Pimento cheese is truly a Southern staple. When we moved to Mississippi it seemed like I found it on every restaurant’s menu in some form or fashion. Whether it was by itself as an appetizer or a pimento cheese grilled cheese. One of the things that I think makes the Deep South so special is all of the traditions, especially around food.

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I decided to name mine “Not Your Mama’s Pimento Cheese” because it’s definitely not the traditional way to make it but I think it’s even better. 😉 What’s notably different is using cream cheese in addition to mayonnaise, and basil instead of the traditional chopped green onions. 

You may be asking why basil? Well, I would have never thought to use it if I hadn’t tried a “pimento cheese BLT” that had basil on it instead of lettuce and it’s probably the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted. So it was a given that I had to experiment with using basil in this recipe and I’m SO glad I did because it’s amazing y’all!

In full transparency, I used to not be a fan of pimento cheese. My mom always bought the kind that was prepared at the grocery store and to be completely honest I wasn’t a fan because it grossed me out lol. Now I absolutely LOVE homemade pimento cheese, because I know exactly what’s in it and it’s SO simple to make. I cannot wait for y’all to try this recipe! Get ready for more recipes to come using Not Your Mama’s Pimento Cheese.

Not Your Mama’s Pimento Cheese

YIELDS 6-8 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

Ingredients

½ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 ounces jarred diced pimentos, rinsed & drained

1 tablespoon finely chopped basil

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mayonnaise and softened cream cheese together until smooth.
• Add the shredded cheese and mix until combined.
• Add the pimentos, finely chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Notes

Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Goes great with Ritz or water crackers!

 

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