Sharp cheddar grated and combined with mayonnaise, pimento peppers, hot sauce, garlic and Worcestershire to a thick spread. Served on crackers, in sandwiches, or as a Derby Day appetiser.

Pimento cheese is the Southern condiment-spread tradition, with documented recipes from the early 20th century. The Kentucky version emphasises sharper cheddar, more black pepper and a dash of bourbon-aged hot sauce. Pimento cheese sandwiches have been served at the Masters golf tournament since 1933, and at the Kentucky Derby for over a century. Louisville restaurants like Garage Bar, Jack Fry's and J. Graham's Cafe at the Brown Hotel plate the canonical pimento-cheese-and-cracker board.

Where to eat Kentucky pimento cheese in Louisville

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Make it at home

Serves 5001 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 300g extra-sharp cheddar (Cabot Seriously Sharp or 5-year-aged), hand-grated on the coarse side of a box grater
  • 60g pepper jack or smoked gouda, grated
  • 150g full-fat mayonnaise (Duke's preferred for the South)
  • 100g jarred pimentos (sweet red peppers), drained well and finely diced
  • 60g cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated yellow onion
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon bourbon-aged hot sauce (Hot Pursuit or similar; Tabasco works as substitute)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Crackers, celery sticks, sliced cucumber, or Sally Lunn bread to serve

Method

  1. Hand-grate the cheeses on the coarse holes of a box grater; pre-grated cheese has anti-caking starch that ruins the texture.
  2. Beat the cream cheese smooth in a large bowl.
  3. Add the mayonnaise, grated onion, garlic, Worcestershire, hot sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  4. Drain the pimentos very well; pat dry on paper towels. Excess liquid makes the spread runny.
  5. Fold the diced pimentos and grated cheese into the mayo mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon; do not overmix.
  6. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally 4 hours. The flavour develops as the cheese absorbs the seasonings.
  7. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and hot sauce.
  8. Serve at room temperature with Ritz crackers, celery sticks, sliced cucumber rounds or thick slices of Sally Lunn bread.
  9. Keeps a week refrigerated.

Editor tip. Hand-grate the cheese; pre-grated has cellulose that stops it binding. Refrigerate at least 4 hours; same-day pimento cheese tastes flat.

Common allergens: Dairy, Egg, Mustard.