Pimento cheese is a classic Southern spread that can be served on sandwiches or as a dip with veggies and crackers. With just the right blend of grated cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayo, pimentos, and spices, this recipe is much more than just a mouthful of mayonnaise.

Although the claim to pimento cheese is decidedly Southern, the origins of the spread started in the Northeast when factories began mass producing cream cheese. Around the same time, Americans began importing pimentos (a type of mild red pepper) from Spain, and then combining the peppers and cream cheese to serve on tea sandwiches. It wasn’t until pimentos later became more widely available that the “caviar of the South” officially arrived.

While grating your own cheese takes a little more time, it’s worth it. Unlike prepackaged grated cheese, freshly grated cheese has a fresher flavor and no anti-caking agents. To grate the cheese, I use my Cuisinart 11-Cup Food Processor.

Serve this pimento cheese in a bowl with veggies and crackers, or as a spread for a simple sandwich. For an extra pop of flavor, drizzle hot honey directly on the pimento cheese just before serving, or spread on the bread for sandwiches. Although it may sound like a strange combination, the spicy-sweet honey makes the creamy, tangy pimento cheese even better!