This fast and flavorful Jalapeño Pimento Cheese is a fun and fiery twist on the classic! It's a delicious make-ahead snack that always vanishes fast!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 0 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 16servings
Calories 85kcal
Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
1-2jalapeño peppers(I always add two!)
4ozplain cream cheese(½ a block) softened
¼cupquality mayo
½tspgarlic powder
¼tspground cayenne pepper
⅛tspsalt
3-4TBSPjarred diced pimentos
5ozsharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
First off, decide how spicy you'd like your pimento cheese. The cayenne pepper will determine the spice as well as how many jalapeños you add and you add any jalapeño seeds to the dip. I always add 2 medium jalapenos to mine (most of the seeds removed) as well as 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne for some extra kick. For a more mild dip you can use sweet paprika in place of cayenne.
Remove stems from jalapeños and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Finely dice or mince.
Soften cream cheese and combine with mayo, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Whip using an electric hand mixer (my method of choice) or mash well with a fork until well blended.
Add diced/minced jalapeño and diced pimentos. Freshly grate sharp cheddar cheese and add to the bowl. Blend with a hand mixer on lowest setting or mix well with a fork.
Allow to chill in the fridge until ready to dive in. It's great the first day and fantastic the next!
Serve with an assortment of crackers and veggies. It's also amazing as a sandwich spread, stuffed into sweet mini peppers, in grilled cheese, and melted on burgers/veggie burgers too!
Notes
Jarred diced pickled jalapeños will also work great here. You can use them for a swap for the fresh jalapeños if needed *or* use the pickled jalapeño peppers in place of the pimentos for an extra jalapeño-y spread. It's delicious every which way!Recipe yields approx. 2 cups of pimento cheese dip/spread or 16 servings at 2 TBSP each.Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!