If you are from the South, chances are that pimento cheese has been a staple in your diet since you were old enough to eat it. You probably have a family recipe, handed down from your mom or grandmother, that is oh, so good and easy to make. It’s great to see that a number of area restaurants are including pimento cheese on their menus, either as a dip, sandwich filling or burger topping. All I have to say to Triangle chefs is “Yaaaay” for including a little bit of heaven to some of your dishes, like this grilled fried green tomato and pimento cheese sandwich from Relish Cafe and Bar in Raleigh!
After many tweaks to my original recipe, I have finally perfected a low-fat version of pimento cheese that also has a bit of a kick with the addition of jalapeños and cayenne pepper. So whether you use it to make grilled pimento cheese sandwiches,
fill celery sticks with it,
spread it on crackers or little slices of rye or pumpernickel party bread,
serve it with fried green tomatoes or just eat it out of the bowl with a spoon, I think you will love this recipe and will never miss the fat!
Ingredients (Makes about 3 cups or so)
- 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz. (2%) sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cracker Barrel)
- 8 oz. reduced fat (1%) sharp white Vermont cheddar (I used Cabot)
- ½ cup light mayonnaise (I used Duke’s Light)
- 1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Sea salt to taste
- Fresh ground white pepper to taste
- 7 oz. pimentos, chopped small
- ½ cup jarred jalapeños, chopped small
Preparation
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the pimentos and jalapenos.
Add the pimentos and jalapeños and blend well.
Refrigerate for several hours.
I recently made this to take as an appetizer to a potluck party and it was gobbled up! Normally I cut this recipe in half if I’m just making it for my family. It keeps well in the refrigerator for a week or so.
Bon appétit!
Eat, drink and be merry!
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Kel's Cafe of All Things Food 
I had the pimento cheese fritters at Relish, and they’re great. Next time thought, I just want the plain ole pimento cheese and crackers appetizer. The Wisconsin grilled cheese was yummy, too!
I love the pimento cheese and crackers at Relish! I’ve never tried the fritters, but they are now on my list.
I’m a big pimento cheese fan and can’t wait to try this. I sometimes use our Light Pepper Jack to spice mine up, but also love the idea of the jarred jalapenos.
From the 1200+ farm families who own Cabot, thanks for trying our cheese and sharing 🙂
Ooooh – I will give your Light Pepper Jack a try next time – thanks for the suggestion! I love your cheese!
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