, this version uses Greek yogurt as the creamy binder. It’s a lighter and more refreshing version of the Southern classic. Yet just as cheesy good! If you want to add a bit of mayo as well, all will be well. (Spoiler alert: I did!)
Hand-grating the cheese is so worth the effort.
I used to buy bags of pre-shredded cheese because I was willing to pay for the convenience. But what I didn’t realize is how much less flavorful it is. This recipe commands freshly grated cheese. Just do it.
You can use a box grater (hard to do, easy to clean) or your food processor (easy to do, hard to clean). Your choice!
The red things are pimentos aka pimientos
I used to be grossed out by pimento cheese when I was little. Do you remember platters of sandwiches packed with a strange yellow filling served between crustless slices of Wonder bread? I think it was the pimentos that had me a little weirded out.
But one day I realized pimento cheese was actually CHEESE and I have loved it ever since.
How To Make It
1. Drain and chop pimentos
Drain you pimentos well and chop, if necessary.
2. Add seasonings
Next add your seasonings – salt, pepper, a hint of cayenne pepper, and a little garlic powder if you like. Then a big squeeze of lemon juice.
3. Mix in yogurt and stir
Lastly add a quarter cup of thick Greek yogurt and incorporate until it forms a dip.
More ingredient ideas:
You could also add pickled jalapeños, smoked paprika, or spiced walnuts.
How To Serve
Serve with crackers, veggies, pretzels, on a sandwich, on a burger, or as grilled cheese!
More dips:
- Homemade Guacamole with Greek Yogurt
- Scooped Up Party Dip
- Blue Cheese Vegetable Dip
- Sherry Cheese Dip
Homemade Pimento Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese about 2.5 cups grated. Must be fresh - do not use pre-grated cheese!!
- 4 ounce jar of pimentos
- Big pinch kosher salt
- 10 grinds pepper
- Small pinch cayenne pepper
- Big pinch smoked paprika
- Big pinch garlic powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dukes Mayonnaise Optional
Instructions
- Grate your cheese by hand or in a food processor.
- Drain pimentos well and chop, if necessary. Add to mixture.
- Add seasonings.
- Add lemon juice.
- Mix well.
- Add yogurt and mash until cheese comes together into a dip and serve!
Alex @ Kenzie Life says
YES!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! My dad’s family is from the south but here in Colorado pimento cheese isn’t really a thing. Any time I’m in Tennessee I always want my aunt to make some for me because it is so good! I love that this recipe uses greek yogurt–makes me feel a little less guilty about eating it!
sylvia mccoy says
anyone know the nutrition stats on this delicious stuff?
Anne Weber-Falk says
Does this taste super tangy because of the yogurt and lemon juice? I like pimento cheese but I never thought of it as tangy or tart.
KathEats says
Not really because greek yogurt is more like sour cream than the more sour yogurt. I like this version a lot
Danielle says
This is a dumb question, but does it taste like olives? I thought pimentos were the red in the middle of the olive?
KathEats says
Nope just a little peppery!
Sarah says
Pimento is pickled pimento pepper- or cherry peppers- those cute little round red peppers. They ARE the same as the little red things inside olives. But like Kath said, they don’t taste like olives. They do taste very similar to roasted red bell pepper.
Cheryl Morgan Maxey says
I sometimes put green olives into my homemade pimento cheese… I was contemplating makings some the other day and wondered if I could use greek yogurt! Now I’m ready to make some knowing it will work perfectly.
Lynn @ the actor's diet says
First time I ever heard of pimento cheese was on your blog – I’ve always thought of you (& now Kelsey!) whenever I see it. (Have only eaten it a few times)
Barbara says
That looks absolutely delicious!
Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves says
Yum! I always want to try pimento cheese whenever you post pictures of it, so I’m excited that you’ve shared the recipe. Thank you!
elana says
Also the pre-shredded bagged kind of cheese usually has chemical additives to keep it separated – not something I think you’d want especially after your real food post.
KathEats says
I think it is usually just corn starch
Alexa says
It is usually just corn starch. Being gluten free, I watch to make sure it’s not wheat, and most companies just use corn starch. Not a big deal.
Liz says
At first I thought were scrambled eggs with tomate. Is that all cheese? Oh my!! Super delicious!
elana says
Re the added ingredients – and usually also extra salt, calcium sulfate, sometimes natamycin
Maria says
Love this. Many thanks.
Marisa @ Uproot from Oregon says
I have never eaten pimento cheese spread, and have only heard about it through your blog! I love cheese so I can only imagine it would be yummy. Oh, how sad to have a favorite recipe in blog heaven..
Lauren @ The Highlands Life says
I have actually never had pimento cheese before and I am thinking that needs to change. Soon.
Julie says
Every time you mention pimento cheese I am curious to taste it….I can’t find it anywhere (I live in northern Ontario). Now I must try the recipe-in a little while. Unfortunately I just figured out my 2 month old son has a sensitivity to milk. This page is bookmarked for future reference!
mary @ minutes per mile says
brilliant! we are totally going to make this. thanks so much for sharing! and yes, hand-grated cheese is 10x better than pre-shredded.
Kavi says
Ya know, despite hearing about pimento cheese for years (especially on your blog), I never knew what it actually was until this post! Thanks for the explanation – and recipe!
Molly says
Same here, Kavi! Thanks for the pimento cheese knowledge, Kath!
Karen says
Gosh, Kath!! Those photos of your carefree Charlotte days and your circle of close friends ( esp. the uterally unique Nate!) bring back so many memories! I feel like I’ve known you forever:) Happy weekend, my friend!
lisa says
Did you know that its actually spelled Pimiento cheese?! I discovered this when I was visiting Charleston and ordered every dish with this delicious stuff in it. Those Charlestonians love their Pimiento Cheese!
KathEats says
Dear me, I didn’t! The Charlestonians would know. I didn’t even realize the pimiento jar spelled it that way! I think it’s a Southern thing to mash words together so I’m sure I’ll still call it “pim-enta”
isis says
I thought the misspelling was the actual name for the recipe, even though pimiento is the right spelling for bell peppers in Spanish.
Maybe Kath, or anyone for that matter really, would be interested in how to make those at home. You can make them with any thin fleshed/not hot kind of red peppers, although bell peppers wor well too. Just put them whole in a pan, cover them with water -they don’t have to be fully covered- a splash of vinegar and a sprinkle of salt, and simmer until the water is reduced. The skin is easy to peel off once they’ve cooled down.
It’s like roasted peppers minus the char.
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
I never really got on the pimento cheese bandwagon when I lived in South Carolina, although the only places I was offered pimento cheese were the sandwiches in the cafeteria and those weren’t appetizing! Haha I might have to give this a try!
Chelsea @BigBitesLittleBudget says
I am a CO girl and have heard of pimento cheese but have never tasted it before. It looks absolutely delightful though and oh, so easy!
cassy says
i can’t wait to make this!
i miss Kelsey’s blog.. and Penny pics! So happy she got married to Eric? they were adorable..
KathEats says
Yup. They are still living it up!
Maria Tadic says
I also used to think pimento cheese was gross. But I tried it recently and its SO good. Especially when homemade. I’ve been wanting to whip up a batch of my own!!
Ashley @ Hudson on the Potomac says
I LOVEEE Pimento Cheese!!! Your recipe is pretty similar to the one I make. I use almost all greek yogurt with a tbsp or two of fat free mayo for the flavor. It’s definitely true that grating your own cheese makes a difference! I like adding cayenne and garlic too – some people like sweet pimento, but I’m with you on the spicier side!
kris says
I always wondered how to make pimento cheese – It’s nice to see a greek yogurt version!
Tiffany says
I don’t eat dairy but I just love your pictures 🙂
Unrelated to this post but I made oats in a jar today and it was delicious! I have too many nut butter jars open at the moment and need to use up what I have before I open more jars!
By the way, I am amazed to see you post everyday! Is it exhausting? As a long time reader, I honestly wouldn’t mind if you posted every other day or three times a week! I really appreciate you posting everyday because I love your work but I definitely want you to spend as much time with M as you can and I hope you don’t feel pressured to post everyday during the week either. I think its fun to spread out the posts too because it lets reader’s digest what you’ve posted the day before.
Thank you so much for inspiring healthy living! xo
Anna @ Fitness à la Anna says
Wow, this could be dangerous! Haha thanks for sharing 🙂
Tracy says
I miss Kelsey too! I loved her blog 🙂
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs says
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten pimento cheese — in fact, I had no idea what it even consisted of… But it looks delicious! Might have to give it a try this weekend!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
I’m SOOOO making this! With football season here, I have more excuses to do fun stuff like this!
Colleen says
Is this your recipe or Kelsey’s recipe? I miss her blog, too! She was very down to earth and funny.
KathEats says
It’s mine based on hers…which might be the same. We dont know because it was deleted!
BethT says
I like to make mine with cheddar and pepper jack….the BEST.
Hope says
I had never heard of pimiento cheese before your blog. I need to make this!!!
E says
I was able to find the original recipe…here it is:
Pimento Cheese bowl:
INGREDIENTS
-6 oz shredded cheese (4 oz aged white vermont cheddar + 2 oz mild young cheddar— both from Trader Joe’s)
-2 T pimentos
-3 spoonfuls of Cabot Light Sour Cream
-Quite a few grinds of Fresh Black Pepper
-A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
-Juice of 3 Lemon Slices
(I know salt is in the picture here, but I didn’t end up using it…. it was perfectly salty on its own..)
______________________________
DIRECTIONS
-Mix all ingredients together!
______________________________
KathEats says
How ever did you find it? I searched all over for someone who saved it
E says
I’m a librarian—we know how to work our magic! 🙂 It just took a little browsing of her archives via the Wayback Machine.
KathEats says
Fancy 😉
Kelsey says
How hilarious is that recipe!! “3 spoonfuls”—- ummmm what size spoon? “Juice of three lemon slices”—-what the heck!!
I’m crazy!!
But how cool that you found the recipe!! So cool!!!!!!!
Thanks!!!!
ciely says
I knew it!
Kelsey used sour cream not yogurt
Yogurt takes the creamy salty lemon cheddar taste on a “sour” detour
Bless you E & Kath for bringing THE pimiento cheese back in my life.
Kelseys’ escapades were hilarious…happy to hear news of her.
Lauren @ Dash of Soul says
Oh my husband is going to LOVE this! He’s new to the South and loves pimento cheese but it can be so unhealthy! Love this greek yogurt version, definitely getting ingredients for it this weekend!
Liz says
Greek yogurt pimento cheese — genious! Can’t wait to try this!
Melissa says
This looks amazing! Maybe sometime you could get her to do a guest post! I miss her blog, glad she is happily married.
[email protected] says
Mmmm I love pimento cheese! I grew up on the mayo kind. Part of growing up in the South i guess!
Linda says
Love this! I want to try adding smoked paprika for seasoning.
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
That’s sad to hear that her blog is down, I would’ve loved to read it. Regardless, this recipe looks so tasty and instantly reminds me of my cousin’s BBQs in South Carolina.
[email protected] says
i’ve always wanted to try pimento cheese and never have! this looks very good though!
Casey says
I miss Kelsey, B&B and Penny! Her blog was hilarious!
Whitney says
I LOVE pimento cheese! In fact, thanks to your shop, I now particularly enjoy it with fig jam + pecans. Homemade is so much better than the little container at the store. Although that is the song of my southern childhood 😉
Emily S says
WOW, that sounds like a delicious variation!
Debbie @ Deb Runs says
Sounds delicious! I’m pinning it for later! 🙂
Amanda - Small Home Big Start says
I’ve always wanted to try pimento cheese, but it isn’t something that you see very often in Canada. Now I want to try and make it myself and see what it’s like. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Grace says
Oh my gosh, thank you for this recipe. Being from the PNW I didn’t grow up with pimento cheese (just craft coffee and beer). But my husband was born and raised in Atlanta and introduced me to pimiento cheese burgers at the Varsity the first time I visited with him. Now I don’t have to wait for our next trip to have some! He’ll be thrilled too!
Emily @ Life on Food says
A Southern classic for sure. Still kind of weirds me out since most use mayo. I will have to see if this version works for me.
Casey says
Thanks for the update on Kelsey. I was a big fan of her blog and was worried something had happened to her. There was never a goodbye from her. Love me some pimento cheese!
Emily @SinfulNutrition says
Yummy! After living in Alabama for a year, I discovered my love for pimento cheese. Being a vegetarian in the South with friends who are far from that it can be hard to find options at a lot of restaurants so pimento cheese became my saving grace. Now that I’m back in New England, I don’t get the option on menus around here as often so I will be giving it my own try with your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Amanda says
My husband really likes pimento cheese…..but I cant tell him I’m going to use yogurt! I try to fool him into thinking it’s sour cream but he want take the bait:)
Sherry says
Right on! When you commented about a week ago that the pimento cheese you use is a bakery secret I KNEW that you had posted a recipe, a version on Kelsey’s recipe specifically, and scoured not only your archives but the web. Thanks for posting this recipe and the commenter’s recipe above as well!!
Maggie @ Sunnyside Up Smile says
Mhmmm I love cheese! In fact, I probably couldn’t live without it. I have actually never had pimento cheese though. I prefer sharp cheddar right off the block! 😉 This looks so tasty and simple though that I’ll have to try it!
Sarah says
This looks so delicious! I love using greek yogurt to lighten up dishes. And sharp cheddar is my favourite!
Donna says
Pimento cheese definitely must be a Southern thing, because I have never heard of anyone who doesn’t know what it is—and I grew up in the South! We put it on everything, including our hamburgers! (try that….with bacon. not exactly low fat, but oh so delicious!)
Kylie @ immaeatthat says
Oh I wanna top a sweet potato with this! I think that’d be just perfect! I wasn’t a big pimento cheese fan when I was little either…glad I got over that:))
Catalin Manea says
That’s interesting I gotta give it a try. I love good food!
Amber says
Never heard of Pimento, but anything with cheese will do, its my guilty pleasure. Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it out.
Gail says
This is how I was taught to make it but the only things I do different is to add a little touch of sugar and a few good splashes of red wine vinegar.
Amy says
Great modification to a classic southern recipe (squeals the girl from Alabama)…I’ve always made it with cheddar cheese, pimentos, and a huge GLOB of mayo. It’s delicious but not exactly healthy. I will definitely try this recipe.
Brenda Hare says
My family eats pimento cheese on a fresh rib of celery. We put them out as appetizers for Christmas!
Pat says
I grew up in New England and never have had pimiento cheese.though it sounds good.
Her in Alaska the variation is called Kenai Dip. (Kenai is a great fishing and camping area.). Kenai dip starts like pimiento cheese, but uses jalapeños instead of pimiento and adds garlic and liquid smoke. Most recipes call for sour cream. I have tasred it nut find it too spicy. I night try your pimiento cheese next time I need to bring a dish to an event.
Kath Younger says
That sounds sooo good!
Nina Paul says
For how many days can I keep this in my fridge before it starts to spoil??
Kath Younger says
I would enjoy in 2-3 days max
Cindy DuBose says
Hi Kath! This is the recipe I have used ever since your original posting of it! This is the best! My husband NEVER like pimento cheese until I made it for him using your friend Kelsey’s recipe. Time sure has gone by fast. I remember making this in my kitchen in Alexandria, Va right before we got the biggest snowstorm I have ever seen in my life. Thanks for sharing the recipe so other folks can enjoy it now too!
Kath Younger says
Yay!!
Katelynn says
This is the only pimento cheese recipe I make. It’s been my favorite since you first posted it!
Kath Younger says
So glad!!