Despite being crazy about cheese, as a kid, I avoided pimento cheese because of the mayonnaise in it. Gasp – I am a self-confessed mayonnaise hater. I have no desire to go to the effort of making mayonnaise from scratch, either, since it’s a condiment I don’t like.
But I wanted to enjoy pimento cheese so much, I set out to make a mayo-free version that mayo-lovers would enjoy too. I was convinced there had to be another condiment for binding ingredients other than mayonnaise. Much to my excitement, Greek yogurt works well – -seriously.
Despite the healthier benefits to this pimento cheese dip, I am cautious about telling people upfront there is no mayonnaise in it. I am all too familiar with the “I love mayo” camp of folks. Not only are they shocked to learn there is no mayonnaise in the dip, but they are also equally taken aback to discover the not-so-secret ingredient is Greek yogurt, especially since some people have an aversion to it. But they sure do love pimento cheese made with it!
But really, what I’ve learned, is that many people simply make pimento cheese with mayonnaise because that’s the way they’ve always done it. Curious, I wanted to know if mayonnaise was always a prime ingredient in pimento cheese and discovered cooks only started adding it around the 1950’s. So, don’t worry. Making this pimento cheese dip does not go against some time-honored tradition, but instead, you’ll be returning the dip to its roots, free of mayonnaise.
Mayo-free Spicy Tangy Pimento Cheese
Ingredients:
½ lb. white sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
½ lb. extra sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
7oz jar pimentos, drained. Reserve some of the liquid
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)
2 tbsp of jalapenos, diced (Sweet Heat Jalapenos by Pickled Pink are my favorite. Holly Hocks carries the Pickled Pink products at their store.)
4 dashes of hot sauce (Marie Sharp’s Hot Habanero sauce is my favorite, followed by Valentina Salsa Picante.)
Black pepper to taste
Paprika (optional)
Pickled okra (optional)
Instructions:
Using a food processor or grater, grate the cheese. Put the freshly grated cheese in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir with a large fork. If you prefer a wetter pimento cheese, add one teaspoon of reserved pimento liquid. Stir. If desired, sprinkle with paprika and place some pickled okra on top. Makes four cups.
Serve with crackers. For healthier options, top cucumber slices with pimento cheese or pile high on top of pickled okra halves for a fun twist.
Hints for the best pimento cheese: Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. It has ingredients that block cheese does not have, resulting in different flavors and textures. Don’t ever be caught with mild cheddar cheese in your shopping cart! Use only extra sharp and sharp cheddar.
For testing purposes only, I used Kroger’s Private Selection extra sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese and Cracker Barrel’s Sharp Cheddar, and Simple Truth organic Greek yogurt.
*Insider tip. If you want spicy pimento cheese but just don’t want to go to the effort, head over to the Butcher Shop. They have a delicious and no-effort-for-you jalapeno pimento cheese for about $6.
This recipe was first featured in Milk Punch Media and is reprinted with their permission.
