Real Food Pimento Cheese is a common Southern comfort food. This delicious cheese spread is made with a base grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped peppers, and a little bit of mayonnaise. Serve it with fresh vegetables, green olives, chips, crackers, spread onto a sandwich, topped on a burger or made into a grilled cheese. 

This post is sponsored by Chosen Foods {courtesy of Mambo Sprouts}, all opinions, recipe and photography are my own. 

Have you ever had Pimento Cheese before?

Just like fried chicken, grits, collard greens, and barbecue, this cheese spread is a true staple and serious comfort food in the South. It's known as the "pâté" or "caviar of the South" but it actually originated in New York as a commercially packaged cheese spread in a jar. 

I grew up with the jar kind. It was almost always in our refrigerator. My mom always stocked the fridge with it for my dad because he really loved it. Honestly, I really wasn't a fan of it as a kid. But I did like to open the jar and smell it, it had this sweet, tangy smell that I really enjoyed. 

I do have Southern roots in my family history. My grandma was from the South, Tennessee to be exact. She also always had the jar pimento cheese stocked in her fridge. Pretty much anyone who grew up in the South will know what this comfort food is. It's often served at family get togethers, BBQ's or simply shared with unexpected guests and neighbors. 

Now that my taste buds have broadened, I LOVE Pimento Cheese! If you haven't had Pimento Cheese, the homemade kind of course, you've got to try it! It is so yummy! My husband and youngest little one devour this heavenly goodness. 

Pimento Cheese is the perfect spread to bring to picnics, potlucks, and serve at parties. It's wonderful served as a spread or dip with fresh vegetables, green olives, chips or crackers, filled into celery stalks, slathered on a grilled hamburger, layered into homemade enchiladas, mixed into scrabbled eggs or your favorite egg dish, made into a grilled cheese sandwich or simply just by the spoonful.

I used 100% pure Avocado Oil Mayo from Chosen Foods to help form the base of this Pimento Cheese. Why do I choose Chosen Foods? Because their mayo uses clean ingredients and most mainstream mayonnaise products on the market are made with super unhealthy ingredients {like refined sugar, canola oil, soy oil and/or vegetable oil ... super gross and so bad for your health ... no thanks!}.

Chosen Foods uses one of my favorite healthy, nourishing oils to make their mayo. Avocado oil!!!

Have you ever used their avocado oil before? It's awesome stuff! I use it in my grain free chicken nuggets recipe for frying and in smoothies for a healthy fat {because it's tasteless}. 

Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo uses several organic ingredients, cafe-free eggs, and a touch of honey {no refined sugars in this mayo} to create that traditional creamy mayo flavor. Plus, you get the added benefit of a good dose of healthy fats. 

Combine this healthy mayo with other nourishing ingredients like organic raw sharp cheddar, red peppers, garlic, fresh dill, a touch of organic apple cider vinegar and Celtic sea salt and you get the most appetizing Pimento Cheese! 

Pimento Cheese

YOU WILL NEED: Standing Cheese Grater, Large Mixing Bowl, Hand Held Mixer 

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Real Food Pimento Cheese

Yield: 4 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 16 ounces organic sharp cheddar* cheese, finely grated
• 8 ounces organic cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces pimento peppers, drained and chopped
• ½ cup Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo
• ¼ cup organic green olives with pimento peppers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon organic horseradish or Dijon mustard
• 3 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
• 2 teaspoons organic apple cider vinegar or pure, traditional sauerkraut juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (<-- salt)
• 3 drops organic hot sauce – optional

Instructions

1. Finely grate cheddar cheese and add to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients to mixing bowl. Using a hand held mixer, mix on medium speed and increase to high speed once the mixture starts to come together. Scape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cheese spread is done when everything is combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Place cheese spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours.
3. Serve when chilled.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

*This is also delicious with a combo of 8 ounces of organic sharp cheddar cheese and 8 ounces organic pepper jack cheese instead of all sharp cheddar.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 458mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there. I have a board just for Snacks & Small Bites, Sides and Gluten Free Treats too. Come follow along. 

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