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When you live in the South, the question of what goes into the “perfect” pimento cheese dip is a controversial one. Aside from the three fundamental ingredients (cheese, pimento, and mayo), there’s no right answer. Personally, I think it just depends on what you grew up eating. I grew up eating a relatively basic pimento cheese with equal parts sharp and extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. The recipe’s gotten lost in the shuffle over the years, though, so I was elated when I found a similar dip in Southern Living. To spice it up a bit, I decided– what the heck?! Let’s try baking it! Y’all, it’s so good! And the best part is that this baked pimento cheese dip is amazing cold, too, so if you prefer normal pimento cheese dip– or if you’re not a huge fan of the baked version, just don’t put it in the oven.
One particular thing that separates this recipe from other homemade pimento cheese spreads is that it doesn’t have cream cheese or sour cream in it. It’s just the good stuff– and by good stuff, I mean a lot of Cheddar cheese. Keep reading for a printable/shareable baked pimento cheese dip recipe card!
Baked Pimento Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make four cups of pimento cheese dip (serves eight to ten)–
- 4oz jar diced pimento, drained
- 1 1/2 cups Olive Oil mayonnaise (or regular mayo if you don’t like the reduced fat stuff)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8oz block extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8oz block sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp finely-grated yellow onion
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- Parsley, for garnish
Warm Pimento Cheese Dip Recipe
This baked pimento cheese dip recipe is super duper easy, and it’s perfect for tailgating season. It’s also a Derby Day staple in our household, too, so bookmark this recipe for next year’s Kentucky Derby watch party!
To make four cups– essentially enough to serve eight to ten, stir together the pimento, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, finely grated yellow onion, and cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl. Next, add in the shredded cheeses until well combined. Most recipes will tell you to not take shortcuts and to shred the cheese yourself, but I say buy the pre-shredded stuff. It just saves so much time and doesn’t compromise flavor at all.
To make the warm version, spoon the pimento cheese dip into a lightly-greased baking dish. Bake at 350F for twenty minutes until gold and bubbly.
To make the regular (ie. non-baked) version, just serve as-is! It’s just as tasty– and you can cover and store it in the fridge for up to one week!
Serve straight out of the baking dish or spoon into a heat-resistant bowl. Serving bowls don’t get much more southern than glass mason jars, so I spooned mine into a wide-mouthed mason jar for the sake of presentation.
Finally, garnish with parsley– and enjoy!
If you need ideas for what to serve with warm pimento cheese dip, crackers are my go-to! Veggies, specifically carrots and celery, and crostinis are pretty delicious, too.
Baked Pimento Cheese Dip
This baked pimento cheese dip recipe is as simple as it is tasty! Consisting of the three fundamental pimento cheese ingredients (cheese, pimentos, and mayo), this warm savory dip is also made with equal parts sharp and extra-sharp Cheddar for the perfect amount of "tang!"
Ingredients
- 4oz jar diced pimento, drained
- 1 1/2 cups Olive Oil mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8oz block extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8oz block sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp finely-grated yellow onion
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Mix pimento, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, yellow onion, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add in sharp and extra-sharp Cheddar cheeses and stir to combine.
Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until gold and bubbly.
Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
If you prefer a cold pimento cheese dip, leave it out of the oven. It's just as tasty and can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to one week.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living, July 2018 Edition.
Nutrition Information
Amount Per ServingCalories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
Thanks so much for reading, y’all– and if you tried this warm pimento cheese dip recipe for yourself, please don’t hesitate to let me know if you had any trouble. Questions, concerns, or complaints– I love hearing from you guys, and I’m happy to help! Also, if you need more easy tailgating recipes, this whipped feta dip is insanely easy– and it’s to die for. These simple game day meatballs are a crowd favorite, too!
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