Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
A southern staple now served warm, this Hot Pimento Cheese Dip must be kept in your recipe box under delicious appetizer cuisine. After the first bite, the creamy texture of this cheese dip will have you marking it as one of your new favorite recipes.
If you love cheesy easy recipes, then give our Chorizo Cheese Dip and Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Dip a try!
What are pimento peppers?
Pimento peppers or pimiento (cherry peppers) are large, mild, slightly sweet, heart shaped red peppers. There are a few pimiento varieties that are spicy.
They could be used in place of bell peppers, but they’re not as readily available in your average grocery store as their bell-shaped cousin. If your market has an olive bar, you might find them there pickled.
If you’ve ever seen something red stuffed inside green olives, it was more than likely a pimento pepper. Pimento cheese and pimento loaf (think bologna studded with the peppers) are probably the most common way they’re used. We love adding then to our macaroni, potato, and pasta salads too.
Is pimento cheese served hot or cold?
Yes! To both! You’re going to love pimento cheese dip either way.
Our version is baked and meant to be served warm. However, eating it cold, freshly mixed together is absolutely wonderful too. You can’t go wrong when serving this homemade pimento cheese dip recipe.
Oh, and the leftovers are divine.
Recipe ingredients
- Cheeses — Cream cheese-at room temperature. We used a even mixture of extra sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. You could use any cheddar cheese, Colby Jack, and/or pepper Jack cheese for a little spice. (We don’t recommend using pre-shredded cheese. For best results, grate your own cheese freshly; a food processor will make quick work of it.)
- Onions — both green and a yellow onion. Finely mince the yellow onion and finely dice the green onions, reserving a bit of the green part as a final garnish. Onion powder could be substituted for minced yellow onion.
- Peppers — Jarred pimento peppers and a jar roasted red peppers. Drain both thoroughly, patting them dry. Roughly chop the red peppers. The pimento peppers should already be diced.
- Bacon — Because bacon makes everything better. Cooked and crumbled.
- Mayonnaise — Duke’s mayo is what we used; it’s a southern favorite and this is southern pimento cheese. Hellman’s/Best Foods will be great too. We don’t recommend Miracle Whip for this recipe.
- Seasonings — Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard (not prepared), salt, black pepper, granulated garlic (garlic powder is ok, but not garlic salt), and sweet paprika. For a little extra kick, use hot paprika or ground cayenne pepper powder or a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce.
How to make warm pimento cheese dip
Step 1 — Preheat oven to 375°F. Add the mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, and all the seasonings to a large bowl.
Step 2 — Use a stand or hand mixer and combine cream cheese and everything together until smooth and creamy.
Step 3 — Fold in the crumbled bacon, sliced green onions (reserving some green parts for garnish), diced pimentos, minced onion, and chopped roasted red peppers by hand using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Step 4 —Stir in the shredded cheeses by the handful to the creamy pepper mixture. Do not add it all at once, as it could clump.
Step 5 — Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 6 — Add the cheese mixture to the cast iron skillet, garnish with reserved green onions, and bake for 15-20 minutes. For extra golden brown top, once baked, place under the broiler for a minute or two.
How to serve hot pimento cheese dip
- Crackers — Ritz crackers are a classic but any of your favorites will be delicious.
- Bread — Sliced baguette (toasted or not) or any sturdy, crusty bread pieces.
- Vegetables — Carrots, celery, and bell peppers are all excellent options.
- Chips — Tortilla chips and pita chips are great options.
Recipe FAQs
Make a regular or grilled pimento cheese sandwich. Use it as a topping on pulled pork or a baked potato.
Yes, it is absolutely amazing.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Add it to a skillet or baking dish and bake it at 375°F for about 10 minutes, but the exact time will be determined by how much is being reheated. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
Our favorite tools to make Hot Pimento Cheese Dip!
Lodge 10.25″ Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet
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BuzzyWaxx Original Blend – Cast Iron and Carbon Steel Seasoning
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Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp yellow onion minced
- 3 green onions finely sliced
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon crumbled
- 8 oz pimento peppers drained and dried (2-4 oz jars)
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers drained, dried, and chopped (about 1/2 the jar)
- 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
Prep
- Grate the cheeses, slice/mince the onions, crumble (and cook if necessary) the bacon, drain and dry the pimentos, and drain, dry, and chop roasted red peppers.
Making the Dip
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Add the mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, granulated garlic, sweet paprika, and Worcestershire sauce to a large mixing bowl and cream everything together using an electric mixer until smooth.
- Fold in the crumbled bacon, sliced green onions (reserving some green parts for garnish), diced pimentos, minced onion, and chopped roasted red peppers by hand using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Stir in the shredded cheeses by the handful to the creamy pepper mixture. Do not add it all at once, as it could clump. Scraping down the sides while combining.
- Add the cheese mixture to the cast iron skillet, garnish with reserved green onions, and bake for 15-20 minutes. For extra golden brown top, once baked, place under the broiler for a minute or two.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Cheeses — You could use any cheddar cheese, Colby Jack, and/or pepper Jack cheese for a little spice. We don’t recommend using pre-shredded cheese. For best results, grate your own cheese freshly; a food processor will make quick work of it.
- Onions — 1/2 teaspoon onion powder could be substituted for minced yellow onion.
- Peppers — You really want these jarred peppers to be dry before making the dip. Any residual clinging water could cause separation in the prepared dip.
- Mayonnaise — Duke’s mayo is what we used; it’s a southern favorite and this is southern pimento cheese. Hellman’s/Best Foods will be great too. We don’t recommend Miracle Whip for this recipe.
- Seasonings — For a little extra kick, use hot paprika or ground cayenne pepper powder in place or addition to the sweet paprika. Add a dash or three of your favorite hot sauce. Garlic powder can be used in place of granulated garlic, but do not use garlic salt.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Easy And very delicious, will try this recipe soon. Thank you for sharing!
This was such a quick and easy recipe that does not disappoint! Creamy, hot and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!
Favorite sandwich spread turned into a dip! Love this recipe!!!
This is SO tasty! People kept scooping this up and couldn’t stop. Needless to say it did not last long and a lot of people asked for the recipe!
I love this! I have only had cold pimento cheese before so this is like a whole new delicious world just opened up! Thank you
Hot and bubbly, this looks delicious, thank you for sharing!
This dip turned out amazing. Thank you for sharing!
Loved, loved, loved this dip! Seriously, it was the first thing gone from the snack bar. I will absolutely make this again!
Pimento Cheese is a favorite of ours and your version is among the best I have ever made – love the spices and, of course, the cast iron!
I love this gooey, creamy dip! The mild taste of the pimento peppers really goes well with the cheese!