Updated: Apr. 26, 2023
When Dolly Parton celebrates the holidays, she always includes her pimento cheese sandwich recipe. Here's how she makes this easy, savory snack.
Dolly Parton loves spending time in the kitchen at Christmastime. She says, “My mouth waters when I just think about my holiday dishes.” Those dishes include her biscuits, sweet butterscotch pie and famous chicken and dumplings. Here’s another recipe you’ll find on the table at Dolly’s family gatherings: a pimento cheese sandwich. The tangy cheese mixture is also served as a dip at Dollywood, paired with a side of crispy pork rinds.
Here are more Southern foods Dolly loves.
What Is a Pimento Cheese Sandwich?
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Pimentos (or pimientos) are small, heart-shaped peppers with a slightly sweet flavor. You can find them at stores in small jars or cans, and they may be whole, sliced or diced. Pimento cheese is a cheese spread made with these diced peppers, soft cheeses, mayonnaise and diced pickles. Onion, spices and hot sauce may also be added.
To make a pimento cheese sandwich—a favorite Southern comfort food—spread this mixture between pieces of soft white bread. Serve them for a light lunch or as an appetizer.
How to Make a Pimento Cheese Sandwich
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Dolly’s recipe makes 6 whole sandwiches. They can also be cut into halves or quarters to make appetizers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 3 tablespoons diced dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons diced pimentos
- 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and grated
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 12 slices of good white bread (like Pepperidge Farm Sandwich Bread)
Editor’s Tip: Grate your own cheddar cheese for pieces that will easily blend into the mixture. Pre-shredded cheese will work too, but the shreds will keep their shape in the mixture.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients
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Put the shredded cheddar cheese and softened cream cheese in a large bowl. Mash them together with a large spoon or fork. Add in the diced pickles, diced pimentos, mayonnaise, grated hard-boiled egg, salt and pepper. Mix everything together until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Spread the cheese mixture on the bread
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Divide the pimento cheese mix between six slices of white bread, and spread it evenly over each slice (feel free to cut the crusts off the bread). Top each one with the remaining slices of bread.
Step 3: Slice and serve
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Use a sharp knife to slice the sandwiches into halves. Or, slice each sandwich into four squares and skewer each one with a toothpick to make appetizers.
Editor’s Tip: You can also omit the white bread and serve the spread as a dip instead. Spoon the pimento cheese into a small serving bowl and place it on a plate with crackers, bagel chips or Melba toast.
Here’s What I Thought
These sandwiches are very tasty—and it’s a little too easy to keep eating one after another. Diced pickle gives the cheese spread a nice crunch. It’s pretty too, with red and green flecks throughout. I’d recommend adding a dash of pickle juice to the cheese mixture to cut the richness, and cayenne pepper, hot sauce or diced jalapeño to give the spread a little kick.
How to Make Dolly’s Recipe Your Own
Make an elevated grilled cheese
Spread both sides of an assembled pimento cheese sandwich with butter. Toast it in a skillet over medium heat until golden-brown and gooey, about 4-5 minutes on each side.
Put a cheesy twist on a BLT
Lightly toast slices of white bread. Spread the slices with pimento cheese, then fill the sandwich with fresh lettuce, tomato slices and two pieces of crisp, cooked bacon.
Create a pimento breakfast sandwich
Spread pimento cheese on a toasted English muffin. Add a fried egg and your choice of breakfast sausage, bacon or Canadian bacon. Add a splash of hot sauce if desired.
FAQs
Pimento cheese is most closely associated with Southern cuisine and has been referred to as the "pâté of the South", "Carolina caviar" and "the caviar of the South." Pimento cheese sandwiches have a long history at the Masters Tournament. They have been served there as a concession since the 1940s.
Is pimento cheese sandwiches a southern thing? ›
Pimento cheese is most closely associated with Southern cuisine and has been referred to as the "pâté of the South", "Carolina caviar" and "the caviar of the South." Pimento cheese sandwiches have a long history at the Masters Tournament. They have been served there as a concession since the 1940s.
Why is pimento cheese so popular in South Carolina? ›
Something had to be done with all those peppers, so the widespread adoption of pimento cheese as a "Southern thing" may well have been driven in part by our natural industriousness - and love of tasty, creamy, cheesy dishes, of course.
What to serve with a pimento cheese sandwich? ›
I certainly don't mind gobbling up this grilled pimento cheese sandwich alongside my favorite potato chips or a big bowl of fresh fruit. But you could easily serve it up with a salad, such as my massaged kale salad, or with a bowl of soup, such as tortellini soup or corn chowder, if you're looking for a bigger meal.
Where is pimento cheese famous? ›
Most Southerners have fond memories of a loving aunt mixing up a batch for a church gathering, while Northerners haven't the foggiest idea what pimento cheese even is. Affectionately referred to as “Carolina caviar” or “Southern pate,” it has been a Southern staple for well over 50 years.
Where is the pimento cheese capital of the world? ›
While pimento cheese is a staple in many Southern homes, Charlotte has been considered the Pimento Cheese Capital of the World, according to Mental Floss.
How do you keep pimento cheese sandwiches from getting soggy? ›
Be sure to assemble the sandwiches fresh to avoid soggy bread. Any leftover pimento cheese can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week to enjoy later.
Why did Costco remove pimento cheese? ›
Costco has reportedly stopped selling Palmetto Cheese after the owner of the pimento cheese brand called Black Lives Matter a "terror organization."
Is pimento cheese good or bad for you? ›
Pimento cheese does have some redeeming qualities. It's a good source of protein, an important nutrient that can help to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Plus the low carb count can make it a feasible option for a diabetic diet, so long as it's enjoyed in moderation.
What state is obsessed with cheese? ›
Wisconsin's nickname as “America's Dairyland” punctuates the state's leading position within the U.S. dairy industry. More than three and a half billion pounds of cheese are produced in Wisconsin. California is the second largest producer.
The best cracker for pimento cheese is a water cracker or a rustic whole wheat flatbread dipped in herbs and flaky salt. Additionally, buttery Club crackers and pita chips are also good options due to their neutral flavors.
Do you eat pimento cheese hot or cold? ›
It can be served cold with a selection of crackers and vegetables, or hot as a dip with pico de gallo and tortilla chips. Pimento cheese is also great on sandwiches and burgers.
What is the nickname for pimento cheese? ›
Pimento Cheese has many nicknames: PC, Carolina Caviar, Atlanta Paté, and Menta Cheese. In the Old South you cannot have a church social, family picnic, card game, wedding, or any social gathering without Pimento Cheese sandwiches. Kids ask for it with the same frequency as they ask for peanut butter up north.
What is the SC brand of pimento cheese? ›
Pawleys Island Specialty Foods is a wholesale food company based in Pawleys Island, SC. We are the creators and marketers of the #1 brand of pimento cheese in America called Palmetto Cheese. Founded in 2006, Pawleys Island Specialty Foods continues to develop and market new products for retail customers.
Can you eat pimento cheese by itself? ›
WAYS TO SERVE PIMENTO CHEESE. If you put a bowl of pimento cheese and a spoon in front of us, we'd probably eat it all by itself. It's just that good!
What is the Louisiana State sandwich? ›
A po' boy (also po-boy, po boy derived from the non-rhotic southern accents often heard in the region, or poor boy) is a sandwich originally from Louisiana. It traditionally consists of meat, which is usually roast beef, ham, or fried seafood such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters, or crab.
What is considered caviar of the south? ›
Hampton Acres Pimento cheese is affectionately known as "the caviar of the South".
Is North Carolina known for pimento cheese? ›
In the 1950s, Charlotte-based Ruth's Salads began producing and selling pimento cheese. Today, the company is the largest producer of pimento cheese in North Carolina.
What type of cheese is Southern? ›
The best known "types" of traditional Southern cheese are pimento cheese (which is a dip, not a cheese itself), and hoop cheese, which is now a relative rarity, but was ubiquitous before the 1960s in local stores.
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home, Getty Images
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
