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.
Recipe Essentials
All you need is a few simple ingredients to whip up this tasty southern pimento cheese sandwich. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- 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.
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Bread
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – I like to use a bit of Kosher salt to help bring out the other flavors of this pimento cheese sandwich.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper are all great additions. Just season to taste. Try adding chopped parsley or other fresh-flavored herbs from your garden.
- Swaps – You can substitute light mayo or plain Greek yogurt for full-fat mayonnaise and use light or reduced-fat cream cheese. 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!
- Sauces – You can dip this sandwich into just about anything from ranch dressing to garlic aioli.
- Senses – Rich and creamy, a pimento cheese sandwich oozes with sharp cheddar, tangy peppers, and a hint of spice, all tucked between soft, buttery bread for a smooth, savory bite with a peppery kick.
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!
Pimento Cheese Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons pimento peppers , drained and dried, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 8 slices sandwich bread
Instructions
- Combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayo, pimento peppers, garlic powder and salt in a food processor and pulse it several times until a pale pink and fully combined but still chunky.
- Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Equally divide the pimento cheese spread between 4 slices of bread and top with additional slice. Here you can add pickles or olives, if desired.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and leave us a comment to let us know how it was!
Video
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
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.
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.
More Southern Classics
Pimento cheese is my favorite! I made this sandwich for lunch and it was incredible.
I haven’t had pimento in years! I am glad you introduced me to this recipe so I can have it again!
This sandwich is such a great lunch! Loved the flavor of the cheesy filling!
One thing I’ve learned since moving south (I am in Charlotte) is that Pimento Cheese is like, THE thing. Most restaurants have it in some form…loaded Pimento Cheese Fries, Loaded Pimento Cheese Fritos, sandwiches, etc. I’ve never actually known how it is made, though. Your recipe sounds SO good. I can’t wait to try it and then make extra to use on fries, Fritos, etc!
This recipe reminds me of being a kid! So nostalgic!
Now THIS is my kinda sandwich! Can’t wait to try the recipe 🙂
Anything with roasted red peppers can come. I am also looking for more savory breakfast options. Thanks for this recipe. Added to my list to try next.
The pimento cheese looks really good! I think I’ll try it on pepperoni chips too 🙂
This pimento recipe is absolutely delicious! I used this recipe to make picnic sandwiches and my family loved them! I kept it chunky as the recipe calls for and it was a hit!
I used to get pimento cheese spread from the grocery stores and never knew it’s this easy to make it at home. Now I can make this all the time and it’s so much better than store-bought.